McCartney denounces GOP plotters as he says he won’t run again: Latest

Matt Gaetz isn’t backing down, despite criticisms that ousting Kevin McCarthy was about ego.

“It’s the benefit of this country that we have a better Speaker of the House than Kevin McCarthy,” Mr Gaetz said on the Capitol steps. “Kevin McCarthy couldn’t keep his word. He made an agreement in January regarding the way Washington would work, and he violated that agreement. We are $33 trillion in debt. We are facing $2.2 trillion annual deficits.”

“We face a de-dollarization globally that will crush Americans, working class Americans,” he added. “Kevin McCarthy is a feature of the swamp. He has risen to power by collecting special interest money and redistributing that money in exchange for favors.”

The White House has weighed in on the first-ever ouster of a sitting House speaker just hours after Republicans voted to defenestrate California Representative Kevin McCarthy from his post as the leader of the House of Representatives.

In a statement, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden is “always eager to work with both parties in Congress in good faith on behalf of the American people” and is hoping that the GOP majority will act to “quickly elect a Speaker” to replace Mr McCarthy, who was stripped of his leadership post after 216 House members — all the chamber’s Democrats plus a small number of Republicans led by Florida congressman Matt Gaetz — voted to declare his office vacant.

Ms Jean-Pierre said the president’s hope is that the vote will occur with haste “because of the urgent challenges facing our nation will not wait”.

“The American people deserve leadership that puts the issues affecting their lives front and center, as President Biden did today with more historic action to lower prescription drug prices,” she said.

Florida governor and GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis has weighed in on the Kevin McCarthy saga.

He told Scripps News on Tuesday he opposed Mr McCarthy as speaker back when “it wasn’t cool.”

“He’s really somebody that Donald Trump backed and put in that postion,” Mr DeSantis said. “I think they’ve not delivered results. The contrast between Florida, us delivering results, and what you have in Washington, is typically failure theatre.”

As for who he hopes replaces Mr McCarthy, Governor DeSantis said, “I don’t know if I’d wish that job on any of my friends.”

Mr McCarthy says coup ringleader Matt Gaetz is taking revenge for a House Ethics Committee probe.

“Look, you all know Matt Gaetz. You know it was personal. It had nothing to do about spending. And regardless of what you think, I have seen the texts. It was all about his ethics,” he said.

“So I may have lost a vote today, but as I walk out of this chamber, I feel fortunate to have served the American people,” he told reporters on Tuesday evening.

“I will look at that,” the lawmaker from California told reporters at his news conference when asked if he would now quit Congress.

Matt Gaetz delivered a passionate speech on Tuesday explaining why he led the effort to oust Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker.

“High inflation is on the verge of bankrupting American families. Our economy is breaking in half,” he said. “A typical American family can’t afford to buy a house in 99 per cent of US counties. Inflation is stealing more than $700 a month from working Americans, nearly $9000 a year.”

“Kevin McCarthy is the Speaker of the House of Representatives,” he added. “He has failed to take a stand where it matters.”

Upon assuming the position, Mr McHenry, the former chief deputy whip of the House GOP and lover of bowties, immediately gaveled the House to recess so each party could confer with their members.

Mr McHenry will now serve as the acting speaker – complete with all the power of the elected official speaker – until a formal vote can take place.

He was hand-picked by Mr McCarthy earlier this year when he assumed the speakership.

Ariana Baio has the story.