💣 The Disastrous 118th Congress - MAGA Mike Johnson Saved by Shadow Speaker Hakeem Jeffries

[AndyinPA]

I don't know what half-sane republican in the House would now want this job, if there are any. Kevin didn't even want the job; he just wanted the title.

[bob]

So, who will Gaetz put forward as a new Speaker? What will the Democrats do?

My WAG is that, after the Republicans beclown themselves with their motion, just enough Democrats will vote with a majority of the Republicans to defeat the motion. (Or enough Democrats will just vote present.)

The Democrats can't hold McCarthy to his word about a separate Ukraine bill if he isn't the Speaker. And this CR is only for 45 days; this scenario will repeat before Thanksgiving.

[Suranis]

When the worlds most punchable forehead meets the worlds most treacherous party

https://www.mediaite.com/news/house-rep ... stand-him/

House GOP May Try to Oust Matt Gaetz Using Ethics Report
As Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) launches his rebellion against House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), multiple reports indicate that House Republicans are looking to get rid of the Florida congressman altogether. According to a report from CNN, an unnamed House Republican said that the caucus wants Gaetz gone — and that they may use the findings

[bob]

I would not be surprised if a majority of Congress would happily bench Gaetz, using whatever figleaf was on hand.

Two-thirds for expulsion is less probable.

[pipistrelle]

Who does Gaetz want for speaker?

And to his fellows, is he worse than Boebert or Greene? More effective?

[bob]

Who does Gaetz want for speaker?

Gaetz is unsurprisingly reluctant to be specific, or to suggest someone who would garner a majority of the House.

Because everyone knows this is just theater.

If Gaetz makes a motion; it'll lose; business continues. Gaetz will have appeared busy but accomplished nothing (other than fundraising).

[bob]

Congressman Matt Gaetz files motion to vacate against House Speaker Kevin McCarthy

PARTY ON!

Bonus:

[p0rtia]

Didn't we have a poll? As to when he would face a motion to vacate? Didn't I make it?

I can't find it....

[Volkonski]

Right-wing Republican files bid to oust McCarthy

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canad ... gn=KARANGA

Matt Gaetz, a right-wing lawmaker from Florida, filed his motion late on Monday to oust the Republican leader in the lower chamber of Congress.

Tensions between the two Republicans boiled over at the weekend after the Speaker passed a bill with the help of Democrats to fund government agencies.

The leadership has two days to bring the motion up for a vote.

Responding to Mr Gaetz's motion to vacate, Mr McCarthy posted online: "Bring it on."

The deal that averted a government shutdown left out additional money for Ukraine because Mr Gaetz and other ultraconservatives insist the US is spending too much funding the country's war with Russia.

Mr McCarthy only became Speaker in January after 15 rounds of voting when he was able to win over a key group of right-wing Republicans.

Mr Gaetz was one of the Republicans who repeatedly voted against Mr McCarthy - and even until the end the Florida lawmaker abstained from voting along with five others.

In a speech on the House floor, Mr Gaetz said Mr McCarthy must disclose the details of a deal he made with the White House to bring new Ukraine funding to a vote in separate legislation soon.

[Kendra]

Dan Goldman will be on air with Jen Psaki after commercial break.

[Volkonski]

It's official: Gaetz to force vote on McCarthy's speakership

https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2 ... w-00119470

It's far from clear that Gaetz has the votes to depose McCarthy, as the Floridian himself acknowledged to reporters after making his move. Only three colleagues, Reps. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) and Bob Good (R-Va.), are openly supportive of his effort. But a handful of other House Republicans frustrated with the speaker are seen as persuadable on the matter of his future.

Among those potential GOP swing votes: Reps. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.), Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) and Dan Bishop (R-N.C.).

“I have enough Republicans where at this point next week one of two things will happen: Kevin McCarthy won’t be the speaker of the House or he’ll be the speaker of the House serving at the pleasure of Democrats," Gaetz said, referring to the near-certain likelihood that Democratic votes will be required in order to keep McCarthy's hold on the top gavel.

"I’ve made peace with either result," Gaetz added.

