Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) said Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) owes him answers and depending on his response, “may be other votes coming – today or this week.” Despite this, Gaetz did not press through with his campaign to unseat McCarthy on Monday.
Gaetz, a longtime critic of McCarthy’s, has been seeking to unseat the speaker via the congressional mechanism to vacate the chair, which allows any one member to call for a new speaker election; however, the GOP leadership does have some measures to prevent or delay such an endeavour.
McCarthy used Democratic votes on Saturday to push legislation that would have prevented a federal shutdown, and conservatives have vowed to remove him as speaker as a result. The likelihood of House votes on sending help to Ukraine was raised by Gaetz as another reason to remove McCarthy, according to Gaetz.
If Republican Party members knew about the speaker’s backroom bargain with Joe Biden on Ukraine, they might vote differently on the motion to vacate. “I’ll be listening,” he added as he left. In the meantime, “stay tuned.”
Vice President Joe Biden demanded on Sunday that McCarthy and other Republican leaders make good on their promise to conduct a separate vote on money for Ukraine as it fights against Russia’s incursion, in response to the averted government shutdown.
I sincerely pray that my opposing party keeps its promise to provide aid to Ukraine. They committed to backing Ukraine in a separate vote,” Biden stated. “We cannot under any circumstances permit the United States to cease its support for Ukraine.”
On Sunday, a reporter asked Vice President Biden if he would trust McCarthy when the “next deal comes around,” to which Biden replied, “We just made one about Ukraine.” We shall thus learn.”
McCarthy denied making any secret negotiations to bring Ukraine cash to the floor, saying that all he said to Democrats was that any problems with the continuing appropriations bill involving the transfer of existing funds could be worked out.
McCarthy told reporters in the Capitol, “There is no side deal, so I don’t know who is bringing that up.” Regarding Ukraine, “there is no backroom deal.”
Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, consistently declined to elaborate on what Vice President Biden had stated over the weekend.
“There’s obviously bipartisan support to continue the funding to Ukraine,” she responded when asked if Biden was referring to any specific commitment from McCarthy to take up new Ukraine funds.
Before Gaetz’s attempt, McCarthy on Monday morning refused to rule out working with Democrats.
I believe the institution is at the centre of this. He then told AWN, “I think it’s too important.” Also, the speaker said he hasn’t discussed the Democrats’ plan for handling the vacating motion with Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries just yet.
Gaetz told reporters after his floor speech, “I’m going to be doing it this week,” when asked when he would bring a motion to vacate to the floor.
Gaetz told AWN he had a communication with former President Donald Trump about firing McCarthy but would not elaborate, stating he would “keep that between the two of us.”
