Republican Kevin McCarthy was REMOVED as Speaker of the House after he took President Joe Biden's side and decided on more money for Ukraine. There was an epic revolt from many Republicans who voted with the Democrats to kick McCarthy to the curb in a historic vote. McCarthy suffered a 216-210 defeat after eight Republicans voted against him. This is the first time a House Speaker was ever removed in a "non-confidence vote" according to several news reports. CBS News reported the following:
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted from his leadership position in a historic vote on Tuesday after a far-right revolt over his reliance on Democrats to pass funding to avert a government shutdown.
The final vote was 216-210, with eight Republicans joining all the Democrats to vote to remove McCarthy. It's the first time a House speaker has been removed in a no-confidence vote.
"The office of speaker of the House of the United States House of Representatives is hereby declared vacant," said Republican Rep. Steve Womack of Arkansas, who was presiding over the chamber.
Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, a top ally of McCarthy's and a member of the Financial Services Committee, was then appointed speaker pro tempore. The rules of the 118th Congress state that "in the case of a vacancy in the office of speaker, the next member" named on a list submitted by McCarthy to the clerk of the House in January will become speaker pro tempore until a speaker is elected.
Matt Gaetz slammed Congress for being "owned" when he said: “I take no lecture on asking patriotic Americans to weigh in and contribute to this fight from those who would grovel and bend knee for the lobbyists and special interests who own our leadership.”
