UNITED STATES: On Tuesday, a few Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives unseated Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy, causing more turmoil in Congress shortly after narrowly avoiding a government shutdown. This historic vote of 216 to 210 marked the first instance in which the House removed its own leader, with eight Republicans joining 208 Democrats in the decision to remove McCarthy.
Kevin McCarthy told the press that he would not seek another term as speaker. “I fought for what I believe in. I believe I can continue to fight, but maybe in a different manner,” McCarthy said. The House appeared poised to operate without a leader for at least a week, as several Republicans expressed their intention to convene on October 10th to explore potential successors to McCarthy, followed by a vote for a new speaker scheduled for October 11th.
Tuesday’s rebellion was spearheaded by Representative Matt Gaetz, a conservative Republican from Florida who had been at odds with Kevin McCarthy. Gaetz’s discontent with the speaker grew after McCarthy relied on Democratic votes to pass a bill on Saturday, averting a partial government shutdown.
“Kevin McCarthy is a creature of the swamp. He has risen to power by collecting special interest money and redistributing that money in exchange for favors. We are breaking the fever now,” after the vote, Gaetz stated to reporters.
This marked the most recent instance of intense political tension in a year during which the Republican-led House pushed Washington to the edge of a potentially disastrous default on the massive U.S. debt of $31.4 trillion and a partial government shutdown.
With a slim 221-212 majority, Republicans have a narrow hold on the chamber, allowing them to lose no more than five votes if Democrats stand united in opposition.
The removal of Kevin McCarthy as speaker has effectively stalled legislative proceedings in the House, and there is another government shutdown deadline approaching on November 17th unless Congress extends funding.
The White House expressed its desire for a prompt selection of a new speaker, a position that ranks second in line to the presidency after the vice president.
The recent vote has left Congress in a state of uncertainty as it rushes to revise farm subsidies and nutrition programmes, approve government funding bills, and deliberate on additional aid for Ukraine. The successor to McCarthy remains unclear at this time.
Kevin McCarthy had consistently provoked Democrats in recent weeks, including by initiating an impeachment inquiry into Biden and, on Saturday, providing minimal time for them to review a temporary spending bill aimed at preventing a government shutdown, a bill he relied on their votes to pass. Democrats had the option to assist McCarthy, but after careful consideration, they decided not to assist Republicans in resolving their own issues.
There is potential for other Republican leaders, such as Steve Scalise and Tom Emmer, to be considered as candidates, although they haven’t publicly announced their interest. Representative Patrick McHenry was appointed to the position on a temporary basis. The last two Republican speakers, Paul Ryan and John Boehner, retired from Congress following conflicts with the conservative wing of the party.
During the House floor debate, Gaetz and a small group of allies criticised Kevin McCarthy for relying on Democratic votes to pass temporary funding and prevent a partial government shutdown. “We need a speaker who will fight for something—anything—other than staying on as speaker,” stated Republican Representative Bob Good.
Rep. Nancy Mace told reporters that she voted to remove Kevin McCarthy from office as speaker because he had not kept his promise to support a bill she authored on rape kits and to increase access to birth contraception. “I’ve made deals with Kevin McCarthy, with the speaker, that he has not kept to help women in this country. We have done nothing for them,” Mace said.
On the other hand, McCarthy’s supporters, including some of the most vocal conservatives in the chamber, argue that McCarthy has effectively controlled spending and advanced conservative priorities despite Democratic control of the White House and the Senate. “Think long and hard before you plunge us into chaos, because that’s where we’re headed,” stated Republican Representative Tom Cole.
Gaetz was among more than a dozen Republicans who consistently voted against McCarthy’s bid for speaker back in January. McCarthy eventually secured the position after 15 rounds of voting spanning four days. In order to secure the role, McCarthy agreed to adopt rules that made it easier for his leadership to be challenged.
Kevin McCarthy’s supporters have stated that Gaetz’s motivations might be a desire for attention, aspirations for higher office, or resentment related to an ongoing ethics investigation into potential sexual misconduct and drug use.
Gaetz, however, has denied any wrongdoing and maintained that his motivation is not rooted in personal animosity towards McCarthy. He stated, “This isn’t a critique of the individual; it’s a critique of the job. The job hasn’t been done.”
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