On CNN's "State of the Union" program on October 1, Congressman Matt Gaetz from the US state of Florida said he would seek to overthrow Mr. McCarthy within the next week.
"I do intend to file a motion to remove Chairman McCarthy next week. I think we need to take that band-aid off. I think we need to move forward with new leadership that is credible," Gaetz said.
Rep. Matt Gaetz
Mr. Gaetz is a leading figure in the “House Freedom Caucus,” a small group of more than 20 hard-line Republican lawmakers in the US House of Representatives who pushed the US government to the brink of shutdown by refusing to pass a new federal budget without deep spending cuts.
The group was furious when Mr McCarthy reached a temporary budget deal with Democrats late on September 30 to keep the US federal government running for another 45 days at current spending levels.
"The only way Kevin McCarthy will still be Speaker of the House next weekend is if Democrats bail him out. Now, they probably will," Gaetz said on CNN, saying he was unsure whether his group could actually get McCarthy removed.
"I will not stop and I will continue to pursue this goal," Mr. Gaetz declared.
In addition to potential Democratic support, Republican lawmakers who have sided with Mr McCarthy are expected to try to block his ouster, who had to survive 15 tough votes in the US House of Representatives in January to take the gavel. It was Mr Gaetz’s group that blocked Mr McCarthy’s election.
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Mr McCarthy has refused to resign and appeared undeterred by pressure from his own party. "I will overcome it. It's Gaetz's personal business," he said on October 1, according to Reuters.
McCarthy had previously challenged Gaetz's side. "Try it... You know what? If I have to risk my job to stand up for the American public, I will do it," McCarthy said on September 30.
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