House Republicans are set to hold a closed-door meeting on Tuesday to discuss a motion to oust Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., as House speaker.
The motion was introduced by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and could be voted on as early as Tuesday. If successful, this would be the first time the House has faced such a vote since 1910.
Gaetz, a frequent critic of McCarthy, introduced the motion on Monday evening, stating, "Resolved that the office of Speaker of the House Representatives is hereby declared to be vacant." The motion is based on clause 2A1 of Rule 9, which allows members to raise questions about the privileges of the House.
While there are members who have yet to decide how they would vote on the motion, McCarthy may need support from the Democratic Caucus to maintain his position. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., expressed his opposition to the motion, calling it a "bad idea." Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., also stated that he was undecided.
McCarthy responded to the motion with a post on X, saying, "Bring it on." Gaetz swiftly replied, "Just did." Gaetz believes he has enough Republican votes, at least five, to either remove McCarthy or force him to seek support from Democrats.
If Gaetz's motion succeeds, all proceedings on the House floor will come to a halt, and successive roll call votes will be conducted until a new speaker is elected. McCarthy's initial bid for speaker in January lasted five days and involved 15 rounds of voting, making it the longest speaker's election since 1859.
The first vote is expected to focus on whether to table or dismiss Gaetz's motion. If the House votes against tabling the motion, it will likely trigger a new vote for speaker. Gaetz has been vocal about the need for new leadership, stating that "nobody trusts Kevin McCarthy." Gaetz accuses McCarthy of lying to President Biden and House conservatives, and of breaking spending agreements.
In a separate development, some House Republicans are attempting to oust Gaetz if the ethics committee finds him guilty. This would require a two-thirds vote to expel Gaetz. The House Ethics Committee has been investigating Gaetz since 2021 on allegations of campaign finance violations, bribery, and drug use. Gaetz vehemently denies these accusations, as well as allegations from a Justice Department sex trafficking probe involving an underage girl.
The outcome of the vote to remove McCarthy as House speaker remains uncertain. The closed-door meeting on Tuesday will provide an opportunity for House Republicans to discuss their positions and potentially sway undecided members. As the motion to vacate progresses, the future of House leadership hangs in the balance.
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