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A2 UP FRONT
Wednesday 4 OctOber 2023

McCarthy becomes the first speaker ever to be ousted from the job

in a House vote

mands — including a rules As the fiery debate dragged
change that allowed any on, many of the complaints
single lawmaker to file the against the speaker revolved
motion to vacate. around his truthfulness and
As the House fell silent, Gaetz, his ability to keep the prom-
a top ally of Donald Trump, ises he has made.
rose to offer his motion. Almost alone, Gaetz led his
Leaders tried to turn it back, side of the floor debate,
but the vote was 218-208, criticizing the debt deal Mc-
with 11 Republicans against Carthy made with President
tabling the motion, a sign of Joe Biden and the vote to
trouble to come. prevent a government shut-
The House then opened a down, which conservatives
floor debate, unseen in mod- opposed as they demanded
ern times, and Republicans steeper spending cuts.
argued publicly among But a long line of McCa-
themselves for more than rthy supporters stood up
an hour. for him, including Rep. Jim
“It’s a sad day,” Republican Jordan, R-Ohio, a leader of
Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma the conservative Freedom
said as debate got under- Caucus, who said, “I think
way, urging his colleagues he has kept his word.” Rep.
not to plunge the House Garret Graves, R-La., waved
Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., leaves the House floor after being ousted as Speaker of the House Republican majority “into his cellphone, saying it was
at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023. chaos.” “disgusting” that hard-right
(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
But Gaetz shot back dur- colleagues were fundraising
Continued from Front rules, was named speaker at the start of the year, he ing the debate, “Chaos is off the move in text messag-
pro tempore, to serve in the agreed to a series of de- Speaker McCarthy.” es seeking donations.q
While McCarthy enjoyed office until a new speaker is
support from most Republi- chosen.
cans in his slim majority, eight The House then briskly re- 11-year-old shoots, injures 2 teens
Republican detractors — cessed as lawmakers pre-
many of the same hard-right pared to meet privately and following altercation at Florida Pop
holdouts who tried to stop discuss the path forward.
him from becoming speak- It was a stunning moment Warner football practice
er in January — essentially for McCarthy, a punishment
forced him out. fueled by growing griev-
Stillness fell as the presiding ances but sparked by his ley said during a Tuesday
officer gaveled the vote weekend decision to work morning news conference.
closed, 216-210, saying the with Democrats to keep the He said surveillance video
office of the speaker “is here- federal government open showed that both teens
by declared vacant.” rather than risk a shutdown. were running away from
Moments later, a top McCa- But in many ways, McCa- the boy when the shot was
rthy ally, Rep. Patrick McHen- rthy’s ouster was set in mo- fired.
ry, R-N.C., took the gavel tion when, in deal-making The two teens are in stable
and, according to House with hard-right holdouts condition, McKinley said.
Responding officers took
This image made from video provided by WFTV-TV shows people the gun from the child, and
standing near a crime scene in Apopka, Fla., Monday, Oct. 2, he was detained, McKin-
2023. ley said. The boy was later
(WFTV-TV via AP) charged with one count of
Associated Press Warner football practice in attempted second-degree
APOPKA, Fla. (AP) — An central Florida, police said murder and booked into
11-year-old boy retrieved Tuesday. the juvenile assessment
a gun from an unlocked The child fired one shot on center. The chief said the
box in his mother's vehicle Monday night, hitting one boy's mother may face
and shot two 13-year-olds teen in the arm and the a second-degree misde-
following an altercation other in the torso, Apopka meanor charge of leaving
that began during a Pop police Chief Mike McKin- a gun unsecured. q