Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) is already targeting Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), arguing that he should not send legislators home for the next week.
After vowing to do so for months, Gaetz led the movement to remove House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from his position of leadership on Tuesday afternoon.
McCarthy was removed from his position as speaker by the House in a 216-210 vote, with eight Republicans and all of the Democrats voting in favor.
McHenry was elected speaker pro tempore following the vote.
“I do have to offer some pretty sharp criticism of the new pro tem of the House, Patrick McHenry. We met tonight, and he sent us home until Tuesday of next week.” Gaetz said during an appearance on Newsmax.
“We should be here tomorrow, working to elect a new Speaker, getting onto our appropriations bills and engaging in a negotiation with the Senate to get the government funded, but instead these people got to go home and cry for a week. They’ve got to go do a week of hand-wringing and bedwetting over the fact that Kevin McCarthy isn’t Speaker anymore. This institution is about more than one man.” he continued.
He said that the House would take a break so that Republicans and Democrats could meet separately to “discuss the path forward.”
Republicans stated that they will meet on Tuesday to choose their candidate for the top leadership position, and no further votes are anticipated for the remainder of the week.
Until the House elects a new Speaker, business will not resume as usual.
Gaetz urged the House to adopt the budget more quickly despite spending some time to introduce the motion to vacate and again criticized McHenry for sending people home.
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