Kevin McCarthy ousted as House speaker by Republican rebels
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Kevin McCarthy has been ousted as speaker of the House of Representatives, becoming the first leader in the history of the lower chamber of Congress to be removed from the position.
In a dramatic 216-210 vote on Tuesday afternoon, the House endorsed a “motion to vacate” to in effect fire McCarthy from the speakership. Eight Republicans voted against their party leader and sided with 208 Democrats, sealing his removal from the post.
The unprecedented vote sets the stage for an election to select a new speaker — though McCarthy has not ruled out putting forward his name to be reselected for the top job.
The historic vote underscores the sharp divides in the Republican party and threatens to usher in a new era of dysfunction in Washington. The House cannot carry out legislative business until a new speaker is elected.
“This is uncharted waters,” said Jim Clyburn, the Democratic congressman from South Carolina. “Nobody knows.”
The speaker of the House is the most senior member of the lower chamber of Congress, and the second in the presidential line of succession, behind the vice-president.
The Republican revolt against McCarthy was led by Matt Gaetz, the firebrand congressman from Florida who decided to move after the speaker
McCarthy defended the deal, telling reporters on Capitol Hill on Tuesday morning: “Keeping government open, and paying our troops was the right decision. I stand by that decision. At the end of the day, if I have to lose my job over it, so be it.”
McCarthy said Gaetz was carrying out a personal vendetta stemming from a congressional ethics investigation into allegations that the Florida congressman engaged in sex trafficking. The Department of Justice ended its own investigation into Gaetz earlier this year without charging him. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing.
“Matt Gaetz had planned to do this from the very beginning,” the speaker told CNBC before the House voted to dismiss him. “He has got personal things in his life that he has challenges with, that’s fine.”
