Hard-liners plot to replace McCarthy with a deputy as shutdown looms
Source: Washington Post
Updated September 28, 2023 at 9:01 p.m. EDT|Published September 28, 2023 at 8:17 p.m. EDT
A contingent of far-right House Republicans are plotting an attempt to remove Kevin McCarthy as House speaker as early as next week, a move that would throw the chamber into further disarray in the middle of a potential government shutdown, according to four people familiar with the effort who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private talks. Some members of the far-right faction of the party are coalescing around nominating a member of McCarthys leadership team, Rep. Tom Emmer (Minn.), to be the next speaker if they can successfully oust McCarthy, according to those people. The members think Emmer is more attuned to their concerns and will better deliver conservative results.
The effort to replace McCarthy with one of his top deputies is the latest example of the acrimony and chaos that has upended the Republican conference this year and has Congress on the path to a government shutdown. Many within the GOP conference, including McCarthy allies, have long warned that McCarthys leadership would be tested during the fight to fund the government because of promises he made to far-right lawmakers in January to win the speakers gavel.
Emmer, according to two people who have spoken to him, has not indicated whether he would want to pursue the speakership or support a measure to oust McCarthy. I fully support Speaker McCarthy. He knows that and I know that, Emmer told The Washington Post in a statement. I have zero interest in palace intrigue. End of discussion.
Its unclear if far-right members will move forward with the plan or if the plotting is simply a warning to McCarthy about the seriousness of their displeasure. But some members have emphasized that removing McCarthy is inevitable and imminent and they are calculating the right time to try to do it. One lawmaker said they want McCarthy to leave the speakership with some grace, meaning that a motion would happen if the government shuts down and McCarthy has exhausted all options to keep it open with only Republican votes.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/09/28/kevin-mccarthy-tom-emmer-government-shutdown-motion-vacate/
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BaronChocula
(1,464 posts)We're going to have endless House Speaker votes pitting McCarthy vs Emmer while the government remains shut down. A Jeffries speakership is looking more and more likely.
CUE DU STICKLER NERDS:
"No way Jeffries is speaker before 2025."
underpants
(182,305 posts)This faction of idiots could end up putting Hakeem in the Speaker role.
Javaman
(62,444 posts)that means the orange asshole is free and clear to run for prez before prison time. now it becomes if prison time.
I believe this is the freedom assholes long game
TomSlick
(11,041 posts)at least for a couple of weeks.
"As they have during prior appropriations lapses, the courts and federal defender's offices are conserving available funds by deferring non-mission critical expenses, such as new hires, non-case-related travel, and certain contracts."
paleotn
(17,796 posts)Such a thing would be catastrophic for the reelection chances of a number of Republicans, easily swinging the House back to the Dems. Per Cook, there are currently 24 toss up districts and 6 lean R's, mostly between D+5 and R+5 and mostly held by Republicans. In a prolonged shutdown, particularly your uber extreme scenario, Republicans will lose most if not all of those seats.
The one thing about Congress critters is they love their cushy seats in Congress and will fight lions and tigers to keep them. If the shutdown stretches for more than a few weeks, many of those vulnerable R's will vote for discharge. And McCarthy will bring it to the floor as a parting "fuck you" to the nuts, since his speakership is essentially dead at that point. Giving the shitheads the middle finger is enough to motivate him in my mind.
That's if he's still speaker. If the nuts preemptively try to dump him before the above can happen, which is probably their intent, and succeed, your scenario becomes more likely. But if it comes to a revote on the speaker, Dems and a significant number of Republicans will side with McCarthy or someone more moderate as a tactical move to get the government open again.
No matter what the path, it's going to be weird and not good for R's. At least we can take solace in that.
bucolic_frolic
(42,722 posts)ancianita
(35,823 posts)Talk about political weaponization...
I predict that Koch will endorse Tom Emmer by the primaries, and he'll be the dark horse that advances to the RNC. Emmer looks like some honest guy, but he's stealth corporate.
AverageOldGuy
(1,465 posts). . . the pack is known to attack, kill, and eat the weaker members of the pack.
multigraincracker
(32,545 posts)16 votes to confirm.
honest.abe
(8,556 posts)I dont think they have enough votes to replace him.
mopinko
(69,837 posts)they make the motion, no thug can get the votes, and a half doz thugs throw it to jeffries.
not that i think theyll do the right thing. i just assume a few of them have shit they want to get done.
coffeenap
(3,172 posts)pfitz59
(10,202 posts)"Biden's fault!" And the idiot MAGAts will lap it up.
paleotn
(17,796 posts)Freethinker65
(9,938 posts)Would love to see GOP House members take a vote on that.
jvill
(185 posts)Except for.. you know... passing a timely funding bill with Democrats in a bi-partisan action that I thought was the Washington DC media's ultimate fetish...
There's a very easy way out of this, but it requires working across the aisle. Why all these media reports neglect to include that is... well, obvious.