Staff Reports
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy took a jab at Rep. Matt Gaetz, the renegade conservative, for allegedly providing committee subpoena authority to Democrats in exchange for their votes to oust McCarthy from his post as speaker. Gaetz apparently offered this to House Oversight Committee Democrats, who are investigating President Biden's impeachment. McCarthy, a California Republican, said on Fox News that Gaetz's move would “destroy any Biden impeachment inquiry” and harm the House and the nation. McCarthy's reply? Bring it on, finish it.
McCarthy says Gaetz is more interested in punishing him than pursuing Biden impeachment inquiryhttps://t.co/dpOQNk04VG pic.twitter.com/juQ3y5kZQ9
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) October 3, 2023
Gaetz won't back down easy. He plans to trigger a House vote to remove McCarthy as speaker this week. All Democrats and four Republicans must endorse Gaetz to succeed. According to the New York Post, Gaetz has presented a “backroom proposal” that would allow GOP-controlled committee Democrats to subpoena impeachment witnesses. This would also allow them to refuse GOP committee subpoenas, which may derail the investigation.
Despite lacking the capacity to implement such a proposal, Gaetz has been pressuring Democrats on the Oversight Committee, a GOP insider said. McCarthy believes he will survive the coup and accuses Gaetz of having a personal vendetta against him. McCarthy credits Gaetz with driving the Republican opposition to a conservative stopgap spending bill. McCarthy needed a “clean” 45-day budget bill passed by Democrats to avoid a government shutdown. Gaetz wants to use a motion to leave the chair to remove McCarthy as speaker. McCarthy naturally sees Gaetz's behavior as personal and resentful.
Both Republicans seem ready for a fight. Will McCarthy remain speaker? Will Gaetz succeed in ousting him? People, stay tuned! The political drama is just beginning.
