The United States House of Representatives Speaker, Kevin McCarthy, has been impeached, marking the first-ever impeachment of a Speaker of the House in U.S. history.
The impeachment came after a tumultuous battle within the House, where lawmakers voted to remove the California Republican from his position. The rebellion was led by conservative hardliner Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and it plunged the House into chaos.
The motion to vacate, aimed at ousting McCarthy, garnered the support of a group of hard-right lawmakers who had expressed their discontent with McCarthy's collaboration with Democrats to avert a government shutdown. Given the razor-thin majority held by House Republicans, McCarthy's fate appeared to hinge on the decision of House Democrats.
However, during an extended closed-door meeting on Tuesday morning, House Democrats ultimately decided not to intervene to save McCarthy's position. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., expressed their commitment to prioritize the interests of the people over politics, stating, "House Democrats will continue to put people over politics. We are ready to find bipartisan common ground."
The unprecedented impeachment of Speaker Kevin McCarthy sends shockwaves through the U.S. political landscape, raising questions about the future direction of the House of Representatives and its ability to navigate the challenges facing the nation.
