House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Monday took a jab at Rep. Matt Gaetz over reports the conservative rebel is offering committee subpoena power to Democrats in exchange for votes to help oust the speaker.
Mr. Gaetz reportedly made the offer, though it is unclear how he could keep the promise, to Democrats on the House Oversight Committee that is leading the impeachment inquiry into President Biden.
“Matt has been going to Democrats and offering them subpoena power, which will just destroy any Biden impeachment inquiry,” Mr. McCarthy, California Republican, said on Fox News. “And I just don’t think that’s good for the House. I don’t think it’s good for the country. And what my point is, bring it on, let’s get it over with let’s get this over.”
Mr. Gaetz said he plans to force a House vote this week on removing Mr. McCarthy as speaker. If all the Democrats back the resolution, Mr. Gaetz only needs four more of his Republican colleagues to succeed.
The New York Post reported Mr. Gaetz put forth a “backroom proposal” that would hypothetically enable Democrats on the GOP-controlled committee to choose which witnesses get subpoenas in the impeachment inquiry. It would also allow them to reject the subpoenas from GOP committee members, which could disrupt the probe.
Mr. Gaetz, Florida Republican, has no power to follow through with such a proposal for the Democrats.
Still, Mr. Gaetz has been specifically lobbying Democrats on the Oversight Committee, a GOP insider told The Washington Times.
Mr. McCarthy expressed confidence that he would survive the attempt to oust him and accused Mr. Gaetz of pursuing a personal vendetta against him.
He has accused Mr. Gaetz of leading Republican opposition that defeated a stopgap spending bill packed with conservative priorities such as added border security and a 30% spending cut. The defeat of that bill, Mr. McCarthy said, forced him to use a “clean” 45-day spending bill passed with Democratic votes that avoided a partial government shutdown on Saturday.
The “clean” bill was Mr. Gaetz’s pretext to try to remove Mr. McCarthy as speaker with a resolution that is known as a motion to vacate the chair.
“With Matt, it’s personal,” Mr. McCarthy said. “Matt voted against that conservative stopgap that put us in the problem. And then when I had to keep the government open, he now wants to make a motion to vacate.”
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.