Jordan gains support from top Republicans for speaker to ‘unite’ moderates, conservatives

Rep. Jim Jordan is gaining broad support from top Republicans to serve as speaker of the House of Representatives, with members telling Fox News Digital that he can "unite" moderates and conservatives across the GOP conference.

Jordan, R-Ohio, announced his bid for the speakership on Wednesday, after lawmakers voted to oust Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., from the post for the first time in the history of the House of Representatives.

TRUMP WOULD ACCEPT HOUSE SPEAKERSHIP FOR A 'SHORT PERIOD' WHILE REPUBLICANS DECIDE ON A PERMANENT REPLACEMENT

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., also announced his bid for House speaker.

Jordan, who serves as the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and is co-leading the House impeachment inquiry against President Biden, has garnered support across the Republican conference — including from top House committee chairmen.

"Jordan’s efforts have shown that he can unite moderates and conservatives across the conference to get the 218 votes needed to become speaker," a congressional source told Fox News Digital.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner, R-Ohio, a moderate Republican, told Fox News Digital that he would proudly support Jordan for the role of House speaker.

"I am proud to support Jim Jordan as our next Speaker of the House because of his leadership skills, professionalism, and the fact that he will be able to unite our conference," Turner said.

House Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green also threw his support behind Jordan; along with others including Rep. Thomas Massie; Rep. Darrell Issa; Rep. Mike Carey, Rep. Mary Miller; Rep. Warren Davidson; Rep. Jeff Van Drew; Rep. Ralph Norman; Rep. Alex Mooney; Rep. Lauren Boebert; Rep. Byron Donalds; Rep. Scott Fitzgerald; Rep. Troy Balderson; Rep. Harriet Hagemen; and Rep. Max Miller. 

FLASHBACK: MATT GAETZ VOTES FOR TRUMP AS HOUSE SPEAKER IN SLIGHT TO MCCARTHY

"We need a conservative fighter to stand up strong to the Biden White House and Democrats and I can’t think of anyone better than Jim Jordan," Rep. Jim Banks told Fox News Digital.

Rep. Jeff Duncan also threw his support behind Jordan, calling him a "proven conservative fighter" who "can right the ship and return the House to a path toward conservative principles like promoting limited government, fighting reckless spending, and holding the Biden administration accountable."

And on the other side of the aisle, even Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., said that Democrats are "ready to work with any Republican speaker as long as they don't break their word, that they want to help the American people," and said that would include working with Jordan, if he was elected speaker of the House.

GAETZ 'OPEN-MINDED' ON RULES CHANGE TO ELIMINATE MOTION TO VACATE, WOULD SUPPORT JORDAN OR SCALISE AS SPEAKER

As for Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., he told Fox News Digital that both Jordan and Scalise "would represent a monumental step forward for the conference." 

"I'd be honored to vote for either of these men on the floor," Gaetz said. "In conference, I'll make a decision based on spending and whether they are willing to liberate us on these continuing resolutions." 

House Republicans are hosting a candidate forum on Tuesday, and former President Trump has said he plans to attend. 

Trump, the current frontrunner of the 2024 Republican presidential primary, has not yet commented on who he would support for speaker. However, a source familiar told Fox News Digital that the former president is very close to Jordan and has always had a great relationship with him. The source said Trump also has a great relationship with Scalise. 

HOUSE VOTES TO REMOVE KEVIN MCCARTHY AS SPEAKER IN HISTORIC FIRST

In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital on Thursday afternoon, Trump said that if Republicans cannot rally enough support for Jordan or Scalise, he would accept the speakership himself for a "short period." 

"I have been asked to speak as a unifier because I have so many friends in Congress," Trump told Fox News Digital. "If they don’t get the vote, they have asked me if I would consider taking the speakership until they get somebody longer-term, because I am running for president." 

"They have asked me if I would take it for a short period of time for the party, until they come to a conclusion — I’m not doing it because I want to — I will do it if necessary, should they not be able to make their decision," Trump said.

Trump did not specify who had asked him, although a number of GOP lawmakers have said he is their preference for speaker.

Trump stressed that if Republicans cannot come to a consensus, he would take the speakership for a short "30, 60, or 90-day period." 

HOUSE REPUBLICANS MOVE 'FULL STEAM AHEAD' ON IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY EVEN AMID SPEAKER UNCERTAINTY

"I would only do it for the party," he said, stressing that his focus is on his presidential campaign. 

Back in January, as the House considered who should become the speaker after Republicans took the majority of the chamber, Gaetz opted not to vote for McCarthy or Rep. Byron Donalds, who was floated as an option, and instead, for Trump.

