House GOP Moves to Change Rules for Removal of Speaker
On Friday, the 119th Congress was set to begin.
There were several major pieces of business set to start the new session, starting with the election of the House Speaker.
The GOP-run Congress will also look to change the rules to remove a Speaker, hoping to block the same thing that happened to Kevin McCarthy, who was ousted after a motion filed by then-Rep. Matt Gaetz.
Blocking the Move
Under the new rules, which were instituted when McCarthy was Speaker, a single member of the caucus can motion to have the Speaker removed.
Gaetz used the new rule to remove McCarthy. Oddly enough, when the motion was initially made, a verbal vote was taken, and the call was made that McCarthy was not removed.
However, Gaetz called for a formal roll call of the votes, and it wound up that he did have enough support to remove McCarthy.
The proposed new rule would require the individual making the motion to get eight co-sponsors before the motion would be considered.
Additionally, the sponsors of the motion must all be members of the majority party, so there will be no games being played by the minority party.
Democrats are already putting up a fit over the new rule change, with Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) claiming the rule does not make the Speaker accountable to the “entire chamber.”
He stated, "The American people did not vote for whatever the hell this is — and you better believe that Democrats will not let Republicans turn the House of Representatives into a rubber stamp for their extremist policies.”
As I am writing this report, the House is taking its vote to elect the Speaker for the 119th Congress, and it is not going to be easy for Johnson.
At least three members of the Caucus have already stated they will not support Johnson or will make up their mind on the day of the vote, but it does appear that Massie will be sole holdout now.
With only a four seat majority, Johnson will need near unanimous support in order to keep the gavel.
