Kevin McCarthy was removed as the speaker of the US House of Representatives, the first such incident in the history of the country, in a rebellion by far-right Republicans who were furious at his cooperation with Democrats.
The final tally of the no-confidence motion against the Speaker was 216-210.
Ultra-conservatives mutinied after he struck a deal on Saturday with Senate Democrats to fund government agencies, reports BBC.
So far, there is no obvious successor to oversee the House Republican majority.
In a bid to oust McCarthy, Florida Republican Matt Gaetz, a Trump ally, had filed the rarely used procedural tool known as motion to vacate.
Following the ouster, he posted on X: The fight is not over.
The fight is not over.
Now we must elect a Speaker.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) October 3, 2023
He accused the Speaker of making a secret deal with the White House to continue funding for Ukraine, which McCarthy denies, BBC reported.
Congressman Kevin McCarthy, after being the first Speaker to be ousted in the House of Representatives, announced he would not run for the position again, but he wouldnt change a thing.
I will not run for speaker again, Ill have the conference pick somebody else, McCarthy was quoted as saying by media on Tuesday evening. I wouldnt change a thing.
Today I voted for the Motion to Vacate and remove the Speaker.
This isnt about left vs right.
This isnt about ideology.
This is about trust and keeping your word.
This is about making Congress do its job.
(1/7)
Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) October 3, 2023
Moderate Republican Nancy Mace, who voted against McCarthy, wrote on X: Today I voted for the Motion to Vacate and remove the Speaker.This isnt about left vs right.This isnt about ideology. This is about trust and keeping your word. This is about making Congress do its job.
She said: Ill work with anyone willing to do that and look forward to voting for a Speaker who shares this vision for changing Congress and getting us back on a path to delivering results for the people.
The dysfunction we are seeing right now on the Republican side of the aisle in the House is not something I take any joy in. The American people deserve a government that is able to smoothly and competently operate, and this GOP majority is not capable of that task.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) October 3, 2023
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, a left-wing Democrat from the north-western US state of Washington, wrote on X: The dysfunction we are seeing right now on the Republican side of the aisle in the House is not something I take any joy in. The American people deserve a government that is able to smoothly and competently operate, and this GOP majority is not capable of that task.
He and his party have supported and enabled the insurrectionist former president and continued to prove they are not capable of or willing to do the work necessary to move this country forward.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) October 3, 2023
He and his party have supported and enabled the insurrectionist former president and continued to prove they are not capable of or willing to do the work necessary to move this country forward, she said.