When Gaetz’s name was called during the seventh round of voting, he responded: "Donald John Trump." 

Trump would accept House speakership for a ‘short period’ while Republicans decide on a permanent replacement

EXCLUSIVE: Former President Trump told Fox News Digital that he would accept a short-term role as speaker of the House of Representatives to serve as a "unifier" for the Republican Party until lawmakers reach a decision on who should take on the post.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was removed as speaker of the House Tuesday after Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., introduced a measure against him known as a motion to vacate, accusing him of breaking promises he made to win the speaker's gavel in January.

GAETZ 'OPEN-MINDED' ON RULES CHANGE TO ELIMINATE MOTION TO VACATE, WOULD SUPPORT JORDAN OR SCALISE AS SPEAKER

"I have been asked to speak as a unifier because I have so many friends in Congress," Trump told Fox News Digital. "If they don’t get the vote, they have asked me if I would consider taking the speakership until they get somebody longer-term, because I am running for president." 

"They have asked me if I would take it for a short period of time for the party, until they come to a conclusion—I’m not doing it because I want to—I will do it if necessary, should they not be able to make their decision," Trump said.

Trump did not specify who had asked him, although a number of GOP lawmakers have said he is their preference for speaker.

Since McCarthy’s ouster, both House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jordan and House Majority Whip Scalise have announced bids to run for speaker.

Trump stressed that if Republicans cannot come to a consensus, he would take the speakership for a short "30, 60, or 90-day period." 

"I would only do it for the party," he said, stressing that his focus is on his presidential campaign. 

Back in January, as the House considered who should become the speaker after Republicans took the majority of the chamber, Gaetz opted not to vote for McCarthy or Rep. Byron Donalds, who was floated as an option, and instead, for Trump.

FLASHBACK: MATT GAETZ VOTES FOR TRUMP AS HOUSE SPEAKER IN SLIGHT TO MCCARTHY

When Gaetz’s name was called during the seventh round of voting, he responded: "Donald John Trump." 

Meanwhile, Trump told Fox News Digital that he will visit Washington, D.C., Tuesday and plans to be on Capitol Hill to speak with members of the House Republican Conference as they consider who will become the next speaker. 

As for whom he would support for speaker, the former president did not comment. 

HOUSE VOTES TO REMOVE KEVIN MCCARTHY AS SPEAKER IN HISTORIC FIRST

A source familiar, though, told Fox News Digital that Trump is very close to Jordan and has always had a great relationship with him. The source said Trump also has a great relationship with Scalise. 

Trump is leading the 2024 Republican presidential primary field by a massive margin.

The most recent Fox News poll shows 60% of Republican primary voters supporting Trump for the GOP nomination, up from 53% in the last survey in August. 

HOUSE REPUBLICANS MOVE 'FULL STEAM AHEAD' ON IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY EVEN AMID SPEAKER UNCERTAINTY

The only other candidates to receive double-digit support in that poll are Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 13% and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy at 11%.

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley sits at 5%, with former Vice President Mike Pence and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott at 3% each. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is polling at 2%, with the remaining GOP candidates receiving less than 1%.

Trump expected to visit Capitol Hill next week amid House speaker race: sources

Former President Trump is expected to head to Capitol Hill next week as the House of Representatives prepares to elect a new speaker, following the ouster of Rep. Kevin McCarthy, Fox News Digital has learned. 

Two sources familiar told Fox News Digital that the former president and 2024 GOP frontrunner is planning to speak with members of the House Republican conference on Tuesday as they consider who will become the next speaker of the House. Another source told Fox News Digital that the details are still being ironed out. 

Another source told Fox News Digital that the plans to travel to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday will not impact the former president’s campaign stop in New Hampshire on Monday. That visit will be his first visit back to the lead-off presidential primary state in two months.

McCarthy, R-Calif., was removed as House speaker on Tuesday after Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., introduced a measure against him known as a motion to vacate, accusing McCarthy of breaking promises he made to win the speaker's gavel in January.

Lawmakers voted to oust McCarthy from the speakership for the first time in the history of the House of Representatives.

Since McCarthy’s ouster, both House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., have announced bids to run for speaker of the House.

It is unclear, at this point, who Trump would throw his support behind. 

"Both of these men would represent a monumental step forward for the Republican conference," Gaetz told Fox News Digital during an interview Thursday. "I don’t believe there is a single conservative in the country who would not believe we are in a better position with either of them."

Gaetz told Fox News Digital he would be "honored to vote for either of these men on the floor."

"In conference, I’ll make a decision based on spending," Gaetz said, referring to the House GOP conference meeting next week. "And whether they’re willing to liberate us on these continuing resolutions."

