GOP House Threatens to Expel Matt Gaetz As He Tries to Oust House Speaker McCarthy

Last Updated on October 2, 2023 by SPN Editor

NYC/ October 02, 2023 (SPN) | Reports emerge that a faction of House Republicans is crafting a motion to expel Matt Gaetz as he intensifies his campaign to unseat House Speaker Kevin McCarthy from GOP leadership.

According to anonymous sources within Congress, it was disclosed that lawmakers may turn against Matt Gaetz if the ongoing Ethics Committee investigation does not absolve him of long-standing allegations of misconduct.

One source informed that the motion to expel Matt Gaetz is mostly drafted already, although the nature of the potential charges against him remains uncertain. Should a vote for expulsion occur in the House, a two-thirds majority would be necessary.

“At this point, no one can stand him,” the source stated, adding, “A smart guy without morals.”

Expelling Gaetz poses risks for the GOP, given their narrow majority in the House, which could quickly erode due to retirements, deaths, or expulsions.

This potential predicament for Gaetz comes as he announced on CNN’s State of the Union that he aims to have McCarthy removed from his leadership role by the week’s end. “I think we need to take decisive action. We need to move forward with new leadership that can be relied upon,” Gaetz told moderator Jake Tapper.

Responding to calls for his removal, Gaetz posted an unusual photo on Twitter, depicting himself surrounded by individuals aiming guns at his head.

As part of McCarthy’s concessions to GOP hard-liners during his turbulent ascension to the speakership, a rule change allowed for a single member of Congress to submit a “motion to vacate,” which could potentially trigger a House vote to remove McCarthy from his position—the same provision Gaetz seeks to utilize.

• Also Read: Matt Gaetz Wants to Remove Speaker Kevin McCarthy

During an interview on CBS’ Face the Nation,House Speaker McCarthy downplayed the threat, saying, “I’ll endure,” and characterizing the month-long feud as “personal with Gaetz.”

Gaetz insisted to Tapper that the House should transition to single-subject spending bills rather than relying on stopgap measures like continuing resolutions.

He acknowledged, “In a divided government, that means considering the perspectives of Senate Democrats and the White House.”

Tapper expressed confusion over Gaetz’s apparent grasp of government functions, particularly after Gaetz called for defunding officials like special counsel Jack Smith and hard-right GOP conservatives proposed using a House appropriations rule to achieve this goal.

“Do you understand that?” Tapper queried, “Because you’re on the House floor discussing the need for Kevin McCarthy to permit line-item vetoes by individuals like you, line-item votes against the salaries of those investigating Donald Trump, salaries of individuals extending favorable deals to Hunter Biden—that doesn’t sound like the language of someone comprehending the balance of power in the House and the Senate and the functioning of legislation.”

“I think that sounds like someone seeking attention and approval, aiming for Fox News appearances and social media engagement, rather than someone genuinely seeking to address the national debt,” Tapper concluded.

Gaetz responded by stating, “I haven’t been on Fox News as frequently lately,” despite appearing on Maria Bartiromo’s Fox News Sunday show, “Sunday Morning Futures,” just the previous week.

Gaetz’s bold statements come on the heels of a chaotic episode on Capitol Hill concerning the threat of a government shutdown, during which Rep. Jamaal Bowman accidentally triggered a fire alarm while his party attempted to delay a vote.