Gaetz says he will seek to oust McCarthy as speaker this week. 'Bring it on,' McCarthy says.

[ShazzieB]

I posted this in LBN last night, but the hosts have locked it as off-topic, so I'm reposting it here.

Original post: https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143138013

Source: AP News

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Matt Gaetz said Sunday he will try to remove House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a fellow Republican, from his leadership position this week after McCarthy relied on Democratic support to pass legislation that avoided a government shutdown. “Bring it on,” McCarthy responded.

Gaetz, a longtime McCarthy nemesis, said in broadcast interviews that McCarthy was in “brazen, material breach” of agreements he made with House Republicans in January when he ran for speaker. As a result, Gaetz said he would be filing a “ motion to vacate the chair,” as House rules permit.

McCarthy’s response: “So be it. Bring it on. Let’s get over with it and let’s start governing.”

No speaker has ever been removed from office through such a move. Procedural votes could be offered to halt the motion or it could trigger a House floor vote on whether McCarthy, R-Calif., should remain speaker.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-house-republicans-speaker-remove-shutdown-aa4efca3c68895283b4219ed3e8064ff

Somehow, I doubt this will work out the way Gaetz wants. From what I know, only the MAGA faction is likely to vote to kick McCarthy out of the Speaker's seat, and Gaetz will probably end up with egg on his face. Bring it on, I guess.

[jcgoldie]

1. well as long as democrats are united against him

Gaetz only needs 4 other maga loons to blow it up.

[underpants]

3. I was curious- Speaker needs a majority of votes cast.

Not a majority of the number of Representatives.
So, if a few Republicans don’t vote it’s possible for a Dem to be speaker. Unlikely but possible.


To be elected speaker, a candidate must receive a majority of the current votes cast, as opposed to a majority of the entire membership of the House—at the time 218 votes, in a House of 434 members, due to one vacancy caused by the death of Donald McEachin of Virginia.[26] There have only been a few instances during the past century where a person received a majority of the votes cast and thus won the election while failing to obtain a majority of the full membership. It happened most recently in 2021, when Nancy Pelosi was elected with 216 votes (as opposed to 218). Such a variation in the number of votes necessary to win a given election might arise due to vacancies, absentees, or members being present but not voting. If no candidate wins a majority of the votes cast for a person by name, then the roll call is repeated until a speaker is elected.[18] Prior to this election, multiple roll calls have been necessary 14 times; 13 of these occurred before the American Civil War and it last occurred in December 1923, when a closely divided House needed nine ballots to elect Frederick H. Gillett speaker.[27]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_Speaker_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives_election

[bucolic_frolic]

2. Oh, Mattie, you thought Kev would keep his word

[grumpyduck]

4. Popcorn time.