Ammon News - Far-right Republican Representative Matt Gaetz on Monday moved to oust fellow Republican Kevin McCarthy as speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, injecting an additional element of chaos into an already tumultuous Congress.

Gaetz, who has clashed with McCarthy for months, introduced a "motion to vacate" that would force a vote to remove McCarthy as speaker.

Moments after his much-anticipated move on the House floor, Gaetz held an impromptu press conference in which he acknowledged that his effort might fail - at least on the first try.

Republicans control the chamber by a narrow 221-212 majority, and it would take as few as five defections to threaten McCarthy's hold on power, if all Democrats voted against him.

Gaetz and other far-right Republicans are angered that McCarthy relied on Democratic votes to pass a temporary funding extension on Saturday that headed off a partial government shutdown. A faction of about 20 Republicans, Gaetz included, had forced McCarthy's hand by repeatedly blocking other legislation.

Reuters