Speaker Kevin McCarthy Removed on Motion to Vacate Chair
Lawmakers have voted to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., from his leadership role, the first time in the history of the House of Representatives that the chamber voted to boot a member from the top job.
Eight Republicans voted with every present Democrat to vacate the speaker's chair. The final vote was 216 to 210 in favor of McCarthy's ouster.
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., introduced a measure against McCarthy known as a motion to vacate on Monday night, accusing him of breaking promises he made to win the speaker's gavel in January.
Prof. Cliff Thies, Professor of Economics and Finance
Shenandoah University says:
"Andy Biggs, Ken Buck, Tim Burchett, Eli Crane, Matt Gaetz, Bob Good, Nancy Mace and Matt Rosendale decided McCarthey wasn't conservative enough for them.
I guess they'd rather have Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker.
The immediate cause was that Matt Gaetz said Speaker McCarthey broke a deal for which he votes present rather than for a stand-in, so McCarthey could be elected. That deal was that McCarthey would only bring bills to the floor that the Republican caucus supported.
McCarthy did that. Bringing a Republican stop gap spending bill to the floor, which Gaetz defeated by voting against.
McCarthey then brought the Senate's stop gap spending bill to the floor. It passed with all the Democrat votes and with the majority of the Republican votes. That was too much for Gaetz.
The House of Representatives now has merely an interim Speaker. We will see who will now be elected Speaker, " says Thies.