Gaetz Urges McCarthy to Vote for Impeachment, Issues Warning

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla,  made a bold prediction, anticipating forthcoming efforts to compel House votes on impeachment, while delivering a warning to Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif..

“I worked very hard in January to develop a toolkit for House Republicans to use in a productive and positive way. I don’t believe we’ve used those tools as effectively as we should have,” he said. 

Speaking to conservative radio host Todd Starnes, Gaetz referenced the intricate negotiations during the unprecedented 15-ballot election that resulted in McCarthy becoming Speaker, according to The Hill.

Gaetz asserted that upon the House’s return to Washington next week, Republicans must proactively “seize the initiative.”

“That means forcing votes on impeachment. And if Speaker McCarthy stands in our way, he may not have the job long,” Gaetz pressed.

Amid the electoral complexities that unfolded during McCarthy’s election saga in January, he strategically decided to decrease the threshold required to initiate a “motion to vacate the chair.”

A “motion to vacate the chair” is a parliamentary maneuver available to ordinary lawmakers to remove the Speaker of the House of Representatives from their position. Under former GOP rules, this process could have been initiated only by a majority of House Republicans. McCarthy ultimately agreed to permit a single member to initiate such a vote.

At the time, Republicans voiced concerns about this decision, suggesting it could potentially undermine the authority and effectiveness of the Speaker due to the lower threshold to be removed from the position, according to ABC News.

Amid this political landscape, characterized by internal divisions within the Republican party, Gaetz’s provocative statements coincide with McCarthy’s encounter with resistance from moderate House Republicans.

This resistance pertains to the potential initiation of an impeachment inquiry into President Biden, specifically concerning matters related to his family’s foreign business dealings during his tenure as vice president.

Gaetz’s contemplated move to trigger an impeachment vote would not mark the first instance of such action by a House Republican. In June, Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., orchestrated a vote on her resolution to impeach Biden, citing concerns over his handling of issues related to the U.S.-Mexico border.

The House ultimately voted, along party lines, to refer Boebert’s impeachment articles to relevant committees, underscoring the partisan dynamics at play in the House of Representatives.