Far-right members, unhappy with debt deal, float threatening McCarthy's speakership

[BumRushDaShow]

Last edited Tue May 30, 2023, 07:33 PM - Edit history (2)

Source: NBC News

WASHINGTON — As criticism builds in Republican ranks over the debt ceiling deal struck by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and President Joe Biden, some hard-line conservatives have begun floating the idea of toppling the speaker.

On a House Freedom Caucus call Monday night, Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., floated using the motion to vacate, a rule that would allow any member of Congress to force a vote to remove the speaker, two sources familiar with the call told NBC News. Buck, speaking toward the end of the call, referred to it as the “elephant in the room,” one source said.

After House Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry, R-Pa., suggested it might be too early for such a drastic threat, Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., proposed using the threat to force McCarthy to allow members to amend the bill on the House floor, under an "open rule" that could stall the bill's passage. Perry responded that they would discuss the issue more when members return to Washington after the long weekend.

One lawmaker on the call who confirmed that Buck brought up using the motion to vacate said of the Biden-McCarthy deal, “Some people feel this is a complete miss,” adding, “I’d say there are five or more who would be sympathetic to Buck’s position.” Another lawmaker who was on the call, but did not hear Buck's suggestion, said bluntly, “The unity we had is gone.” In an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press NOW" after returning to Washington on Tuesday afternoon, Buck said that "yes," he had raised the question of whether Freedom Caucus members were considering a motion to vacate, but said he wasn’t calling for McCarthy’s ouster.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/far-right-members-unhappy-debt-deal-float-threatening-mccarthys-speake-rcna86797

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(although they tend to be a bunch of cowards and this could just be a bunch of hot air)

Article updated.

Previous article -

WASHINGTON -- As criticism builds in Republican ranks over the debt ceiling deal struck by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and President Joe Biden, some hard-line conservatives have begun floating the idea of toppling the speaker.

On a House Freedom Caucus call Monday night, Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., floated using the motion to vacate, a rule that would allow any member of Congress to force a vote to remove the speaker, two sources familiar with the call told NBC News. Buck, speaking toward the end of the call, referred to it as the "elephant in the room," one source said.

After House Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry, R-Pa., suggested it might be too early for such a drastic threat, Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., proposed using the threat to force McCarthy to allow members to amend the bill on the House floor, under an "open rule" that could stall the bill's passage. Perry responded that they would discuss the issue more when members return to Washington after the long weekend.

One lawmaker on the call who confirmed that Buck suggested using the motion to vacate said of the Biden-McCarthy deal, "Some people feel this is a complete miss," adding, "I'd say there are five or more who would be sympathetic to Buck's position." Another lawmaker who was on the call, but did not hear Buck's suggestion, said bluntly, "The unity we had is gone." Nearly a dozen House Freedom Caucus members slammed the debt ceiling bill in a press conference Tuesday and vowed to vote no, but when asked how many of their members would support a motion to vacate, only Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., raised his hand.

Original article -

WASHINGTON -- As criticism builds in Republican ranks over the debt ceiling deal struck by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden, some hard-line conservatives have begun floating the idea of toppling the speaker.

On a House Freedom Caucus call Monday night, Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., floated using the motion to vacate, a rule that would allow any member of Congress to force a vote to remove the speaker, two sources familiar with the call told NBC News. Buck, speaking toward the end of the call, referred to it as the "elephant in the room," one source said.

After House Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry, R-Pa., suggested it might be too early for such a drastic threat, Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., proposed using the threat to force McCarthy to allow members to amend the bill on the House floor, under an "open rule" that could stall the bill's passage. Perry responded that they would discuss the issue more when members return to Washington after the long weekend.

One lawmaker on the call who confirmed that Buck suggested using the motion to vacate said of the Biden-McCarthy deal, "Some people feel this is a complete miss," adding, "I'd say there are five or more who would be sympathetic to Buck's position." Another lawmaker who was on the call, but did not hear Buck's suggestion, said bluntly, "The unity we had is gone." While right-wing members have blasted the deal publicly, calling it "insanity," a "turd-sandwich" and criticizing the scale of the cuts, lawmakers had held back from threatening to oust McCarthy over the agreement.

