McCarthy Says He Doesn’t Regret Actions

Former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy leaves the House Chamber after being ousted as a Speaker in Washington on Oct. 3, 2023. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

McCarthy Says He Doesn’t Regret Actions–7:51 p.m.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) reflected on his time as the 55th House speaker after being ousted by a vote of 216-210. He reminisced on getting through school, starting a sandwich business, making money, and getting elected to Congress, eventually moving up to become speaker.

Mr. McCarthy said he didn’t regret his actions that led up to that evening.

“I don’t regret standing up for choosing government over grievance. It is my responsibility. It is my job. I do not regret negotiating. Our government is designed to find compromise. I don’t regret my efforts to build coalitions and find solutions. I was raised to solve problems not create them,” he said.

He said wouldn’t run again for the speakership.

Mr. McCarthy “knew” that a motion to vacate would be made against him.

The former speaker said that what was behind Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) filing the motion to vacate “was all about his ethics” and that Mr. Gaetz had a “personal vendetta” against him. It is unclear if Mr. McCarthy was referring to the complaint against the Florida lawmaker before the House Ethics Committee.

Mr. McCarthy said that the eight Republicans who joined all Democrats to strip him of the gavel “are not conservatives.”

At the end of the day, Mr. McCarthy said “I’m at peace.”

He also called out the Democratic caucus that voted for his removal, saying, “My fear is the institution fell today because you can’t do the job.”

House Done With Votes for the Week–7:10 p.m.

According to an official notice sent out, “Members are advised that no further votes are expected in the House this week.”

McCarthy Announces He Will Not Run Again for Speaker–6:58 p.m.

Mr. McCarthy will not run again for the gavel, according to Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), the chairman of the Republican Study Committee.

White House Responds–6:52 p.m.

The White House has responded to the ouster of Mr. McCarthy as speaker of the House.

“President Biden has demonstrated that he is always eager to work with both parties in Congress in good faith on behalf of the American people. Because the urgent challenges facing our nation will not wait, he hopes the House will quickly elect a Speaker,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in a statement.

“The American people deserve leadership that puts the issues affecting their lives front and center, as President Biden did today with more historic action to lower prescription drug prices,” she continued. “Once the House has met their responsibility to elect a Speaker, he looks forward to working together with them and with the Senate to address the American peoples’ priorities.”

Raskin Calls for Jeffries to be Next Speaker–5:36 p.m.

Following Mr. McCarthy being ousted as speaker of the House, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) told Epoch Times’ sister outlet NTD’s Iris Tao that he has reached out to Republicans about making House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) Mr. McCarthy’s permanent successor.

Gaetz Expresses Support For Scalise and Emmer–5:18 p.m.

With Mr. McCarthy out as speaker, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who successfully put forth a motion to oust Mr. McCarthy as House speaker, said he would support House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), both of whom supported Mr. McCarthy.

Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), who was one of the Republicans who joined Democrats to strip Mr. McCarthy of the gavel, told CNN that Mr. McCarthy mocked him for praying for a decision on whether to oust him as speaker.

Mr. Scalise is undergoing cancer treatment.

Mr. Gaetz cited issues he had with Mr. McCarthy as speaker.

“I would say that the conservative agenda was being paralyzed by Speaker McCarthy,” he said in response to a question from Ms. Tao.

“We hadn’t even sent in a subpoena to Hunter Biden. Our oversight was lackluster,” continued Mr. Gaetz. “Our spending priorities were misaligned. The top line budget was going to lead to more inflation, more debt, more challenges. So the best way to advance the conservative agenda is to move forward with a new speaker.”

House Ousts Kevin McCarthy as Speaker–4:41 p.m.

For the first time in U.S. history, a speaker of the House has been ousted through a motion to vacate. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) will have to run again if he wants to regain the gavel. In the interim, there will be a speaker pro tempore from a list already compiled by Mr. McCarthy.

The final tally is 216-210. Eight Republicans sided with all Democrats to oust Mr. McCarthy: Reps. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Ken Buck (R-Colo.), Bob Good (R-Va.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), and Eli Crane (R-Ariz.).

Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, has been appointed Speaker Pro Tempore until a permanent speaker is chosen.

Vote Begins–4:01 p.m.

The House of Representatives is voting on whether to oust Mr. McCarthy as House speaker. The vote is being done by an alphabetical-order roll-call.

Gaetz Makes Case to Depose McCarthy as Speaker–3:03 p.m.

Mr. Gaetz and Mr. Good are controlling debate against Mr. McCarthy keeping the gavel, while Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) is controlling debate in support of Mr. McCarthy.

“You cannot change if you’re unwilling to change,” said Mr. Biggs, who is for ousting Mr. McCarthy.

However, said Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Mr. McCarthy “has kept his word, and we should keep him as speaker.”

“There’s nothing selfish about wanting a speaker of the House that tells the truth,” said Mr. Gaetz in response to Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) calling this motion to vacate “selfish.”

House Advances Motion to Vacate–2:48 p.m.

The motion to table the motion vacate failed, 208-218, with 11 Republicans joining all Democrats. The House will have 30 minutes of debate on the motion to vacate.

The Republicans who joined the Democrats to kill this effort: Reps. Cory Mills (R-Fla.), Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.), Bob Good (R-Va.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), Ken Buck (R-Colo.), Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) and Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.).

House Voting on Motion to Table–2:33 p.m.

Mr. Cole (R-Okla.), the chairman of the powerful House Rules Committee, moved to punt the motion introduced by Mr. Gaetz to oust Mr. McCarthy from the speaker’s chair. This is a 15-minute vote.

McCarthy Responds to NTD Reporter About Future–2:22 p.m.

Iris Tao of NTD, Epoch Times’ sister media, asked Mr. McCarthy if he would fight to get the gavel back were the motion to vacate to succeed.

“Do you think I don’t have it now?” he responded.

House to Vote Shortly on Whether to Oust McCarthy as Speaker

Mr. McCarthy’s future as House Speaker is on the line as the House is set to vote on whether to oust him as the second person in line to the presidency.

The vote is scheduled for around 2 p.m. ET. There will first be a motion to table the motion to vacate — which is expected to fail.

This would be the first time a speaker was removed through a motion to vacate. The only time there was such a vote was in 1910 and it was unsuccessful. Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) resigned from Congress in 2015 before there could be a vote on a motion to vacate as Freedom Caucus members expressed dissatisfaction with him holding the gavel. Mr. McCarthy has said he would stay in Congress even if he is ousted as speaker, which he became in January after 15 balloting rounds.

Mr. Gaetz filed the motion to vacate on Oct. 2 — one day after announcing on CNN he would put forth the motion.

At least five Republicans would need to join all Democrats to oust Mr. McCarthy as speaker. So far, there appears to be that number ahead of the vote, which is scheduled for around 1:30 p.m., when the House is scheduled to vote to consider one of the 12 appropriations bills.

Mr. Gaetz said that the 45-day continuing resolution to fund the government was the last straw.

As part of an agreement in exchange for being second in line to the president, Mr. McCarthy lowered the threshold for the number of House members to put forth a motion to vacate to one.

House Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries Comes Out in Favor of Motion to Vacate–1:20 p.m. ET

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said House Democrat leadership will vote for the motion to vacate.

“We confront a serious, solemn and sober moment. The vote that the House will cast this week in connection with a Motion to Vacate the Chair is not about any one individual. Our responsibility as Members of Congress relates to the Constitution, the principle of good governance and the people we are privileged to serve. Nothing more, and nothing less,” said Mr. Jeffries in a statement.

“In that regard, House Democrats remain willing to find common ground on an enlightened path forward,” he continued. “Unfortunately, our extreme Republican colleagues have shown no willingness to do the same. It is now the responsibility of the GOP members to end the House Republican Civil War. ”Given their unwillingness to break from MAGA extremism in an authentic and comprehensive manner, House Democratic leadership will vote yes on the pending Republican Motion to Vacate the Chair.”