Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) admitted that Rep. Matt Gaetz’s (R-FL) motion to remove him will “probably” be successful.
McCarthy made the admission to an ABC reporter, noting that Gaetz has him by the shorthairs.
Gaetz has accused McCarthy of securing a “secret side deal” with President Joe Biden and the Democrat to secure funding for Ukraine and avoid a government shutdown.
Speaking about his motion to vacate, Gaetz said:
“Forcing a few votes and filing a few motions is not chaos.
“If we continue to have $2 Trillion annual deficits, you won’t know real chaos until you see where the Swamp and this uniparty are bringing us.
“If this country’s going down, and if we’re losing the dollar, I’m going down fighting.
“And I don’t care if that means fighting Republicans, Democrats, the Uniparty, the leadership, the PACs, the lobbyists. I’ve had it.”
Matt Gaetz on fire:
“If this country’s going down, and if we’re losing the dollar, I’m going down fighting. And I don’t care if that means fighting Republicans, Democrats, the Uniparty, the leadership, the PACs, the lobbyists. I’ve had it.” pic.twitter.com/Y4HqH2OLQ3
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) October 3, 2023
Jake Sherman of Punchbowl News reported:
“Speaker McCarthy emerged from House GOP conference meeting and talked to the press.
“Here’s what KM said: I truly believe, though, the institution of the House, at the end of the day, if you throw a speaker out that has 99% of their conference, that kept government and paid the troops, I think we’re in a really bad place for how we’re going to run Congress.”
While speaking with ABC reporter Rachel Scott, McCarthy said:
“If five Republicans go with Democrats, then I’m out.”
Scott replied: “That looks likely.”
“Probably so,” McCarthy admitted.
The Democrats could save McCarthy.
However, they will want something that McCarthy cannot give them in return.
Sherman breaks down what could happen next:
1) McCarthy wins. Seems unlikely right now.
2) McCarthy loses on the floor. But tries to grind it out with several more votes — a repeat of Jan.
3) McCarthy loses and leaves. Scramble for leadership. Scalise, Emmer, etc. In 98, DeLay pushed Hastert into Speaker’s chair. Sealed it up in a day.
4) This could drag out for a while with no speaker. House is sure to stay in session until a new speaker.
McCarthy: “If 5 Republicans go with Democrats, then i’m out.”@rachelvscott: “That looks likely.”
McCarthy: “Probably so.”— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 3, 2023
READ MORE: Matt Gaetz Officially Files Motion to Remove Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker