One of the leaders of the American hard right said on Sunday he wanted to dismiss the Republican President of the House of Representatives, after the latter managed to push back the paralysis of the federal administration with the support of the Democrats.
“I fully intend to table a motion to impeach the president [Kevin] McCarthy this week,” Florida elected official Matt Gaetz said on CNN.
“I believe we need to move forward, with a new leader who can be trusted,” he added.
This fratricidal initiative was expected: Mr. McCarthy, elected at the cost of numerous negotiations with the Trumpists, said on Saturday that he was aware that he was risking his seat.
“You know what, if I have to risk my position to defend the American people, I will,” he assured.
In a final attempt to avoid the paralysis of the American administration, a resolution proposed by Mr. McCarthy was adopted by Congress just three hours before the “shutdown”, with the support of the Democrats.
With other Trumpist elected officials, Matt Gaetz is campaigning for drastic reductions in state spending. He accused Mr. McCarthy on Sunday of “lying to House conservatives.”
“The one thing everyone has in common is that no one trusts Kevin McCarthy,” Gaetz said.
“Kevin McCarthy’s goal was to make several contradictory promises to delay everything […] and ultimately, break down the spending guardrails,” he accused.
Kevin McCarthy was elected Speaker of the House on 15e turn in January, when Trumpists finally agreed to support him in exchange for huge concessions, including a return to allowing individual lawmakers to call a vote to impeach the House speaker.
A concession which therefore comes back to haunt him today.