Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) took to X on Monday to lash out at House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY), one of the closest lieutenants of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) — and reiterated his mounting threats to call a vote to kick McCarthy out of power.
Gaetz's tirade came in response to Stefanik posting, ".@SpeakerMcCarthy and the @HouseGOP have consistently delivered strong results for the American people. I support Speaker Kevin McCarthy as we continue to work to save America from the Far Left Democrats led by Joe Biden," after a mad scramble over the weekend that saw McCarthy, House Democrats, and President Joe Biden pass a temporary funding measure to avert a federal government shutdown in the nick of time.
"My fellow Republican Representatives: Look at the replies," wrote Gaetz. "Don’t walk the plank with Elise. You can fight alongside me and tens of millions of patriotic Americans who know DC is broken and we can do better than this. No more for Ukraine. No CR’s. Cut Spending #VacateMcCarthy."
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Under rules that McCarthy agreed to in order to secure the votes to become Speaker in the first place, any individual Republican can call a motion to "vacate the chair," essentially forcing a vote on whether to remove McCarthy as Speaker.
Gaetz, a far-right lawmaker and member of the House Freedom Caucus, has been threatening to make such a move ever since McCarthy brokered an agreement with Biden earlier this year to prevent the government from defaulting on the national debt. He now claims to have briefed former President Donald Trump on his plans to move forward with such a vote.
A group of House Republicans fed up with Gaetz's antics is reportedly considering a motion to expel him from office over an outstanding ethics violation. McCarthy has said he will not get "involved" in that matter.