[groundloop]

1. I bet part of the deal was Dem votes to protect McCarthy (at least this time).

[JohnSJ]

9. Interesting speculation, though I doubt that would be part of the deal since the Democrats in

Congress decisions are independent.

That being said, if the magas in the House try to oust mccarthy, strategically in might be prudent for the House Democrats to keep mccarthy for the simple reason that the republicans have a slight majority in the House, and as bad a mccarthy is, any replacement of mccarthy would have someone far worse. The other possibility if that happens is that a replacement speaker wouldn't occur, which would mean that the House would essentially be inoperative. While that may sound attractive to some, if an emergency situation arose, it would be very serious not to have a speaker

[True Blue American]

14. Democrats have already

Told McCarthy they would back him.

I am counting 7 screeching their heads off. Boebart, Andy Clyde, Boggs.

[JohnSJ]

19. I didn't hear that. Thanks for the update

[True Blue American]

29. On CSPAN 1.

Reruns hoise went out.

[Deminpenn]

25. Smart politics

McCarthy and the Dems can be useful to each other to marginalize the crazies. They might even be able to accomplish something good for the whole country while they're at it.

[maxsolomon]

2. LOL, do it.

Utter clowns.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

4. Yes, clowns...notice how they use childish clown terms but never any detail, like adults do.

But they are speaking to an audience of brainwashed children so really not their fault, the root of the problem is the brainwashed zombies.

Amend the constitution to read any zombies who are now brainwashed zombies can’t vote until they are soaped out properly?

[JohnSJ]

3. If that happens, it would be interesting how the Congressional Democrats will vote.

[EYESORE 9001]

5. With whom would they replace McCarthy?

It’s all shits & giggles until someone giggles & shits. Perhaps they want to run their house of fools without a speaker at all.

[speak easy]

21. Gym Jordan

[BumRushDaShow]

32. Jordan claimed originally that he didn't want it

He gets more (extended) media attention doing his court jester act as a Chair of Committees than if he were a speaker, which is more a "ceremonial" thing when it comes to air-time.

[unblock]

6. Gee, i totally could not see this coming a mile away

[underpants]

7. Kevin, oh no I'm late to pick up the clowns!

[Scrivener7]

8. ... as night follows day ...

[vanlassie]

10. Flies on a shit pile.

[zuul]

11. Where is SporkFoot on this issue?

I haven't heard much from her about the debt ceiling deal. She is the defacto leader of the 'Howler Monkey Caucus.'

[Traildogbob]

17. She is

Planning on outing McCarthy and the Commander of the GQP will demand his cult to put her in as Squeaker of the house. She will spend all her time beating the wooden hammer demanding quorum while the Dems laugh out loud blocking her from everything. Just jesting, but she probably IS the plan for the FreeDumb caucus right now. Take out the middle man Kev, and implant the direct link to the dictator.
I am hoping big business is twisting arms of their puppets to not destroy an economy while they are ranking in billions, while no tax increase is in the plan.

[2naSalit]

33. More like Screecher of the House.

[Traildogbob]

38. Absolutely!

[True Blue American]

18. Boebart is one of the 7 screeching.i

[patphil]

12. This is one way for the radical right to block passage of the debt limit bill.

They're dedicate to pushing the nation into default, and a another fight to elect a Speaker could take a week or more, unless the Democrats intervene.
Can you imagine if McCarthy owed his position as Speaker of the House to the Democrats?
It might get the job done as far as the debt limit is concerned, but it could be a career ender for McCarthy.
This could get messy.

[LakeArenal]

13. They have been threatening McCarthy before he became speaker.

That’s how they operate. Threats and lies. No agenda beyond ruining America.

[Bayard]

15. We don't have time for this crap

And believe it or not, could get someone far worse.

