House Republicans are making preparations to expel Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., following his renewed threat to pursue a motion to remove House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
According to Fox News, GOP members will seek to expel Gaetz if the ethics committee report finds him guilty. One member described Gaetz as "a smart guy without morals" and stated that "no one can stand him at this point."
Expelling Gaetz would require a two-thirds vote, and Republicans are walking on thin ice with their majority. Currently, the House has 433 members, and it remains unclear where things stand with federally indicted Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y. If members were to be expelled, retire, or pass away, the GOP's majority could be at risk.
During an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union," Gaetz announced his plan to file a motion to remove Speaker McCarthy. Gaetz expressed the need for new leadership that can be trusted, claiming that nobody trusts McCarthy and accusing him of lying to President Biden and House conservatives. Gaetz criticized McCarthy's handling of spending issues, alleging that McCarthy made contradictory promises and exceeded agreed-upon spending limits.
In response to Gaetz's motion, McCarthy dismissed it as a personal matter, stating, "I'll survive." However, Gaetz insisted that his pursuit of McCarthy's ouster was not personal but rather a matter of holding him accountable for his actions. Gaetz emphasized that it was about spending and keeping McCarthy true to his word.
The House Ethics Committee has been investigating Gaetz since 2021 on various allegations, including campaign finance violations, accepting bribes, and drug use. Gaetz has vehemently denied these accusations, as well as allegations leaked from a Justice Department sex trafficking probe involving an underage girl. Gaetz's office previously confirmed that the Department of Justice concluded its investigation and would not charge him with any crimes.
Gaetz warned that if McCarthy remains the House Speaker, he would essentially be serving at the Democrats' pleasure and working for them. Gaetz expressed his refusal to make any deals or concessions with Democrats, stating that they should vote against McCarthy for free.
Attempting to remove a speaker in the middle of a Congress is a rare move. The last formal effort to remove a speaker occurred in 1910. However, former Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., threatened to use this tactic against House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, in 2015, leading to Boehner's resignation.
The success of removing a speaker requires the candidate to receive 217 votes if all members vote for someone by name in a speaker's race. It remains unclear how many Republicans may vote against the secondary motion to table or refer. McCarthy's actions regarding government funding have angered many on the hard right, and it is uncertain if Democrats would potentially assist McCarthy.
Some Democrats who oppose McCarthy may vote with Republicans to remove the speaker, while others may choose not to participate in the vote. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has stated that Republicans must resolve their internal conflicts on their own.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., also expressed her intention to vote against McCarthy, stating that she would support his removal.
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