House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) could effectively be under the control of House Democrats if Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) moves forward with his plan to oust McCarthy as House speaker this week.
Gaetz told CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday that he plans to offer a motion to vacate McCarthy’s post. The Florida lawmaker will need the support of at least 218 House Republicans for his motion to succeed on the House floor. Gaetz will also need the Democrats to vote for his motion if he is to succeed in removing McCarthy.
.@SpeakerMcCarthy is going to get his wish. I’m going to file a motion to vacate against him this week.
If at this time next week Kevin McCarthy is still Speaker of the House, it will be because the Democrats bailed him out. He can be their Speaker, not mine. pic.twitter.com/ITlcwynY39
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) October 1, 2023
While it is not clear if Gaetz has the backing of House Republicans, the Florida lawmaker maintains that he has enough support to oust the speaker. Gaetz added that if McCarthy is still speaker by the end of the week, it would mean House Democrats saved him.
Gaetz, however, maintained that McCarthy would be “serving at the pleasure of the Democrats” if they saved his seat.
“He will be working for the Democrats,’ Gaetz said. “The only way Kevin McCarthy is Speaker of the House at the end of this coming week is if Democrats bail him out. Now, they probably will. I actually think that when you believe in nothing, as Kevin McCarthy does, everything’s negotiable. And I’m sure he’ll make a deal with the Democrats.”
MATT GAETZ: "If Kevin McCarthy uses Democrat votes in the House of Representatives to advance Joe Biden's spending priorities, he CANNOT REMAIN as the Republican speaker."
DO YOU AGREE?
"Maybe he could remain as the DEM SPEAKER or as a speaker that oversees some sort of… pic.twitter.com/ss0ArMGF81
— Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) September 28, 2023
Asked if he would cut a deal with Democrats to get his way, Gaetz refused, adding that any Republican who shares his view on McCarthy will not make deals with the Democrats.
Matt Gaetz will move to oust Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House:
"The only way Kevin McCarthy is Speaker of the House at the end of this week is if Democrats bail him out." pic.twitter.com/o9EIn2BBlG
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) October 1, 2023
“I will make no deal with Democrats and concede no terms to them,” Gaetz said. “I actually think that Democrats should vote against Speaker McCarthy for free. Absolutely Not. And I don’t think that any Republicans that share my view on Speaker McCarthy would cut deals with Democrats, but here’s the thing. I’m done owning Kevin McCarty. We made a deal at the end of January to allow him to assume the speakership. I’m not owning him anymore because he doesn’t tell the truth. The Democrats want to own Kevin McCarthy by bailing him out, I can’t stop them, but then he’ll be their speaker, not mine.”
