Fellow GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz is working to get it as a prominent Florida lawmaker leads an effort to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Long upset with Gaetz — who has repeatedly targeted the GOP leadership and undermined his party — some Republicans intend to fire the congressman if the House Ethics Committee investigating him finds wrongdoing, Fox News reported Sunday.
“No one can hold him at this point. A smart man with no morals,” a member of parliament told the outlet.
Gaetz, who is rumored to be running for Florida governor, brushed off the threat, posting a “Game of Thrones” meme.
The motion to expel requires a two-thirds vote to pass, meaning Democrats would hypothetically have to go along with it, given the 221 to 212 Republicans to Democrats in the lower house.
Gaetz has pleaded not guilty to an ethics investigation, which is reportedly nearing completion.
The investigation is said to be focused on allegations that include sexual misconduct, illicit drug use and potential public corruption.
Republicans have a slim four-seat majority in the lower house, which means Gaetz poses a major threat to speaker McCarthy.
Some members of the House GOP are working to impeach Rep. Matt Gaetz on his attempt to unseat Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images
His motion to vacate, which he plans to introduce this week, would need a simple majority to pass.
“I think we need to continue with a new leadership that can be trusted. See, the one thing everyone has in common is that no one trusts Kevin McCarthy. He lied to Biden. He lied to House conservatives,” Gaetz told CNN’s “State of the Union” host Jake Tapper.
McCarthy, on the other hand, has expressed confidence that he will prevail if a motion to oust him is tabled.
“So that’s it. Bring it. Let’s get over it and let’s start governing,” McCarthy told CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday.
“I will survive,” he added. “You know this is personal with Matt. Matt voted against the most conservative ability to protect our borders. He’s more interested in getting a TV interview than doing something.”
Democrats have signaled that they will want concessions if they want to give him a lifeline and save him from an impending rebellion.
Earlier this year, Justice Department officials advised against prosecuting Gaetz for misconduct in the sex-trafficking investigation.
The House Ethics Committee has reportedly been looking into it since then, though not many details about the investigation are known.
Gaetz said the Republican party needs “new credible leadership” instead of McCarthy.ZUMAPRESS.com
McCarthy publicly claimed the basis of Gaetz’s hostility toward him was his refusal to intervene in ethics reviews.
Gaetz has denied it.
“Not at all, Jake. I am the most investigated person in the United States Congress. I’ve been cleared by the DOJ, the FEC with a five-zero vote and the people who spread criminal lies about me are sitting in federal prison right now,” Gaetz told CNN Sunday. “I’m fine with being investigated.”
The catalyst for Gaetz’s recent push to give McCarthy the boot was a recent spending spree that McCarthy brought to the House floor on Saturday to prevent a government shutdown.
The bill keeps the government lights on until Nov. 17 and allocates $16 billion for domestic disaster relief.
Gaetz has vehemently opposed such temporary spending and many Republican supporters have howled at the lack of gains for conservatives.
Categories: Trending
Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
