'multi-level chess'

What the far-right's charge to remove Pelosi could mean for Kevin McCarthy

July 23, 2021

.polaris__post-meta--date { display: none; } .polaris__post-meta--date.no-script { display: block; padding-left: 45px } July 23, 2021

The far-right House Freedom Caucus has put House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in a tricky situation — they're calling to remove Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) from her post as House Speaker following her decision to bar two GOP picks from the Jan. 6 select committee, Politico reports.

In a letter sent Friday, the conservative group — which boasts incendiary members like Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) — asks McCarthy to "pursue the authorization of the House Republican Conference" and "bring up a privileged motion ... to vacate the chair and end Nancy Pelosi's authoritarian reign as speaker of the house." The caucus then contends that Pelosi's "tenure is destroying the House of Representatives" and its ability to "faithfully represent" the American people.

Refusing to seat Rep Jim Jordan & Rep Jim Banks on the Select Committee to Investigate Jan 6th is intolerable.House Freedom Caucus is calling on GOP leader to file and bring up a privileged motion to vacate the chair and end Speaker Pelosi’s authoritarian reign.Full letter: pic.twitter.com/u2AsXN5nfg
— House Freedom Caucus (@freedomcaucus) July 23, 2021

Pundits have pointed out that while the group's call to remove Pelosi has "no chance of succeeding," it does put McCarthy in a difficult position. If the minority leader were to initiate the motion, "it would further escalate partisan acrimony in the House," reports Politico. But if he doesn't, he runs the risk of losing House Freedom Caucus votes in his odyssey to become speaker. It's perhaps a sort of test.

Has no chance of succeeding, but it will force McCarthy to take a position on whether to try to vacate the chair https://t.co/3uxUEupUkB
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) July 23, 2021

Dems would never go for this but ...McCarthy will need HFC votes if he wants to be Speaker. HFC turning up the pressure https://t.co/MyCzFBV6IA
— Scott Wong (@scottwongDC) July 23, 2021

3) Second, this applies pressure on McCarthy to try to advance this resolution since he holds the cards. Don’t forget, some members of the Freedom Caucus don’t think McCarthy is the guy to be Speaker if the GOP flips the House in 2022. This is a test for McCarthy
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) July 23, 2021

Furthermore, should McCarthy move forward, he can certainly expect Democrats to "dish it back" down the line.

This is interesting, but McCarthy would have to realize that if he tried this, Dems would no doubt dish it back when he's speaker someday. And let's face it: McCarhty is no Pelosi when it comes to an iron whip. Pelosi can easily put this down. He might not be able to midsession https://t.co/S6r9Qzwz2N
— Rachael Bade (@rachaelmbade) July 23, 2021

But again — Democrats ultimately "have the votes to prevail" against any motion to implement such a measure. As Fox News' Chad Pergram points out, it's all a game of "multi-level chess."

6) Fifth, if McCarthy does take the Freedom Caucus up on this, the vote won’t be on actually vacating the chair. It will be one step removed: a vote to table the motion. That will likely be a party line vote.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) July 23, 2021