Speaker Kevin McCarthy stated on Tuesday that he will not attempt to negotiate with Democrats to defeat a conservative effort to remove him from his leadership position, despite the fact that he is unlikely to retain his post without their support.
During an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” McCarthy expressed that Democrats will make their own decisions, and he will accept the outcome.
According to McCarthy, Democrats have not requested any concessions in exchange for their support, and he will not offer any.
He could attempt to shut down the effort led by Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida to oust him by requesting a vote to “table” or kill Gaetz’s resolution. However, due to McCarthy’s slim majority and the sizeable number of right-wing rebels who want him removed, he is unlikely to survive the vote without at least some Democratic support.
House Democrats are planning to meet on Tuesday morning to decide whether to support McCarthy. Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the Democratic leader, mentioned in an interview with CNBC that the party will reach a collective decision.
Jeffries did not provide many hints regarding his advice on how to vote, but he mentioned the trust issues his caucus has with Republican leadership and detailed several grievances they have against McCarthy’s leadership.
The proceedings, set to occur on Tuesday or Wednesday based on McCarthy’s decision, are a result of a months-long power struggle between McCarthy and a group of far-right lawmakers who have opposed his rise to the speakership since January. These lawmakers have obstructed his efforts to fund the government and prevent a national default.
Gaetz stated that he wants to punish McCarthy after he relied on Democratic votes to pass a stopgap funding bill to keep the government open. Gaetz and a group of hard-liners refused to support a Republican-authored short-term spending plan.
“It is becoming increasingly clear who the speaker of the House already works for, and it’s not the Republican conference,” Gaetz declared on Monday from the House floor as he made his case for McCarthy’s removal.
On Tuesday, McCarthy showed no remorse for his actions.
“I made a decision to take a risk in order to keep the government open,” McCarthy stated on CNBC. “If I am removed as speaker because I took steps to ensure that troops and Border Patrol agents continue to receive pay, then it’s a fight worth fighting.”
He added, “I have always stated that I will fight for the American public, and that’s exactly what I did, and I will continue doing so regardless of the consequences.”