Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) will try to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. House Democrats have already sent messages to their members to have flexible schedules this week should procedural shenanigans commence regarding a motion to vacate. Fox News reporter Chad Pergram already listed some obstacles facing Mr. Gaetz, and the actual vote to boot McCarthy has to survive a table motion submitted by the speaker's supporters, which rest assured will be offered due to the two-day grace period for privileged motions.
🚨🚨 NEW EMAIL FROM @WhipKClark to HOUSE DEMS
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 1, 2023
“In addition, public reports indicate that a Republican Member may notice intent to offer a Motion to Vacate as soon as Monday. Votes related to the motion could occur at any time, including Monday, within two legislative days of… pic.twitter.com/Tv1Vl0chNL
But let’s say Gaetz gets to the goal line here on his final drive. He would need Democratic votes to pull a successful ouster. That means working with Nancy Pelosi and Hakeem Jeffries. For all his faults, McCarthy isn’t going to have the entire House GOP caucus vote him out. Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO), chair of House Ways and Means, was quite blunt in assessing this motion as a complete waste of time:
A) Ways/Means Cmte Chair Smith on Fox on Gaetz trying to oust McCarthy: It's an absolute waste of time..the only way a motion to vacate could be successful is if Matt Gaetz did exactly what he yells at Speaker McCarthy doing. And that's working with the Democrats.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) October 1, 2023
C) Smith: If, in fact he does this motion to vacate..that will only slow walk the process of getting to every one of those individual funding bills that he proclaims that he wants to pass.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) October 1, 2023
D) Smith: The only way he can be successful is if he has 200 plus Democrats. So basically, Gaetz is going to work with Nancy Pelosi, Hakeem Jeffries and the rest of the Democrats in order to remove the Republican speaker.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) October 1, 2023
We’ll see what happens this week. But while the energy is admirable, this move seems to have no actual plan in mind, and it's likely to blow up in the faces of House conservatives. I'm not saying these maneuvers should be banned or not considered, but it is a waste of time if there's no logical endgame.
Democrats must be licking their chops because it will only make them look good.