The United States House of Representatives is currently facing a potential vote to remove its Speaker, Kevin McCarthy. This development comes amidst a growing backlash from far-right Republicans within McCarthy’s own party.

On Monday, Representative Matt Gaetz, one of the members from the far-right faction, introduced a “motion to vacate,” which is the initial procedural step in the process of removing McCarthy from his leadership position. McCarthy has stated that if just five Republican members from the majority party, along with all of the Democrats, vote for his removal, he would be forced out. The Democratic leader in the House, Hakeem Jeffries, has recommended that his party members support McCarthy’s removal.

Jeffries emphasized that the decision to remove McCarthy is not about targeting any specific individual but is instead about addressing the direction of the Republican Party itself. He criticized the GOP for its perceived unwillingness to distance itself from “MAGA extremism,” referring to supporters of former President Donald Trump. Jeffries called on Republican members to end what he termed the “House Republican Civil War.”

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While Jeffries has expressed the Democratic leadership’s intention to vote for McCarthy’s removal, it remains uncertain whether all Democratic representatives will follow suit or whether some may abstain from voting.

Has a US House Speaker ever been successfully removed from office?

The House of Representatives has never successfully voted to remove a Speaker. The only recorded instance of such a vote occurred in 1910 when Speaker Joseph Cannon faced a revolt within his own Republican Party. However, he survived the vote and used it to consolidate his support. Other Speakers have resigned in the face of internal party pressures, but none have faced an actual vote for removal in recent history.

The Speaker of the House is elected by members of the House of Representatives and serves at their pleasure. If a Speaker were to lose the support of the majority of the House members, they could be replaced through a vote of no confidence and a subsequent election for a new Speaker. However, this is a political process rather than a legal one.

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Impeachment is a process that applies to the President of the United States, not the Speaker of the House. The Speaker is a member of the House and serves as its presiding officer. Impeachment proceedings can be initiated against the President, members of the federal judiciary, and other high-ranking federal officials, but the Speaker of the House is not subject to this specific process.