Fogbow

Volkonski wrote: ↑Sun Oct 01, 2023 10:13 am So, who will Gaetz put forward as a new Speaker? What will the Democrats do?

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

pipistrelle wrote: ↑Sun Oct 01, 2023 1:28 pm Who does Gaetz want for speaker?

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

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.

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.

Reality Check wrote: ↑Tue Oct 03, 2023 11:24 am 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.

Volkonski wrote: ↑Tue Oct 03, 2023 1:51 pm I am not a supporter of McCarthy but hate to see the Democrats voting with Gaetz.

Suranis wrote: ↑Tue Oct 03, 2023 2:05 pm 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.