2023-10-03 22:47:10
This Tuesday, Republican Kevin McCarthy became the first president of the United States House of Representatives to be removed from office due to internal rebellion within his party. Led by Congressman Matt Gaetz, members of the ultra-conservative wing of the Republicans (Freedom Caucus) have promoted a motion to oust their own leader, which resulted in a close vote: 216 favorable votes (8 of which were Republicans). and 210 against. Congressman Patrick McHenry, a McCarthy ally, will serve in his role until a successor is chosen.
The first name on McCarthy’s secret list of successors: Patrick McHenry, now speaker pro tempore
— K Tully-McManus (@ktullymcmanus) October 3, 2023
McCarthy’s position of weakness was evident during last Saturday’s budget vote, when he reached out to the Democratic caucus to push through a 45-day extension to avoid the imminent closure of the administration. This Tuesday’s vote has signed his death sentence. “If I am removed because I have acted to ensure that troops and border agents continue to receive their pay, it is a battle worth fighting for,” McCarthy said, with his usual heroic tone, hours before receiving the majority rejection congressional.
The misgovernment has been installed in the Lower House for ten months, since the legislative elections left a slim Republican majority, supported by the hard wing of the party. From the day of his election, which required 15 votes, McCarthy understood that his position would be exposed to the boycott of the extreme right for the entire legislature. In fact, one of the concessions he made then was the possibility that a single congressman could force a vote to dismiss him at any time, something that ended up costing him his position this Tuesday.
The day McCarthy was left alone
When the US was heading towards a new government shutdown, after weeks of failed budget negotiations, McCarthy used the votes of Democrats to approve an extension and buy time in the negotiations. Something that felt bad among the ultra sector, which demands massive cuts in spending by most federal agencies and social programs.
This Tuesday, Gaetz warned of an alleged “secret pact on Ukraine” between McCarthy and the Democrats, which would have served to unblock the budget vote. Increasing military support for Ukraine had been one of the Democrats’ red lines in the negotiations, but was ultimately not included in the extension approved on Saturday.
The Democrats’ argument is that the political weight of putting aid to Ukraine before maintaining government funding was too great. But Gaetz has another opinion: “What commitments did he make to Biden to continue with his spending plan?” he asked this Monday in a speech before Congress. “It is becoming clearer and clearer who the Speaker of the House works for.”
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) on McCarthy’s “secret Ukraine side deal”:
“What commitments were made to Pres. Biden to continue the spending of Pres. Biden in exchange for doing things for Pres. Biden? It is becoming increasingly clear who the Speaker of the House already works for.” pic.twitter.com/FqdNo3TLmN
— The Recount (@therecount) October 2, 2023
Democrats do not save McCarthy: “It is the responsibility of the Republicans”
In the face of internal rebellion, “the only way for Kevin McCarthy to be president is for the Democrats to rescue him,” Gaetz certified. An option that McCarthy rejected from the first moment, given his weak position, like the Democrats, at the ideological antipodes of the speaker. “There is no way we are going to vote for McCarthy to stay,” said Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, “no one trusts him, why should they?”
Last month, the president of the lower house began an investigation in Congress as a prior step to opening a process of investigation in the future. impeachment (impeachment) against Joe Biden for his alleged involvement in his son Hunter’s businesses. He did so in a clear concession to the hardline wing of his party, and changing his mind, since he had always opposed starting a impeachment without conclusive evidence.
Given this background, minutes before the motion, the leader of the Democratic minority, Hakeem Jeffries, made clear the meaning of his party’s vote: “Given their unwillingness to break with MAGA extremism (from the Trumpist slogan Make America Great Again) in an authentic and complete manner, the Democratic leadership of the House will vote yes on the Republican motion.”
McCarthy’s predecessor in office, Nancy Pelosi, also spoke out: “The speaker of the House is elected by the majority party. In this Congress, it is the responsibility of the Republicans to elect the president of the plenary session. “There is no justification for departing from this tradition,” published in X (old Twitter).
If not McCarthy, then who?
The last time a speaker of the House of Representatives suffered an internal rebellion of this type was in 1910. On that occasion, the motion to Republican leader Joseph G. Cannon was not fruitful, unlike this Tuesday, but it paved the way for for the Democrats to regain the majority.
Now the hardline Republicans have ousted the leader of their party, the one they appointed after 15 attempts in the early stages of the legislature. Ten months later, the same doubt that runs through Congress these days: “if not McCarthy, then who?” At the moment, no congressman has presented himself as an alternative to presiding over the lower house, a position of great importance, being second in the line of succession to the president of the republic, after the vice president, Kamala Harris.
When McCarthy was elected, he drew up a secret list of congressmen who could take over his duties if he left or was fired from office. Today the first person on that list was revealed, Patrick McHenry, who will have the authority of speaker until the House of Representatives elects another. One of the names that is already ringing in the halls of Congress is that of Steve Scalise, number two on the Republican bench and McCarthy’s declared rival. The leader of the revolt, Gaetz, has already said that he would support him if he runs, as well as the number three of the Republicans, Tom Emmer.
“He has a good conference room,” Gaetz said of the potential candidate, “and he doesn’t lie to us.” Emmer, who is not a particularly strong leader, has gained the trust of several members of the far right by organizing late-night sessions in his office, he says. The New York Times. In the coming days, he could become McCarthy’s successor. Although, no matter what happens, chaos and misgovernment will continue to take hold in the Lower House of the Capitol.
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