Matt Gaetz's GOP colleagues are so annoyed with him that they forced him to stand on the Democratic side of the House floor
ssheth@businessinsider.com (Sonam Sheth)
9 hours ago

Rep. Matt Gaetz applauds in the House Chamber during the third day of elections for Speaker of the House on January 5, 2023.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Rep. Matt Gaetz's GOP colleagues are so tired of his antics that they made him stand with Democrats, The Washington Post reported.
Gaetz stood on the Democratic side of the floor Tuesday as he called for Kevin McCarthy's ouster as House speaker.
Gaetz made no secret of his disapproval of McCarthy and triggered a historic vote this week that resulted in McCarthy's removal.
Rep. Matt Gaetz's colleagues in the House GOP conference have grown so annoyed by him that they forced him to stand on the Democratic side of the chamber.

That's according to The Washington Post, which reported that Gaetz stood with Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday as he called for Rep. Kevin McCarthy to be removed as House speaker.

Gaetz made no secret of his contempt for McCarthy and had long threatened to trigger a vote to have McCarthy removed as speaker even as his Republican colleagues urged him not to.

"I'd love to have him out of the conference," Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon said on Tuesday, after McCarthy was voted out of the speakership. "He shouldn't be in the Republican Party."

Rep. Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin said he puts "the best interests of the United States of America and my constituents above" his personal feelings and that "clearly, Matt Gaetz can't do that."

And California Rep. Mike Garcia was more blunt, describing Gaetz as a "Republican running with scissors," per The Post.

The last straw for Gaetz apparently came when McCarthy worked with Democrats to pass a temporary spending bill over the weekend to avoid a government shutdown.

Appearing on ABC's "This Week" the next morning, Gaetz said he would file a motion to vacate the office of the speaker.

"I have enough Republicans where at this point next week, one of two things will happen: Kevin McCarthy won't be the speaker of the House or he'll be the speaker of the House working at the pleasure of the Democrats," Gaetz told reporters late Monday after filing the resolution.

The Florida Republican's move was a historic one: it was the first time in over a century that a US lawmaker had formally moved to oust the speaker of the House.

And on Tuesday, McCarthy became the first speaker to be removed in the middle of a congressional term. The final vote was 216-210, with eight Republicans voting with 208 Democrats to vacate the office of the speaker.

North Carolina Rep. Patrick Henry is serving as speaker pro tempore, until another speaker is formally elected.