Kevin McCarthy ousted as speaker

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CASEY HARPER | THE CENTER SQUARE

The House of Representatives voted 216-210 Tuesday to vacate the Speakership, leaving the position open and likely kicking off a marathon of votes to either replace or reinstate California Republican Kevin McCarthy.

A handful of House Republicans joined Democrats to oust McCarthy on Tuesday afternoon. McCarthy told reporters earlier Tuesday that he expected to survive the proceedings. As party leadership, he chose to bring the motion to vacate up quickly for a vote Tuesday afternoon.

“You know if I counted how many times somebody wanted to knock me out, I would have been gone a long time ago,” he told reporters.

McCarthy only took on the speakership earlier this year after more than a dozen votes while holdout Republicans demanded concessions.

One of those concessions was that a single lawmaker could file a motion to vacate the speakership and force a vote, something U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., started off when filing the motion to vacate late Monday.

Gaetz said McCarthy broke his promises, pointing in particular to the latest Continuing Resolution to fund the government until mid-November. That deal with House Democrats provided for disaster relief and essentially maintained spending at current levels to buy more time just hours before a government shutdown over the weekend.

McCarthy was able to whittle down the lawmakers who voted against him last time around to get the votes he needed to become Speaker, and he may be able to do it again unless another strong Republican successfully challenges him. Currently, there is no obvious choice to replace McCarthy.

“I think Matt has planned this all along,” McCarthy told reporters. “It didn’t matter what transpired. He would’ve done it if we were in shutdown or not. I firmly believe it is the right decision to keep government open, to make sure our military is still paid, our border agents are still paid, and if that makes a challenge based upon whether or not I should be Speaker, I’ll take that fight.”

Gaetz warned over the weekend that he would file the motion to vacate. He has demanded answers about an alleged side deal he says McCarthy made with the White House over more Ukraine funding, a sticking point and red line for some conservative Republicans who are unwilling to send the large sums overseas any longer.

Rep. Patrick McHenry is now the acting speaker, the House Clerk announced.

107 COMMENTS

  1. “our border agents are still paid” what border agents is Mcarthy talking about?? the ones on the Ukraine border?? here in the states all we have is travel agents at our open borders for fighting aged men from many foreign lands to be placed across the country.

    • He’s talking about the actual thousands of CBP officers who police the border. And the two million military troops who are on active duty. Get over yourself. You’re supporting a Groomer.

  2. Nice to see a GOP politician actually pay the price for backstabbing us. Thanks for your leadership, Matt Gaetz.

  5. McCarthy did it to himself! Unfortunately I believe he thought that he was Teflon. He was untrustworthy.

    • Rep Bob Good lays it all out perfectly as to why he voted with Gaetz to oust McCarthy. We did not want McCarthy to begin with when the speakership was first being voted on. But McCarthy wanted the speakership so badly, he even moved into the speakers office b4 he was elected, then made concessions to secure enough votes. McCarthy is establishment uniparty rino
      ‘https://x.com/RepBobGood/status/1709288188261343327?s=20

  6. Put a hardcore fiscal conservative in the position…it’s time to go to war with the tax and spend liberals before they finish bankrupting the country. Slash the budget to essential services and end the welfare state. Cutting just Medicaid (welfare healthcare not to be confused with Medicare that we all pay for through payroll deductions) would go a long way toward balancing the budget. End these ridiculous welfare payments to non-productive citizens…they can work or go without. End all this foreign aid because you just can’t buy real friendship no matter how much the government spends. Deport the illegals…ALL of them and stop paying them to live here. The government could put us back on the road to fiscal stability and national prosperity tomorrow if they wanted to…but they don’t so expect the current political theatrics to fade as they put another Uniparty shill in the Speaker’s position while prattling about compromise and bipartisanship.