The same group would be screaming, no matter what was in the bill.

[2naSalit]

34. +1

[LetMyPeopleVote]

16. This will be fun to watch

It is only a matter of time before there will be a motion to vacate filed against McCarthy

Link to tweet

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/kevin-mccarthys-freedom-caucus-headache-just-getting-started-rcna86389

As far as the far-right House Freedom Caucus was concerned, voters might’ve elected a Democratic president, a Democratic majority in the Senate, and a narrow Republican majority in the House, but it was the members of the right-wing faction in the lower chamber who were really in charge......

But as the negotiations approach an apparent finish line, the House Republicans’ most radical faction is learning that it isn’t likely to get everything its members demanded — and for the Freedom Caucus, that’s not going to work. The conservative Washington Times reported:

Ultra-conservative lawmakers are up in arms over alleged details of a compromise that leaked out of the negotiations. Rep. Tim Burchett shared with fellow members of the House Freedom Caucus a document purporting to detail a list of spending compromises agreed to by negotiators. ... [Freedom Caucus members] want everything from the debt limit bill passed by the House last month plus several new concessions from the White House.

Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas said in a radio interview yesterday, “I am going to have to go have some blunt conversations with my colleagues and the leadership team. I don’t like the direction they are headed.”....

This isn’t a prediction, per se, and I’m not saying the House speaker will necessarily be ousted by a relatively moderate bipartisan deal, should one come together. But if the scope of the Freedom Caucus’ discontent reaches a fever pitch, a hypothetical deal clears thanks to significant Democratic support, don’t be surprised if we all start hearing the phrase "vacate the chair" a lot more frequently.

[True Blue American]

43. Chip Roy was one of the commttee

To vote for the debt deal!

[Turbineguy]

44. Freedom from good governance.

[RussBLib]

20. nowhere have I seen how a "vacate the chair" vote would be held

Would it be by majority vote of only GOP members?

Would all 435 House members vote on removing McCarthy and electing a new Speaker of the House?

Is there some 2/3 thing of all members?

I can see a lot of Dems voting for the debt ceiling deal, and that, in and of itself, would probably be enough to pass it, and in that sense "save" McCarthy. But then the GOP MAGATS would probably want a "Vacate the Chair" vote. Only 1 member is needed to start the process, but the voting info is murky. To me, at least.

[oldsoftie]

22. From the beginning of the term, it looked like ALL members voted.

McCarthy was never getting a majority because some were voting "present" & all the Dems were voting for Jeffries. So I dont know if that means the Dems also get a nomination again like before or not.

[HariSeldon]

24. If the MAGA/Freedom Caucus moves to vacate the chair...

...it will be hilarious as every Democrat in the House votes "present" (since they know anyone other than McCarthy will only be worse) and the wingnuts come up short in their motion. It would be a total self-own.

[IA8IT]

28. Freedom Caucus all whine no cheese.

[BumRushDaShow]

26. I suppose it is written in the House Rules package

that was drafted and passed by the GOP (only) once he finally got the Speakership.

In fact found the reference here -

The changes to the Rules package are here (PDF) - https://rules.house.gov/sites/republicans.rules118.house.gov/files/118-Rules-of-the-House-of-Representatives-SxS-V2.pdf

Resolution Declaring the Office of Speaker Vacant. Subsection (q)
strikes language from rule IX to allow any member to offer a privileged resolution
declaring the Office of Speaker vacant.

