US Congress in Historic Votes, Ousts House of Reps Speaker
Kevin McCarthy has been toppled in a right-wing revolt – the first time ever that a United States (US) House of Representatives speaker has lost a no-confidence votes.
Florida Republican Matt Gaetz, a trump ally, filed a rarely used procedural tool known as a motion to vacate on Monday night to oust Mr. Mccarthy.
He accused the speaker of making a secret deal with the white house to continue funding for Ukraine, amid negotiations to avert a partial government shutdown at the weekend. Mr. McCarthy denies it
The final tally was 216-210 to remove the congressman as leader of the Republican majority in the lower chamber of congress.
Congress has just over 40 days to agree on a deal to avoid another potential government shutdown.
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Mr. McCarthy was supported by 210 Republicans but eight voted against him in Tuesday’s vote, joining all democrat members.
The last two Republican Speakers – Paul Ryan and John Boehner – left congress after repeated tangles with their more conservative colleagues.
The so-called motion to vacate had only previously been used twice in the past century to remove a speaker – in 2015 and 2010 – though never successfully.
