Representative Matt Gaetz, the far-right Republican from Florida, said on Sunday that he would move this week to remove Speaker Kevin McCarthy from his leadership post, promising to follow through on weeks of threats to oust him for working with Democrats to keep the government funded.
Mr. Gaetz’s announcement came the day after Mr. McCarthy, in a stunning reversal, steered around Republican opposition to a stopgap spending plan and turned to Democrats to help him push legislation through the House to avert a shutdown. The California Republican said he knew he was putting his speakership at risk by doing so, and dared his detractors to try ousting him.
In an interview that aired on CNN on Sunday, Mr. Gaetz, Mr. McCarthy’s main tormentor, said he would do just that. By bringing up a measure called a “motion to vacate,” he can call a snap vote on whether to keep Mr. McCarthy in his post.
“I think we need to rip off the Band-Aid,” Mr. Gaetz said. “I think we need to move on with new leadership that can be trustworthy.”
Mr. Gaetz had long threatened to oust Mr. McCarthy if he failed to bend to Republican hard-liners’ demands for spending cuts. In the interview, he accused Mr. McCarthy of lying to his G.O.P. members during negotiations, and making a “secret deal” with Democrats concerning future funding for Ukraine, which he and dozens of other conservative Republicans have opposed.
“Nobody trusts Kevin McCarthy,” he added, predicting that the only way Mr. McCarthy would remain speaker by week’s end is “if Democrats bail him out.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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