Threat to Kevin McCarthy's speakership emerges over debt ceiling deal

By 
 May 31, 2023

This past weekend saw House Speaker Kevin McCarthy reach an agreement with President Joe Biden to raise the debt ceiling.

That hasn't gone over well with some members of McCarthy's party, however, with one Republican member of Congress suggesting that the speaker needs to be removed. 

Rep. Dan Bishop hopes others will have the "courage" to take on McCarthy

According to the Daily Caller, North Carolina Rep. Dan Bishop announced at a press conference on Tuesday that he may introduce a motion to vacate the speaker's chair.

Bishop explained that he will not file such a motion unless other members show "courage" and come on board, stressing that he doesn't doesn't "make single decisions like that alone."

The Daily Caller noted that any member of Congress is permitted to file the motion to vacate, a fact which may concern McCarthy given the narrowness of his majority. The website pointed out that only four defecting Republicans would be needed to end McCarthy's speakership.

No other Freedom Caucus members are publicly calling for speaker's ouster

The website observed that other members of the House Freedom Caucus were less committed than Bishop when it came to opposing McCarthy.

Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry serves as Freedom Caucus chairman, and he was quoted as saying, "I am focused on this bill."

"Whatever happens post-that and the agreements that we had, we will decide once we’ve determined the disposition of this bill in its finality," he added.

Florida Republican Rep. Byron sounded a similar note, telling reporters, "I think that’s something that’s going to be tackled after this. That vehicle is a serious one. I’m going to deal with that after this. My issue right now is this bill."

Rep. Chip Moore calls deal a "betrayal," says caucus may need to review leadership

Meanwhile, Politico correspondent Jordain Carney reported that Texas Republican Rep. Chip Moore implied that McCarthy could be in trouble.

She quoted him as telling conservative talk radio host Glenn Beck that McCarthy's deal amounts to a "betrayal of the power sharing arrangement that we put in place" and

The Texas congressman went on to remark that "we're going to have to then regroup and figure out the whole leadership arrangement again" if it passes.

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