Key details on the McCarthy and Gaetz showdown in the House this week.
Tensions Rise as McCarthy Faces Showdown with Gaetz over Speaker’s Partnership with Democrats
Tensions between House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) have reached a boiling point, setting the stage for a dramatic showdown this week. This comes after McCarthy struck a deal with House Democrats to avoid a government shutdown, a move that has angered many within his own party.
After successfully passing a continuing resolution following weeks of internal conflict, McCarthy now faces a new challenge from his own party: holding onto his speakership. Gaetz, a vocal critic of McCarthy, announced on Monday his intention to introduce a motion to vacate the speakership and remove McCarthy as leader. This raises questions about whether Gaetz has enough support and what the future of the House would look like if he fails.
MCCARTHY IN TROUBLE AS GAETZ PROMISES VENGEANCE FOR SPEAKER’S PARTNERSHIP WITH DEMOCRATS
Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming showdown for the speakership:
Why is Gaetz introducing a motion to vacate?
Rank-and-file Republicans have been discussing the idea of vacating the speakership if McCarthy went against their demands or collaborated with House Democrats, which he ultimately did by passing a clean continuing resolution. The resolution passed with a vote of 335-91, with Gaetz, 89 House Republicans, and one Democrat voting against it.
Gaetz, who has been a staunch opponent of McCarthy, revealed on CNN’s State of the Union that he plans to introduce a motion to vacate sometime this week. He believes it is time for new leadership that can be trusted.
Does Gaetz have the votes?
Reps. Dan Bishop (R-NC) and Eli Crane (R-AZ) have indicated their support for Gaetz’s motion to vacate McCarthy. Bishop was one of the first House Republicans to threaten McCarthy’s ousting following the debt ceiling compromise with President Joe Biden.
However, it remains uncertain whether Gaetz has enough Republican support to successfully vacate the speaker. Centrist Republicans and McCarthy’s allies are unlikely to join Gaetz’s cause. According to a House GOP lawmaker cited by the Wall Street Journal, the number of House Republicans expected to vote with Gaetz could range from six additional opponents of McCarthy to as many as the 20 holdouts who initially voted against McCarthy for speaker in January.
Several House GOP lawmakers have expressed frustration with Gaetz’s calls to vacate the speakership. Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN) referred to Gaetz as a “charlatan” and stated that at least 200 House Republicans, including himself, would be voting to support the Speaker.
Ironically, despite the Republicans’ slim majority, Gaetz may need to garner support from House Democrats to successfully vacate McCarthy. However, Gaetz has made it clear that he will not make any deals or concessions with Democrats.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has stated that she would vote to remove McCarthy but emphasized the need for a “real conversation” between House Democrats and Republicans to secure Democratic support.
Who could replace McCarthy?
While the motion to vacate is still in its early stages, attention is already turning to potential replacements within the House Republican ranks.
Possible successors include House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN), Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green (R-TN), House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), and Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE).
However, some of these lawmakers either support McCarthy or have privately declined any interest in the position. Emmer has dismissed talks of replacement as mere “palace intrigue.”
Scalise’s situation is unique, as he may be more focused on his cancer treatment than pursuing the speakership. He also made it clear during the speaker vote in January that he backed McCarthy for the position.
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How many times can Gaetz repeat his threat?
McCarthy’s path to securing the speakership included a rule change that allows a single member to bring forward a motion to vacate. Under the current House rules, any member, regardless of party affiliation, can introduce the motion. If introduced as a “privileged” resolution, the House must consider it at some point. Previously, under former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a majority of one party needed to support the motion to bring it forward.
There is no limit to how many times a motion to vacate can be brought forward. In fact, Gaetz threatened last week that he would bring up the motion every day if necessary. He can introduce the motion against McCarthy as soon as Monday when the House reconvenes.
Leaders would then have to schedule a vote on the matter within two legislative days. However, the House could vote to table the measure or refer it to a committee, both procedural votes that would prevent a direct decision by the lower chamber.
The motion to vacate requires a simple majority to pass, meaning McCarthy cannot afford to lose more than four votes.
What happens if Gaetz fails?
If Gaetz fails to vacate the speakership, it is likely that the House will continue with business as usual. McCarthy has dismissed Gaetz’s threats, stating that he will survive.
While there have been reports of some GOP members seeking to expel Gaetz for his threats against McCarthy’s leadership, it is unlikely that any effort to remove Gaetz from the House will be successful. Expelling a House member requires a two-thirds majority, and just like with the motion to vacate McCarthy, it will be difficult to gain majority Republican support.
McCarthy confidently responded to Gaetz, saying, “Bring it on, let’s get it over with, and let’s start governing.”
Click here to read more from The Washington Examiner.
What are the potential implications of a successful motion to vacate for the House of Representatives?
Etz introduce the motion to vacate?
There are no hard and fast rules regarding how many times Gaetz can introduce the motion to vacate. The motion is governed by the rules of the House of Representatives, which do not explicitly state a limit on the number of times a member can introduce such a motion. However, it is important to note that the motion to vacate is a highly unusual and rare procedure, and it is unlikely that Gaetz would continue to introduce the motion multiple times if it fails to gain traction. It is worth mentioning that previous attempts to remove a sitting Speaker of the House have been largely unsuccessful. The last successful motion to vacate the speakership was in 1910 when Speaker Joseph Cannon was removed from his position. Since then, there have been several attempts to oust speakers that have failed. If Gaetz is able to garner enough support to successfully vacate McCarthy as Speaker, it would have significant implications for the House of Representatives. The Speaker of the House is one of the most powerful positions in Congress, responsible for setting the legislative agenda and representing the majority party. Removing McCarthy would create a power vacuum and potentially lead to a contentious battle for a new Speaker. The process for electing a new Speaker would begin with the House Republican Conference selecting a new candidate to nominate. This candidate would then need to secure a majority of votes in the full House of Representatives to be elected as Speaker. The outcome of this process is uncertain and could result in a prolonged period of instability and internal conflict within the Republican Party. Additionally, the removal of McCarthy could have broader implications for the Republican Party as a whole. McCarthy has been seen as a key figure in the party and has played a role in shaping its direction and policies. His removal could signal a shift in party dynamics and potentially lead to changes in the party’s strategy and priorities. If Gaetz fails to garner enough support for his motion to vacate, McCarthy will remain as Speaker of the House. However, the failed motion could still have repercussions for both Gaetz and McCarthy. For Gaetz, a failed motion to vacate could undermine his standing within the Republican Party and damage his political aspirations. It would demonstrate a lack of support and potentially isolate him from influential members of his own party. For McCarthy, a failed motion to vacate could also weaken his position within the party. It would indicate that there is significant discontent and division within the Republican ranks and could make it harder for him to maintain control and implement his agenda. In any case, the tension between McCarthy and Gaetz is indicative of the broader divisions and power struggles within the Republican Party. The outcome of this showdown will shed light on the direction of the party and the future of its leadership.What are the implications of a successful motion to vacate?
What will happen if the motion to vacate fails?
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