SE Valley Times

Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs has provided insight into his decision to join the other seven Republicans who voted for the removal of Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy from his position on Tuesday. This motion was initiated by Representative Matt Gaetz from Florida. In a statement, Biggs clarified his stance, saying, "I am not creating chaos. I am not siding with the Democrats. I am focusing on appropriations."

The motion to remove McCarthy marks an event that has not occurred in over a century. The House is now tasked with electing a new Speaker, with the vote anticipated to occur next week. The motion passed with a vote of 216 to 210, as eight Republicans sided with Democrats in favor of removing McCarthy from the speakership. McCarthy informed lawmakers that he would not seek re-election, leaving the position vacant.

There are several speculations surrounding the ousting of McCarthy. McCarthy cites personal reasons and suggests Gaetz's action stems from his decision to not assist in "tamping down an ethics investigation." However, Gaetz claims that his move against McCarthy is linked to job performance. Others speculate that the decision could be related to providing funding for Ukraine. However, McCarthy clarified that there was no deal with the White House on supplemental aid for Ukraine.

On Tuesday, Republicans vying for the role of Speaker will present their case. Some of the reported Republicans who might be considering a run include House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, Republican Study Committee Chairman Kevin Hern, and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise.

The removal of McCarthy as Speaker has sparked various reactions. Lou Dobbs, an American conservative political commentator, criticized the move, saying, "It appears the rest of the 200+ Republicans wanted to let Speaker McCarthy continue his backroom deals with the Marxist Dems."

In response to the criticism and speculation, Biggs defended his decision, stating, "I didn't side with the Democrats; what I did was I sided with my constituents and the American people who've been asking me for months to make a change. I would fight for my constituents every time. I didn't come here to be a part of some team that is going to continue to perpetuate out-of-control spending and is not going to fight for the American people. I came to fight for the American people."