    • “Put a hardcore fiscal conservative in the position……..”
      Good luck with that wet dream. So far, you have 9 of 435 votes. You can always claim election fraud, I guess………

      • Explain these miracles to us with actual facts that doesn’t include obvious fraud. ‘https://thefederalist.com/2020/11/23/5-more-ways-joe-biden-magically-outperformed-election-norms/

        • I don’t need to. I pointed out that 9 conservatives teamed with all Democrats to oust McCarthy (I was wrong……it was 8), and wondered how such an electorate would then elect a “hardcore fiscal conservative” as Speaker. I don’t think it’s going to happen, so conservatives can claim election fraud, because it’s obvious that they won’t allow a moderate, right? Or, perhaps, they have a different bag of magic tricks? Or, perhaps, they’ll settle for another moderate for a while, and this was, indeed, just a personality conflict between Gaetz and McCarthy played out in a national way with international implications? Do you really believe that this move will solve any of our uncontrollable current crises?: the budget, the debt, unchecked illegal immigration, homelessness, drug abuse, mental health breakdown, WWIII, economic collapse, national disunity? It was all McCarthy’s fault? The Senate and White House hold no responsibility? Somehow McCarthy was to pull off some kind of Adolph Hitler miracle and singlehandedly control the U.S. government? It’s all going to get better now?
          Yeah. Right. It’s really just the same old, same old from the extreme right, which is just as dangerous and stupid as the extreme left. This silliness proves the point.
          But your heroes can prove me wrong, and they can do it soon. The current CR expires November 17………if they even elect a new Speaker by then………. Just one miracle will suffice for me, thanks. Just a budget, the first since FY 2010. There have been 47 CRs since then. Congress has only completed the budgetary process before the beginning of the fiscal year 3 times in the last 47 years, most recently for FY1997.

  7. Matt Gaetz must have attended the David Eastman school of politics – it’s all about me and what can I do to be relevant. Funny how I received a fundraising email from Gaetz while the drama in the house was unfolding.

    • Well, if he did, then good thing that he did. Apparently, at this time, Gaetz and Eastman are the only ones with balls to stand up against demonrats and the evil masters.

      • Gaetz spoke from the podium on the Democrat side of the aisle when he called for the vote to vacate McCarthy. He only had 7 fellow Republicans voting with him……..along with 210 Democrats.
        So much for standing against them, because this time he was quite clearly standing up FOR them………

  8. And this is why the GOP fails. Regardless of the validity of complaints against McCarthy, Gaetz gets butthurt and blows everything up…

    Without a stinking plan. Just to scratch his itch.

    So the GOP sides with the left to do what? Accomplish what? Besides make themselves look like idiots.

    Monkeys in a zoo throwing poo at each other have more organization, planning, and common sense.

    • To become Speaker, he promised to release to the public – all gov’t videotapes of the Jan 6 protests.
      Why? So the persecuted can review them and mount a proper defense, while the identity of suspected FBI instigators could be crowdsourced and identified.

      McCarthy has had nearly a year – and he did not release the tapes to the public.
      So out with the trash he goes.

    • Let’s not forget there’s real potential over the next several weeks for a centrist dem/rep coalition to form—the so called “adults” in the room. If so. gaetz stunt just blew up and betrayed all of his supporters and more. Time will tell.

      • There is no such thing as a centrist Democrat anymore. The Democratic party is the party of evil and the Democrats in Congress are the evilest of the evil. When you vote for a Democrat you are voting for a person hell bent on destroying America.

        • “……..When you vote for a Democrat you are voting for a person hell bent on destroying America………”
          So how about when 8 Republicans vote with 210 Democrats to vacate the Republican Speaker of the House? Did they vote to destroy America? Or was it just a stupid stunt?

    • MA – it is becoming abundantly clear that Gaetz is certainly smarter than liar Kevin McCarthy. Jim Jordan has put his name in the hat for Speaker, and shocker, Trump is soon to be nominated and he says he’ll consider taking the position if asked! Democrats’ heads are exploding as we speak.

  9. Democrats clearly only sided with Gaetz because they thought this was a politically good look for them. I am more than happy with McCarthy’s defeat. MAGA Republicans represent almost 66% of the party at this point but are only represented by our Republicans representatives in small numbers. I am all for a good house cleaning.

    I see two most likely outcomes here. The first is some RINO Republicans will side with Democrats to install a weak leader. The second is that the party will realize Trump’s nomination is almost guaranteed at this point. And they will largely move to support someone he moves behind.