Several leading conservatives, including influential players in the hard-right Freedom Caucus, are either openly against Gaetz's ouster push or leaning that way. On the high-profile Rules Committe, Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) is publicly against booting McCarthy, while Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) suggested on Monday that he was dubious.

"We’ve got so many important things to do. To divert all the attention on that — I think the American people don’t care who is speaker," Norman said. He added that he had hoped Gaetz would "hold off" on his push in order to give Republicans more time to pass spending bills that the Senate is certain to reject.

Another Freedom Caucus member and occasional Gaetz rival, Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), also indicated skepticism: “I just don’t think we should be engaging in that at all right now," he said. "We have a lot of work to do."

Democratic leaders have stayed quiet so far about their own approach to the McCarthy ouster vote, waiting for Gaetz to make good on his promise to come after the speaker. Now that the gambit has become official, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) will have to decide whether to push his members — particularly centrists who might be tempted to bail out McCarthy — to withhold their votes.

McCarthy's allies fumed at the headline-grabbing display Gaetz has mounted over the past several days as he ramped up his threats against the speaker. That talk culminated in Gaetz's Sunday vow to force the vote after McCarthy relied on Democratic votes to pass a shutdown-averting spending deal.

[Suranis]

Remember Gaetz was the one that put Trump's name up for Speaker of the house, and it got zero votes.

[Ben-Prime]

Still wanting to see Kevbo turn this around and convince enough Ds plus a few Rs who are fed-the-hell-up with Gaetz to vote to expel the little monster.

[Volkonski]

House expected to vote on removing McCarthy this afternoon.

[Reality Check]

I hope the Democrats squeeze a few concessions out of Kevin to vote present. Especially they need to get him to bring up aid to Ukraine.

[MN-Skeptic]

For those without Twitter, this is a picture of McCarthy and a head of lettuce with the caption: "Day One: Can Kevin McCarthy outlast this lettuce?"

[bob]

I hope the Democrats squeeze a few concessions out of Kevin to vote present. Especially they need to get him to bring up aid to Ukraine.

Per ABC, Democratic leadership urged its members simply not to vote.

Which I believe is the best move if McCarthy isn't offering anything for "present" or votes to reject the motion.

The motion will fail, like 20-200, and the House will resume its previous business (of beclowning itself with dog-and-pony hearings where the dogs and ponies are the smart ones).

[p0rtia]

Really? I'm seeing a clip everywhere of Jeffries saying they're not going to do anything to help McCarthy maintain his speakership.

I can't imagine the Dems giving McCarthy a gift like that without extracting something major in return.

[p0rtia]

The end of Jeffries three page statement from 1:20 PM today:

"House Democratic Leadership will vote yes on the pending Republican Motion to vacate the chair."

Screenshot 2023-10-03 at 1.43.13 PM.png (104.49 KiB) Viewed 591 times

[Volkonski]

I am not a supporter of McCarthy but hate to see the Democrats voting with Gaetz.

[AndyinPA]

I am not a supporter of McCarthy but hate to see the Democrats voting with Gaetz.

The last I heard, none are.

[Volkonski]

If the Democratic leadership is voting yes on the motion to vacate that is voting with Gaetz.

[Suranis]

I'm not seeing anything about them voting yes to Vacate on searches online. You would think the Interubes would be melting down about it.

So it might be fake but we will see.

[bob]

I'm not seeing anything about them voting yes to Vacate on searches online. You would think the Interubes would be melting down about it.

CBS reported on Jeffries' statement.

I'm still not moved.

Feigning interest in voting yes may be a way to get something out of McCarthy. Or may be free grandstanding.

Leadership voting to vacate, rank-and-file not voting may be an attempt to cover the spread: the motion will still fail, but leadership can say it took a stand (or something).

[Reality Check]

Appears to me the motion to table will succeed since it already has 218 R votes. I think that will end it.

(One thing I learned from watching CSPAN is that the time remaining on these votes means nothing.)

Edit: That might have been another procedural vote. I believe they are voting on the motion to table now. So far there are 10 R Nay votes and only one 0 D Yea votes so at this rate the motion to table will fail.