Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) said that he was considering forcing a floor vote in the House of Representatives regarding the possible impeachment of President Joe Biden. The measure may put him in conflict with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), who has discussed an impeachment inquiry but has not scheduled any such vote.
While McCarthy has discussed opening an impeachment inquiry into Biden, he has not committed to a vote of the House. However, Gaetz told conservative commentator Todd Starnes that he had “worked very hard in January to develop a toolkit for House Republicans to use in a productive and positive way. I don’t believe we’ve used those tools as effectively as we should have.”
I worked very hard in January to develop a toolkit for House Republicans to use in a productive and positive way. I don’t believe we’ve used those tools as effectively as we should have.
We’ve got to seize the initiative. That means forcing votes on impeachment. And if… pic.twitter.com/9KPzogbs5e
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) September 5, 2023
The Florida Republican said that the Republicans had to “seize the initiative,” including “forcing votes on impeachment.”
“And if stands Speaker McCarthy in our way, he may not have the job long. Let’s hope he works with us, not against us,”
Gaetz’s position could place him in direct conflict with McCarthy. He said that the California Republican “may not have a job long” if he attempts to delay the effort to impeach Biden.
The move would not be the first time that Gaetz created political trouble for McCarthy. Despite both being allies of former President Donald Trump, Gaetz was one of several dozen Republican holdouts regarding McCarthy’s speakership earlier this year.
Gaetz stated that he received considerable concessions during the multiple floor votes needed to confirm McCarthy. The Florida representative took the initial stance against McCarthy’s position despite being endorsed by Trump.
As part of the negotiations, McCarthy agreed to a change in forcing a vote for him to vacate the speaker’s position, reducing the threshold from five representatives to one, which means that McCarthy could be challenged through Gaetz’s intercession.
The Florida Republican has also positioned himself as a key ally of the former president. In addition to endorsing him in the 2024 presidential primary, he also introduced legislation to censure U.S. District Tanya Chutkin, who is presiding over one of the federal criminal cases against the former president.