Meanwhile, as Jordan gains support for speaker of the House within the GOP conference, questions are swirling as to who could take his post as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee — which is jointly leading the impeachment inquiry against President Biden, alongside the House Oversight and Ways & Means Committees — if he is elected.

Capitol Hill sources said Gaetz may have ambitions for the post himself, but when asked, the congressman offered his support to a colleague instead.

"The best person to take the Judiciary Committee if Jordan became speaker would be (Louisiana Rep.) Mike Johnson," Gaetz told Fox News Digital. "Because he’s a better lawyer than I am."

Gaetz ‘open-minded’ on rules change to eliminate motion to vacate, would support Jordan or Scalise as speaker

EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Matt Gaetz said Thursday he is "open-minded" on a House rules change that would abolish the tool he used to oust Kevin McCarthy as speaker, while telling Fox News Digital that he would support either Rep. Jim Jordan or Rep. Steve Scalise as his replacement.

McCarthy, R-Calif., was removed as speaker of the House after Gaetz, R-Fla., introduced a measure against him known as a motion to vacate, accusing him of breaking promises he made to win the speaker's gavel in January.

Lawmakers voted to oust McCarthy Tuesday from the speakership for the first time in the history of the House of Representatives.

HOUSE VOTES TO REMOVE KEVIN MCCARTHY AS SPEAKER IN HISTORIC FIRST

During an interview with Fox News Digital on Thursday, Gaetz said he leans towards keeping the motion to vacate as an option, but didn't rule out supporting an effort to abolish it altogether.

"I’m leaning against changing our exiting rules for any particular purpose," Gaetz told Fox News Digital during an interview Thursday. "Though, I am open-minded and would be willing to hear anyone’s presentation if they were offering a rules change."

Since McCarthy’s ouster, both House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., announced bids to run for speaker of the House.

"Both of these men would represent a monumental step forward for the Republican conference," Gaetz told Fox News Digital. "I don’t believe there is a single conservative in the country who would not believe we are in a better position with either of them."

Gaetz told Fox News Digital he would be "honored to vote for either of these men on the floor."

HOUSE REPUBLICANS MOVE 'FULL STEAM AHEAD' ON IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY EVEN AMID SPEAKER UNCERTAINTY

"In conference, I’ll make a decision based on spending," Gaetz said, referring to the House GOP conference meeting next week. "And whether they’re willing to liberate us on these continuing resolutions."

Meanwhile, as Jordan gains support for speaker of the House within the GOP conference, questions are swirling on who could take his post as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee — which is jointly leading the impeachment inquiry against President Biden, alongside the House Oversight and Ways & Means Committees — if he is elected.

Capitol Hill sources said Gaetz may have ambitions, himself, for the post, but when asked, the congressman offered his support to a colleague instead.

"The best person to take the Judiciary Committee if Jordan became speaker would be Mike Johnson," Gaetz told Fox News Digital. "Because he’s a better lawyer than I am."

House Republicans move ‘full steam ahead’ on impeachment inquiry even amid speaker uncertainty

The House impeachment inquiry against President Biden will continue "full steam ahead," with "further action" expected in the coming days, despite the uncertainty surrounding who will take the helm as speaker of the House of Representatives following the ouster of Rep. Kevin McCarthy, Fox News Digital has learned.

McCarthy, R-Calif., who served as speaker of the House from late January through October and is the first in United States history to have been voted to be removed from the post supported the launch of an impeachment inquiry against the president last month, after months of GOP-led investigations into his family’s business dealings and whether he was involved.

WHAT DOES MCCARTHY'S REMOVAL MEAN FOR BIDEN INVESTIGATIONS, DAILY FUNCTIONING OF THE HOUSE? EXPERTS WEIGH IN

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., were tasked by McCarthy with leading the impeachment inquiry.

But even with McCarthy ousted, their investigations are expected to continue.

"Full steam ahead," a senior Judiciary Committee aide told Fox News Digital.

FLASHBACK: HOUSE SPEAKER KEVIN MCCARTHY ANNOUNCES FORMAL IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY AGAINST PRESIDENT BIDEN

Jordan announced his bid for speaker of the House on Wednesday morning, just hours after McCarthy’s ouster.

And an Oversight Committee spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the committee’s work "continues."

"The committee is continuing to review documents, records, and communications and will take further action in the coming days," the Oversight spokesperson said.

A spokesperson for the Ways & Means Committee concurred. 

"The Ways and Means Committee remains committed to holding the following the facts where the evidence leads," the spokesperson told Fox News Digital. 

