Jeffries on backing McCarthy ouster: GOP must end its ‘civil war’

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) denounced Republican lawmakers for falling into “chaos, dysfunction and extremism” Tuesday, and his caucus suggested they won’t lend support to Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) amid a vote to remove him. 

“Under the Republican majority, the House has been restructured to empower right-wing extremists, kowtow to their harsh demands and impose a rigid partisan ideology,” Jeffries said in a statement.

McCarthy has faced increasing scrutiny and threats to his Speakership after weeks of conflict between him and hard-line conservatives in the GOP caucus, led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) — who introduced a motion to vacate the Speakership on Monday.

Gaetz pursued the motion after weeks of threatening McCarthy during debates over government funding. Gaetz pushed McCarthy to pass spending bills with significant cuts, though the Speaker chose to extend the federal budget by 45 days in a last-second bipartisan deal, avoiding a government shutdown.

Political analysts theorized that Democrats could back McCarthy and prevent him from being ousted by his own party, but Jeffries said Tuesday that Democrats won’t bail out the speaker.

“House Democrats remain willing to find common ground on an enlightened path forward. Unfortunately, our extreme Republican colleagues have shown no willingness to do the same,” he continued. “It is now the responsibility of the GOP members to end the House Republican Civil War.”

“Given their unwillingness to break from MAGA extremism in an authentic and comprehensive manner, House Democratic leadership will vote yes on the pending Republican Motion to Vacate the Chair,” he said.

Jeffries specifically cited McCarthy’s refusal to work with Democrats when he was made Speaker in January, a strenuous process which took four days and 15 votes, resulting in a set of House rules tailored to the House GOP hardliners.

The minority leader also criticized Republicans for backing out of a bipartisan deal made over the debt ceiling earlier this year. In that deal, McCarthy, congressional Democrats and the Biden administration agreed to limited federal budget cuts, though McCarthy later demanded deeper cuts. 

“Rather than celebrate and affirm this major bipartisan achievement, extreme MAGA Republicans immediately turned against it,” Jeffries said. “House Republicans backed out of the agreement with President Biden that they themselves negotiated just days after its passage, hurdling us toward this chaotic moment.”

He also denounced the House GOP’s “illegitimate” impeachment inquiry into President Biden, saying the process is “wasting time and taxpayer dollars.” 

McCarthy backed the inquiry after calls from a group of conservative House GOP members, including Gaetz. House Republicans claim that Biden used his influence to help his son’s business dealings in Ukraine, though evidence has not yet proved the claim.

The House will vote Tuesday over whether to oust McCarthy. Gaetz needs five members to join him on the vote to remove McCarthy as speaker.

Updated at 2:45 pm.