    We need radical change from Republican leadership. They are so detached from the electorate. Hopefully this is a wakeup call.

    • “Democrats clearly only sided with Gaetz because they thought this was a politically good look for them……..”
      They got 9 Republican morons to force a new Speaker vote. They can’t lose! Why not watch the show?

    • Again, what is the plan?

      Wishin’ and hopin’ is a great song, but a really stupid way to try to run a country.

  10. “I think Matt has planned this all along,” McCarthy told reporters…”

    What a whiner. How about do as you say you will do and in the time frame you agreed to? Ya know. Like an adult.

    The no consequences to ones actions has to go in our society. It allows failure to metastasize.

    • “…….How about do as you say you will do and in the time frame you agreed to?…….”
      Ever consider the possibility that the votes simply aren’t there? What, do you think that there’s somebody else who can perform miracles? Who might that be?
      I can’t wait to see!

      • Leadership isn’t not ‘seeing where the votes are’ when it comes to existential matters. It is the ability to articulate the situation and propose a solution. It is not going along to get along and sticking you wet finger in the air to see which way the wind is blowing.

        What is your solution to the crippling debt, inflation and run away deficits? More of the same? More fiat currency? More printing ever increasingly worthless dollars? More centralization? More control?

        No. Maybe if we stop the madness before we are out of choices it will afford us some options. When countries go bankrupt bad things happen.

        I read an article yesterday about nearly half of people in their 20s living with their parents. They aren’t marrying, creating families and creating wealth. They barely getting by in their old rooms living at Mom and Dad’s. Population Growth Rate in the US is estimated at 0.5% for 2023. Replacement rate is 2.1%. Things can not continue as they are. Wake up.

        • “…….What is your solution to the crippling debt, inflation and run away deficits?…….”
          We’re already bankrupt. It’s a done deal. I can’t fix it, you can’t fix it, McCarthy can’t fix it, Matt Gaetz d****d sure can’t fix it with this stunt, and the next Speaker won’t fix it, either. “Wake up”. Do the math.
          We won’t have long to wait for these words to ring true. Either a budget or another CR is due in short order. Let’s see what your heroes can do.

        • Who was McCarthy gonna convince? Please list the last time the Dems had a significant crossing the aisle.

          The votes aren’t there.

    • Didn’t he make a deal with Dems/Biden on the debt ceiling months ago? And now Gaetz is making him pay the price for it. But the fact is, he made a public deal and this was the (obvious) consequence. But Matt’s ego took a serious hit.

      • I could care less about any politicians ego. No politician is your friend. They are mostly malevolent. At best they are temporarily useful.

  12. One assumes Rep. McHenry will remain acting speaker for an extended time, as it is likely impossible for the GOP to get 218 votes for anyone these days.

    I had 8 friends over the other night. We all wanted pizza, but 2 of them wanted skunk meat and dogdoo on the pizza. When the others of us objected, those two started calling us far left radicals, then they tried to burn my house down and kept going on about Hunter Biden’s weewee.

    Bad job, everyone. By being rigid and totalitarian you’ve pissed off the moderates you need to oppose the Democratic administration. But calling other conservatives RINOs feels good and plays to the imbeciles on Twitter. And all for nothing. Screw you!

    • Youve got a job you need 8 people to accomplish and the compensation is beer and pizza you and six of the other people scarf down all the pizza and beer so you offer the 8th guy a rotten moldy sandwich that’s been in your fridge for months, the 8th man turns down your stinking sandwich so you offer to microwave the sandwich when he further refuses you get upset and complain that he’s unreasonable so he tells you where you can stick your sandwich and leaves.

  13. Rino, you say the adults have left the room on both sides so, we got what we voted for. Sounds like you opted out of voting.

    • “……..Sounds like you opted out of voting.”
      So let’s see your vote save the Republic. We’re holding our breath out here, and won’t gave to hold it ling. It’s either a budget or another CR. Soon.
      Show us what you can do.

  14. How is this good for the republican party?

    Do they think that ousting McCarthy will get a more conservative speaker?

