In a stunning turn of events, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy finds himself on the brink of a political maelstrom, as far-right Republican congressman Matt Gaetz threatens to initiate proceedings to unseat him as early as Monday. The upheaval stems from McCarthy’s controversial bipartisan agreement with Democrats to avert a government shutdown.
Gaetz, known for his unapologetic stance on conservative values, expressed his intent during an appearance on CNN’s State of the Union, declaring, “We need to rip off the Bandaid. We need to move on with new leadership that can be trustworthy.” Gaetz intends to file a “motion to vacate” this week, with the House convening at noon on Monday.
Central to Gaetz’s discontent is McCarthy’s alleged duplicity regarding a “secret deal” with Democrats to secure additional funding for Ukraine, which was conspicuously absent from the compromise bill. Gaetz accuses McCarthy of misleading Republicans about his collaboration with Democrats to pass the crucial funding legislation.
McCarthy’s temporary funding measure, ensuring government operations for 45 days, managed to secure House approval with a vote of 335-91. This legislation, supported by 209 Democrats and 126 Republicans, sailed through the Senate with an 88-9 majority before being signed into law by President Joe Biden.
Gaetz minced no words in his criticism, stating, “The one thing everybody has in common is that nobody trusts Kevin McCarthy.” He went on to assert that McCarthy’s credibility had eroded, claiming the House Speaker had deceived both President Biden and House conservatives.
Furthermore, Gaetz declared his intention to break a previous agreement made in January, which saw him support McCarthy’s bid for speaker in exchange for conservative fiscal policies. This earlier agreement had relaxed House rules, enabling a single member to initiate the process to remove a speaker through a motion to vacate.
Gaetz ominously forecasted McCarthy’s political fate, stating, “The only way Kevin McCarthy is speaker of the House at the end of this coming week is if Democrats bail him out, and they probably will.”
Amid this political turmoil, tensions between McCarthy and Gaetz reached a boiling point during a confrontational closed-door meeting. McCarthy denied orchestrating any social media campaign against Gaetz, and the Florida congressman emphasized that his actions were rooted in holding McCarthy accountable rather than personal animosity.
In a defiant response after the passage of the funding bill, McCarthy challenged his detractors, proclaiming, “If somebody wants to make a motion against me, bring it. There has to be an adult in the room. I am going to govern with what is best for this country.”
Gaetz alleged that McCarthy had struck a clandestine agreement to safeguard his speakership while keeping the government operational. Gaetz pledged to introduce a standalone bill aimed at continuing financial support for Ukraine in response to Russia’s military invasion.
This political strife reflects a growing faction within the Republican party that opposes U.S. involvement in funding Ukraine’s war effort. Although the stopgap bill lacked provisions for Ukraine, Gaetz contended that it was part of a backroom deal to ensure passage of the shutdown legislation.
In a scathing critique, Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York expressed her reluctance to support McCarthy’s speakership if it came to a vote in the House, citing his perceived weakness in managing his caucus and his eleventh-hour government funding extension. She warned, “We’re going to be right back in this place in November.”