HUNTER BIDEN RECEIVED $250K WIRES ORIGINATING IN BEIJING WITH BENEFICIARY ADDRESS LISTED AS JOE BIDEN'S HOME

Despite the speaker vacancy, subpoenas that have already been issued by committees as part of the impeachment inquiry—like subpoenas for Hunter Biden and James Biden’s personal and business bank records—as well as those issued as part of general Biden administration oversight, remain valid.

DOJ ORDERED HUNTER BIDEN INVESTIGATORS TO 'REMOVE ANY REFERENCE' TO JOE BIDEN IN FARA PROBE WARRANT: HOUSE GOP

The next steps in the investigation come after the committees hold their first joint-panel impeachment inquiry hearing last week.

The GOP lawmakers say the financial records that the Oversight Committee has obtained to date "reveal a pattern where the Bidens sold access to Joe Biden around the world to enrich the Biden family."

Fox News Digital first reported that the House Oversight Committee has learned that the Biden family and their business associates brought in more than $24 million between 2014 and 2019 by "selling Joe Biden as ‘the brand’ around the world."

The scope of the impeachment inquiry covers the span the time of Biden’s vice presidency to the present, including his time out of office.

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But beyond investigating Biden’s ties to his family’s business dealings, House Republicans are also probing the alleged obstruction of the Justice Department’s years-long federal investigation into Hunter Biden. The allegations stem from IRS whistleblowers who allege politics influenced prosecutorial steps throughout the probe.

The White House maintains that President Biden was never in business with his son and never discussed business with his son or his family. White House officials have blasted the impeachment inquiry against the president as an "evidence-free" political stunt. 

Jim Jordan announces bid for House Speaker after McCarthy ouster

House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, announced he is running for Speaker – the first GOP lawmaker to put his hat in the ring for what's sure to be a competitive race.

The House of Representatives is without an elected leader after former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was ousted by a small group of rebels within his own party.

Jordan said on Wednesday morning that he would step up to run for the job. House Republicans plan to hold a candidate forum next Tuesday and an election the following day.

He'll likely have the support of conservatives and others in the right wing of the GOP conference, but it's unclear if he can win the support of moderates.

Jordan is the leader of one of three House committees investigating President Biden and his family. That investigation culminated into an impeachment inquiry being led by the House Oversight Committee.

This story is breaking and will be updated…

What does McCarthy’s removal mean for Biden investigations, daily functioning of the House? Experts weigh in

EXCLUSIVE: Academics and experts with in-depth knowledge on how the U.S. government operates told Fox News Digital that former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's, R-Calif., removal from his post on Tuesday would likely not prevent the chamber from continuing to function, which includes the investigations into the Biden family and the impeachment inquiry against President Biden.

"There's nothing that requires committees to slow down their activities, so there's no reason why the Hunter Biden investigation or the impeachment-related investigation conducted on a joint committee basis would have to slow down," said Steven S. Smith, a professor at the Arizona State University School of Politics & Global Affairs.

Smith went on to say that "not a whole lot" would happen with the investigations in the span of a week anyway, assuming the search for a new permanent speaker to replace McCarthy and take over for Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry swiftly concludes.

TOP REPUBLICAN REP. STEVE SCALISE WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES TO REPLACE KEVIN MCCARTHY AS SPEAKER

"Of course, members are going to be distracted. So maybe some meetings are going to be called off because members are worrying about electing a speaker for the time being. If it goes longer than the end of next week, then I think there's going to be some serious issues about how they proceed," he added.

Mark Harkins and Joseph Huder, both senior fellows at The Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University. agreed with Smith.

"Today's event was historic. It was huge, but effectively it changed nothing," Huder told Fox. "The House has its rules, it's got committees, they're all empowered to do investigations, they're empowered to subpoena, to take witness testimony. The speaker, as the speaker pro tempore, has the powers of the speakership, and until he is reined in by his majority, he can use those as freely as the previous speaker."

‘SHELL SHOCKED’ KEVIN MCCARTHY WILL NOT RUN FOR HOUSE SPEAKER AGAIN FOLLOWING REMOVAL

"All of the kind of institutional mechanics at the House level operate just the same as they were. They're in place, and they're not going to change just because there's no speaker. What does change are some of the politics behind the scenes, and that's where it gets very murky about what Mr. McHenry can and cannot do," Huder added.

Harkins explained that the difference between January – when the House was at a standstill prior to McCarthy's election as speaker – and now is that the rules of the House have been established and there is somebody actually acting as speaker.

"So the committees can continue their operations. There's no change there. The only possible minor change that could happen that doesn't have to do with the Biden family investigations is that the Financial Services Committee, which Speaker Pro Tempore McHenry is the chair of, may pass off to somebody else as a chair for the interim," Harkins said. 