    I actually think we will get either a conservative democrat as speaker or a moderate republican as Speaker. I see moderate republicans working with democrats to elect either of those mentioned in the previous sentence and creating a caucus that includes congress-people from both sides of the aisle.

    This would lead to more actually getting done and leaving the extremists on either side with little to no power.

    • Pablo, the extremists are in power, they have been for awhile.

      As for getting more done, I’m quite happy at this point if NOTHING gets done. I say this because this country is moving in the wrong direction, rapidly!

      • “…….the extremists are in power…….”
        Don’t forget that it was the extremists of both parties who combined to do this. Eight right wing kooks couldn’t have done this without the complete cooperation of the Left.

        • Yes the dems voted with those 8 repubs to oust McCarthy, but it was a calculated move.

          Now if they, the dems, can get at least 5 moderate repubs to side with them, the dems can get who they want in as Speaker. It only takes 217 votes to get there and they already have 212. I think this is an easier task than appeasing Gaetz, Bobert, Gosar and MTG.

          That leaves these same repubs who led the charge to oust McCarthy out in the cold. And business will start to get done in the House. Remember, only 14 bills passed the House in McCarthy’s term as Speaker.

          • “…….That leaves these same repubs who led the charge to oust McCarthy out in the cold……..”
            Yup. They had to slit McCarthy’s political throat, but they’re the ones who will bleed to political death. McCarthy, set free by these morons like Christ after the Resurrection, has had the weight of the nation/world lifted from his weary shoulders. He continues representing his district while the nation accelerates its race to the bottom.

  15. Gaetz is Trouble – he wants to be Pres so he hogs limelight and stirs drama. I like most of his votes, but not the drama. Do NOT under any circumstance elect this man POTUS.

  17. Conservatives step in it again. It has become entertaining watching them shoot their feet. They have 75 days to hobble toward the end of this CR to shoot their feet again, cuz’ they’ll never learn.

  18. My understanding is that when Congressman Gaetz was pressed on providing a name of someone he would support for Speaker he was unable to respond. Perhaps he and his seven friends can put together a coalition withe the Democrats but I don’t think that would produce the policy choices he desires. That leaves two hundred plus Republicans in the House but I would venture that about a hundred and eighty of them ain’t too happy with Congressman Gaetz right now. For me, the inability to set out a “plan B” to Kevin McCarthy says everything I need to know. IMO, one either governs, offers principled opposition or throws bombs. In the short run, Congressman Gaetz is happy; in the long run, I do not like his chances.

  20. McCarthy was a big part of the problem in Congress. We need to be done with this so called party line crap. There is no need for party affiliation anymore they all sleep in the same damned bed. They want us to believe it is a Democrat or Republican things and it no longer is that way. They all sell us short and steal from our taxes. Just look around it isn’t hard to see. What has changed with the Republicans having the house? NOTHING! They just move the ball around the court and never get anything done. Face it people we need term limits on these fools and no more career politicians. The corporation and special interests own all our politicians because they sponsor their campaigns and pay their brides to vote for their project’s. We will never have good representation in Washington again until the little guys can once again afford to run for office. People who truly care about us and don’t just pay us lip service.

  21. There was a genuine chance for actual cuts in the budget. Cuts.

    Thanks to Gaetz grandstanding that’s blown for good. The budget will increase, again, and the Democrats know they can ignore the Republicans. Again.

    All because Gaetz was butthurt.

  22. Thanks Gaetz you fool. Put yourself above the party makes you a loser. I hope Florida ousts you next.
    I have a friend who says we should all order diapers, sippy cups and cry towels from Amazon and have them delivered to his office.

  24. Gaetz is the problem. Like Eastman, he does not understand what success and progress looks or feels like.

    • Randy, I recall reading about a proposal made by the Crown to the Radicals in the North American colonies in the mid 1770’s. The back channel communication offered the colonials representation in Parliament. The idea was kicked around and ultimately rejected. It was concluded that Parliament was such a corrupt institution and London such a venal place that even good men wouldn’t stand a chance of success in such an environment.
      Switch Washington D.C. for London and I think you’ll see my point.
      I am concerned about Gaetz’s actions today, but damn, I have to commend him for his courage.

