Gaetz introduces resolution to remove McCarthy from speakership

Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz on Monday introduced a privileged resolution to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy amid frustrations with the California lawmaker's handling of budget negotiations.

Gaetz over the weekend insisted he would bring the motion forward this week, but on Monday said he would delay his efforts until McCarthy explained a "secret side deal" he allegedly made with Democrats on Ukraine funding to secure support for a stopgap funding measure to avert a government shutdown.

His Monday motion will force a vote on vacating the chair within two days, The Hill reported. It will, however, likely face a motion to table the resolution or a similar effort to delay the vote or stop it outright.

Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggs, ahead of Gaetz's resolution, said on the "Just the News, No Noise" television show that he would support such a measure, but ultimately expects it to fail.

"I believe that when you're going to try to land a big fish, you should get this hook really set deep and make sure it's set. I'm not sure that it is set," he said. "I do think that Speaker McCarthy probably survives this. I personally will be voting to vacate."

Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, meanwhile, has sympathized with Gaetz's budgetary frustrations, but insisted that removing McCarthy would accomplish nothing and that Republican infighting would only undermine their efforts.

"Republicans need to get off the power trips, stop the absurd drama, remember who the enemy is, stop fighting with each other, and get serious about solving the problems that produce annual systemic failure. That requires real hard work," she said Monday.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.