House Votes to Remove McCarthy from Speakership

The House of Representatives voted to remove Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) from his position as Speaker of the House.

For Context: Rep. Matt Gaetz filed a motion to vacate on ousting McCarthy on Monday. This was made possible by a deal struck by McCarthy and right-wing lawmakers in January that secured his position as Speaker but allowed for a single member to call a vote to remove him from that position. Gaetz filed the motion in response to what he deemed McCarthy’s “repeated breach of the agreement that he made in January.” The motion came after months of division and dispute between McCarthy and the right wing of the House. Last month, McCarthy reportedly told right-wing members in a closed-door meeting, “If you want to file a motion to vacate, then file the f**king motion.”

Details: This is the first time in United States history that the House has voted to remove a speaker. Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) will serve as interim speaker until a new speaker is elected. The final vote on the motion was 216 to 210. All House Democrats voted in favor of the motion to vacate, joined by eight Republicans, including Gaetz, who brought forth the motion.

How the Media Covered It: McCarthy’s ousting was a top story in outlets across the spectrum Tuesday afternoon. Outlets across the spectrum emphasized the unprecedented nature of the removal and highlighted the confusion and uncertainty over what comes next.