    • You’ve got to be kidding me. I suppose lying to yourself is easier to take than to have to come to the awakening that 99.9 percent of our elected officials care nothing about our constitution or country.
      People like Matt Gaetz, Dave Eastman, Ron Paul, Rand Paul, and a small handful of a very few others stand out because all the rest (99.9 percent) are nothing but sell outs.

      McCarthy had No intention on keeping his promises. McCarthy is so typical arrogant of his kind that he moved his belongings into the speakers office before he was even voted in originally, and he is still talking arrogant.

      McCarthy has done nothing, Hillary likes him, and so do all his fake Republican house dwellers.

  25. So did Gaetz do the right thing or not? King Trump haven’t told me how to think yet or did he? We MAGAnites need to know if McCarthy not keeping his promise is a deal breaker or not. Because we don’t hold king Trump accountable for not keeping his promise to drain the swamp and to lock her up. We can overlook King Trump giving a free pass to Big Pharma to poison Americans. We also can overlook the fact that King Trump want us to not focus on baby killing and make room in our hearts to let baby killing continue… but we must not forgive McCarthy for betraying us with Jan 6th evidence which started with King Trump yet he left all those folks to fend for themselves in prison. So I ask who should I side with? Gaetz or McCarthy?

    • You are not a MAGAnites. You are an idiot trying to look like a MAGA supporter. Are you a fed or CIA or just a troll who wants to belong?

    • “……King Trump haven’t told me how to think yet or did he?……”
      He did. You weren’t paying attention. Maybe that’s your problem, not McCarthy?

    • “King” Trump, cute. Please remember that during the first 2 years of “King’s” reign, the GOP swamp agreed on only one thing, work against the “King”. The results are clear. Had the GOP worked even partially with the “King”, many good things would have been done and many of the “King’s” promises would have been fulfilled. Kevin is now reaping the rewards of going back on his word. Gaetz may not be spot on, but his intentions are good. Listen to what he says rather than what you want to hear. -Cheers

    • “………what’s McCarthy delivered in the nine months he’s been Speaker?”
      Nine more months before the inevitable. I hope you put them to good use, because you aren’t likely to get any more. Another budget vote is due. Soon.

      • In fairness, with a four vote margin for a party known to capitulate, I’m not really sure there was much he could do legislatively.

        His biggest strategic blunder was not getting the impeachment machine revved up for Garland and Myorkas. It might have gotten a resignation from one of them and bought him (McCarthy) some good will.

  28. So Matt Gaetz was angry at McCarthy and engineered his removal. So what happens now with the investigations into Biden’s corruption, that were just beginning to uncover evidence. And what happens to the investigations into Hunter’s activities? How about the ones to uncover the DOJ and democrat J6 fiasco? Gaetz did it all with no plan at just the right time to bring everything to a screaming halt. Was it an accident? The timing was spot on to stymie everything Comer and bunch were working on. And Gaetz had no plan for a replacement? When you are doing battle with an unprincipled opponent like Biden you don’t commit hari Kari by taking out the leader unless you have a replacement waiting. Either Gaetz is stupid or he is working with the democrats.

  30. It’s concerning so many are cheering a petty man for blowing up a fragile majority while not having a plan for what comes next.

    Gaetz is the idiot dog who actually caught the car. Now what?

    The most telling thing of all is how the Democrats broke into laughter when Gaetz started this mess. They knew where this was going.

  31. Hitlers beer hall putsch had more chance of success than this stunt.

    At least Hitler had a plan.

  32. Weird how many here get cynical about Gaetz’s motivations and are so accepting of people who have a proven track record of destroying the dollar and the constitution. Matt Gaetz and the others who voted to oust McCarthy deserve our gratitude. Finally something concrete beyond big speeches and angry letters.

  34. Good riddance to McCarthy! He was a Trojan Horse in every sense of the term. His political career is over.

    • “…….His political career is over.”
      How so? He’s still a Congressman, and one with a H U G E weight lifted from his shoulders. It can’t be his fault anymore. But the jury us still out on Mr. Gaetz.
      Let’s see how long each remain in Congress before making predictions. Those seats are only two years long. We won’t have long to wait.

