Many House Republicans are furious with Speaker Kevin McCarthy, after they realized President Joe Biden was able to negotiate an excellent deal to avert a debt default, one that is good for the nation and the world but does not give the far-right everything they wanted.
Now some of these extremist House Republicans are threatening to invoke a parliamentary procedure they included in their agreement to support Kevin McCarthy as Speaker, even if it did take 15 tries.
Called the “motion to vacate the Speaker,” under the McCarthy House rules just one person can invoke the procedure, forcing a vote on McCarthy’s future. It would need just a simple majority to get rid of the embattled McCarthy, and in theory with such a narrow margin, Democrats could easily join with Republicans to boot him.
The question then would become, who becomes Speaker?
Here are the Republicans who say they are open to or willing to boot McCarthy.
Dan Bishop: “It is inescapable to me. It has to be done,” he told Politico, referring to a motion to vacate for McCarthy.
Lauren Boebert: “If this bill passes with a majority of Democrats voting in favor of it, then I’m sorry, that’s the end of Kevin McCarthy’s speakership,” Raw Story reports.. “That is a bad, bad look to pass a bill of this magnitude without the support of the majority and if it’s Democrats.”
Ken Buck: NBC News reports Monday night Buck “floated using the motion to vacate,” calling it the “elephant in the room.”
NBC News adds that Paul Gosar “proposed using the threat to force McCarthy to allow members to amend the bill on the House floor, under an “open rule” that could stall the bill’s passage. Perry responded that they would discuss the issue more when members return to Washington after the long weekend.”
Additionally, Matt Gaetz says if McCarthy can’t get at least half of the GOP conference to vote for the debt ceiling bill, it would immediately “trigger” a motion to vacate.
“That would immediately be a black-letter violation of the deal we had with McCarthy to allow his ascent to the speakership and it would likely trigger an immediate motion to vacate,” Gaetz said on Newsmax.
According to Fox News, Chip Roy, “a key member the House Freedom Caucus (HFC), indicated Tuesday that if Republicans do not stop the debt deal in committee he would consider ousting Kevin McCarthy from leadership as House speaker.”
Ralph Norman told Fox News earlier Tuesday he might be up for kicking McCarthy out.
Separate from McCarthy’s future, Politico reports these House Republicans opposed McCarthy as Speaker on January, and now also oppose the debt ceiling bill: “Reps. Chip Roy (R-Texas), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Bob Good (R-Va.), Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.), Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), Dan Bishop (R-N.C.), Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), Keith Self (R-Texas), Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Mary Miller (R-Ill.) and Josh Brecheen (R-Okla.). Many of these members are hard line conservatives who belong to the House Freedom Caucus.”