In a letter to colleagues, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Democratic leadership will vote to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as Democrats “remain willing to find common ground” on a path forward—something Jeffries wrote Republicans aren’t willing to do.
U.S. House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) speaks during a weekly news conference at the ... [+]
In the letter, Jeffries said the vote to vacate the speakership is “not about any one individual” and is a “serious, solemn and sober moment.”
Jeffries said in the letter that while House Democrats came together to “avert a catastrophic, Republican-driven default on our debt,” Republicans under McCarthy have not shown they are willing to work with Democrats, have continued to cause chaos and are wasting taxpayer dollars through the House impeachment inquiry targeting President Joe Biden.
Jeffries’ letter comes after a growing number of Democrats said they would join the far-right Republicans in voting to eject McCarthy, including Rep. Annie Kuster (D-N.H.) and Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), who told CNN on Tuesday “it’s pretty clear the caucus knew exactly where it was . . .Speaker McCarthy has shown he cannot govern.”
“Given their unwillingness to break from MAGA extremism in an authentic and comprehensive manner, House Democratic leadership will vote yes on the pending Republican Motion to Vacate the Chair,” read the letter.