      • Reggie – The majority of the Republican base is on Gaetz’s side. Just listen to most of the conservative radio shows and TV podcasts. Dinosaurs like Newt Gingrich have their panties in a wad over Gaetz’s rebellion, but he represents very few voters. Everyday Americans are tired of the bullshit that has been going on in Congress for years now. My money is on Gaetz surviving and lying McCarthy’s career circling the drain! Now, if only we had a Senator with some balls to take on the Turtle, AKA Mitch McConnell. Wouldn’t that be something? We are in interesting times so expect the unexpected.

        • “The majority of the Republican base is on Gaetz’s side……..”
          He got 8 of 221 House Republicans to vote to vacate. That’s 3.6%. Either 56.4% of Republican Congressmen got their seats through election fraud, or you are incorrect. It’s more likely that you look in the mirror and see a majority.

          • Reggie – there was no reason for more than 8 Republicans to publicly vote to remove McCarthy. It was more than enough to accomplish the task! There was no reason to subjugate more Republicans to the wrath of the Globalists, lobbyists and elite political donors. This is a game of chess that checker playing RINOS can’t understand. We are going into a new political landscape and those 8 Republican rebels are pioneers!

        • “……..Dinosaurs like Newt Gingrich have their panties in a wad over Gaetz’s rebellion…….”
          Guess when the last time a federal budget was passed before the end of the fiscal year? 1997. Guess who the Speaker was? Newt. There was a Demonrat POTUS, but a Republican Senate majority. They had the votes. McCarthy doesn’t.
          A dinosaur is exactly what you need, but you prefer a clown. Enjoy the Big Top before the canvas collapses on the show.

          • You know what else happened in 1997, Reggie? Newt Gingrich was reprimanded for ethics violations by the House. It wasn’t even close – 398 voted to reprimand & only 28 voted NO. He became so toxic that House Republicans convinced him to vacate the speakership in 1998 and he eventually resigned from Congress in 1999. Like I said, Newt Gingrich is irrelevant to what is going on today in the House. It’s like comparing checkers to chess!

        • “Reggie – there was no reason for more than 8 Republicans to publicly vote to remove McCarthy. It was more than enough to accomplish the task!…….”
          Yeah, because those eight teamed up with all 210 Democrats with their long knives. Gaetz even called for the vote from the podium on the Democrat side of the aisle. That right there is some courageous, honorable stuff, huh?

        • “You know what else happened in 1997, Reggie? Newt Gingrich was reprimanded for ethics violations by the House………”
          Yup. Same old, same old. Eighty-four ethics charges were filed by Democrats against Gingrich during his term as Speaker. All were eventually dropped except for one: claiming tax-exempt status for a college course run for political purposes. And when it fits your britches, you’ll use it, too. And THAT is why conservatives lose and will always fail. Some things never change.

          • A majority of Republicans voted against the Newt in 1997, Reggie, Back then the most of the Republican Party were probably RINOS!

  35. I am no fan of McCarthy. He’s got no core principles and was as bad as Gaetz about pimping himself whenever possible.

    He was clearly a bad tactician.

    However, Reality Street still runs through DC.

    -he had a four vote margin. Four.
    -the GOP sells itself to the highest bidder.
    -the Democrats were lockstep in opposing the GOP.
    -the GOP has zero discipline.
    -there was no successor waiting.

    This poop show is gonna further convince weak minded people to vote Democrat. It is probably gonna kill any chance of not increasing the budget. It does not advance the conservative agenda one inch.

    It won’t surprise me to see the GOP lose the House partly over this.

    Gaetz essentially got mad at his car for not going fast enough. Instead of pushing down on the gas petal or seeing a mechanic, he got a shotgun and put three rounds into the engine.

    And now he’s expecting the car will start.

  38. Super! Now let’s fire Senate leader McConnell, RNC McDaniel and RINO Senator Murkowski.
    This country will be far better off without them. Let’s trade them in for America and family first warriors.

    • “…….Let’s trade them in for America and family first warriors.”
      Got some names? More importantly, got enough votes to get them elected? Have you been paying attention to the past few elections?

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