McCarthy Spars with GOP Reps Threatening to Oust Him From Speakership

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) challenged far-right Freedom Caucus members to attempt to oust him from the speakership Thursday morning. 

Details: In a closed-door House Republican meeting Thursday morning, McCarty addressed continued threats from the right flank of the house to remove him from the speakership. Per the agreement McCarthy made when he won the speakership in January, a single representative can trigger a vote to remove McCarthy. Freedom Caucus members frequently remind McCarthy of the leverage they hold over him. On Thursday morning, McCarthy called their bluff, stating, “If you want to file a motion to vacate, then file the f**king motion,” according to Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.), a McCarthy ally. 

For Context: Congress has until the end of the month to pass roughly a dozen spending bills. If these bills are not passed, the federal government will shut down at the start of October. This week, McCarthy has worked to pass a Department of Defense appropriations bill, but far-right holdouts have halted the process. Earlier this week, McCarthy announced an impeachment probe into President Joe Biden, a move seen by many left-rated voices as a concession to far-right holdouts. Despite this action by McCarthy, Freedom Caucus members continue to oppose spending bills without further spending cuts.

How the Media Covered It: McCarthy’s reported profanity grabbed headlines across the spectrum Thursday morning. Left- and center-rated headlines framed his words as addressed to all House Republicans, while right-rated outlets were more specific about who his words were intended for.