Far-right lawmakers float overthrowing Kevin McCarthy over debt ceiling negotiations

30 May 2023

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is facing intensifying pressure as the debt ceiling negotiations continue.

According to NBC News, some far-right lawmakers are so frustrated with McCarthy that they've considered overthrowing the top-ranking Republican lawmaker.

The latest report comes just one day after Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) suggested "using the motion to vacate, a rule that would allow any member of Congress to force a vote to remove the speaker," the news outlet reports.

Details about Buck's suggestion came from two insiders who spoke with the news outlet.

Although House Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry (R-Penn.) argued that it may be a bit premature to resort to such aggressive action, Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) insisted that a threat might be necessary.

Per the news outlet, McCarthy could be forced "to allow members to amend the bill on the House floor, under an 'open rule' that could stall the bill's passage. One of the lawmakers who shared details about Buck's suggestion weighed in with his take on McCarthy's negotiations with President Joe Biden.

“Some people feel this is a complete miss," the unnamed lawmaker said. "I’d say there are five or more who would be sympathetic to Buck’s position.”

Another lawmaker also expressed concern about the GOP's failure to come to an agreement.

"The unity we had is gone," the second lawmaker said.

In response to the latest reports, Buck's spokesperson Joe Jackson has released a statement on behalf of the lawmaker. While Jackson did not offer a direct response to Buck's reported suggestion, he did weigh in on the debt ceiling negotiations.

“We don’t comment on internal HFC discussions,” Jackson said. “Congressman Buck is focused on finding a debt ceiling solution that doesn’t give Democrats a blank check to add trillions of dollars to the debt in the next two years.”

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