The package passed that indicates what would change from the standard rules (text, engrossed) - https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-resolution/5/text

Rules (PDF) - https://ethics.house.gov/sites/ethics.house.gov/files/documents/118-House-Rules-Clerk.pdf

Rule IX -

RULE IX

QUESTIONS OF PRIVILEGE

1. Questions of privilege shall be,
first, those affecting the rights of the
House collectively, its safety, dignity,
and the integrity of its proceedings;
and second, those affecting the rights,
reputation, and conduct of Members,
Delegates, or the Resident Commis-
sioner, individually, in their represent-
ative capacity only.
2. (a)(1) A resolution reported as a
question of the privileges of the House,
or offered from the floor by the Major-
ity Leader or the Minority Leader as a
question of the privileges of the House,
or offered as privileged under clause 1,
section 7, article I of the Constitution,
shall have precedence of all other ques-
tions except motions to adjourn. A res-
olution offered from the floor by a
Member, Delegate, or Resident Com-
missioner other than the Majority
Leader or the Minority Leader as a
question of the privileges of the House
shall have precedence of all other ques-
tions except motions to adjourn only
at a time or place, designated by the
Speaker, in the legislative schedule
within two legislative days after the
day on which the proponent announces
to the House an intention to offer the
resolution and the form of the resolu-
tion. Oral announcement of the form of
the resolution may be dispensed with
by unanimous consent.
(2) The time allotted for debate on a
resolution offered from the floor as a
question of the privileges of the House
shall be equally divided between (A)
the proponent of the resolution, and
(B) the Majority Leader, the Minority
Leader, or a designee, as determined by
the Speaker.
(b) A question of personal privilege
shall have precedence of all other ques-
tions except motions to adjourn.

So I *think* that the bolded part in the above is where they are substituting "any member", so it has a clearer path for being heard when it is a privileged motion (to vacate). There are procedures for handling privileged motions but it's a bear digging through the Rules (with a fried brain) to determine what type of vote would be needed (majority or 2/3rds or what). You have probably heard of the one that is a "discharge petition" for example (and how that requires a majority sign off on it to actually propel something out of a Committee and straight to the floor for consideration).

ETA - A NBC News article claims it would just need a "majority" - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/speaker-of-the-house-ousted-motion-to-vacate-rcna64902

[2naSalit]

35. YES! Thank you...

For doing the homework for us.

[BumRushDaShow]

36. You're welcome!

I remember staying up like an idiot for that 15th Speaker vote and then hearing them mention that their first order of business (after their speeches and whatnot) was to introduce and pass that Rules package.

No Democrat voted "yay" for it thank goodness.

[2naSalit]

37. I saw that too...

I already knew it but you had a better answer than I did, with citations. Not gonna compete with that!

[BumRushDaShow]

41. LOL

I'm a CSPAN junkie so I end up doing that out of habit.

[2naSalit]

42. I like it!

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

39. They can nominate until the cows come hom

But they still have to vote.

The votes aren't there to oust him on the traitor side of the aisle. The Democrats will not be voting either way if they can help it. They'll only step in with votes if it looks like McCarthy will lose his gavel.

Enough Democrats will vote for him, or switch present votes to keep him, because they know anyone else the traitors would nominate is worse than McCarthy. I know it's hard to believe that worse exists in the traitor party, but we have to face the fact that such is the case. Compared to the screecher monkeys, the child-molesting fivehead and the pathological liar from NY, well, McCarthy looks like the voice of reason.

Scary as that is.

[BumRushDaShow]

40. "Scary as that is."

Yeah I'm sure that Cheeto Boner and Eddie Munster can give him a few words of advice about dealing with the crazies in their caucus (with them having the temerity to admit defeat, throw up their hands, and give up).

[Deminpenn]

27. The vacate motion might only be among the Rs,

but the Speaker will still have to be elected by the full house and presumably need 218 votes. In that case, Dems would likely "save" McCarthy's speakership and hold an IOU over him.

[Quanto Magnus]

23. Dear Main Stream Media

Please stop calling these people conservatives. They are not conservative, they are regressives and anarchists.

[Cha]

30. Kev had to have already known

this wouldn't happen.

TY

[Mawspam2]

31. When you've lost Catturd2....

...have you really lost anything?

[Initech]

45. The MAGAs really are turning into a bunch of whiny toddlers.

[xabriel]

46. They canceled Bud Light, Chick-fil-A, target, McCarthy

And they say cancel culture is a liberal thing