WHO IS PATRICK MCHENRY, SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE OF HOUSE FOLLOWING MCCARTHY'S OUSTER?

"There's nothing that needs to stop the chairs of the various committees doing investigations, whether it's Oversight or Ways and Means or Judiciary, from continuing to do their work and continuing to have public hearings. So that's the biggest difference," he added.

Clint Brown, the Heritage Foundation's vice president of government relations, agreed, but told Fox the main focus of the House would be to "quickly try to settle the question of speaker."

"They'll be focused on that, at least initially. It's a tough issue to resolve. It's going to require a lot of agreement. Failing agreement early on, the chairmen are still chairmen, the rest of the elected House leadership is still elected, including the whip and the majority leader. The majority leader schedules votes on the floor. The House can continue to function if it needs to under a speaker pro tempore," he said.

McCarthy was removed from his short-lived speakership by a narrow 216-210 vote on Tuesday, with eight Republicans joining all Democrats in voting in favor of the motion to vacate that was introduced late Monday by U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.

According to U.S. Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., the GOP conference's plan was to have a candidate forum on Tuesday then a vote on Wednesday to decide who would succeed McCarthy.

Pro-Trump conservatives rail against Matt Gaetz over push to oust McCarthy: ‘Self-destructive’

Conservatives aligned with former President Donald Trump are coming out in opposition to the motion by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., to vacate House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., over the stopgap government funding bill passed late Saturday.

Gaetz threatened over the weekend that he would file the motion this week, which would aim to effectively oust McCarthy from the speakership after he accused McCarthy of making a "side deal" with Democrats to send additional aid to Ukraine. McCarthy, who said he supports arming Ukraine, but not sending additional money to Ukraine, rejected the notion that a side deal took place with Democrats or President Biden.

"For all the crocodile tears about what may happen later this week about a motion to vacate, working with the Democrats is a yellow brick road that has been paved by Speaker McCarthy," Gaetz said during a floor speech Monday afternoon. "Whether it was the debt limit deal, the [continuing resolution], or now the secret deal on Ukraine." 

"This is swampy log-rolling," Gaetz added. "The American people deserve single subject bills. I get that a lot of folks might disagree with my perspectives on the border or on Ukraine – but can we at least agree that no matter how you feel about Ukraine or the southern border, they each deserve the dignity of their own consideration and should not be rolled together where they might pass, where each individually wouldn't. This is what we're trying to get away from."

HOUSE GOP MEMBERS SEEK TO EXPEL GAETZ AMID RENEWED THREAT TO VACATE HOUSE SPEAKER MCCARTHY

On Saturday, the House and Senate passed a stopgap government funding bill which Biden signed later that evening. The bill – which passed the House in a 335-91 vote – helped avoid a government shutdown, which would have resulted in thousands of federal employees being furloughed, and extended funding through mid-November.

Gaetz ultimately filed a motion to vacate on Monday evening, hours after he said in his floor speech to "stay tuned." The House is poised to vote on the motion Tuesday afternoon after a separate effort to kill the motion failed.

His actions garnered pushback from Republicans, including those who have traditionally been aligned with Trump.

GAETZ BLOWS UP AT MCCARTHY IN CLOSED-DOOR HOUSE GOP MEETING: 'FIREWORKS'

"Yes, that is correct," conservative commentator Mark Levin said Monday. "The guy who says McCarthy is the Democrats' speaker is plotting and scheming with the radical Democrats to take out a Republican speaker who is more conservative than he is (McCarthy backed the Freedom Caucus CR and the cuts and border security, which Gaetz and 4 others killed)." 

"There are now numerous reports that Gaetz is doing this not because he insists that McCarthy interfered with an ethics investigation of him, which a speaker cannot do and has never done," Levin continued. "I might add that after two years it's about time the Ethics Committee release its report and either lift the cloud over Gaetz or clear him. Gaetz should demand this as well."

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., added that, while she shared substantive concerns about McCarthy's leadership with Gaetz, she wouldn’t support a motion to vacate.

"What I see is a system of failure and a federal government that serves the world first and America last and my desire for wanting to fix it is why I ran for Congress in the first place," the Georgia Republican said. "So I agree with Matt Gaetz that things must change, but I don’t agree that a motion to vacate will effectively create the changes needed to solve the intentional systemic failure that create the annual never-ending CR’s and Christmas omnibus mega spending packages."

"A [motion to vacate] of our speaker gives the upper hand to the Democrats, during dangerous times while we have been handed over under the presidency of an ailing old man ridden with dementia, whom has spent over 50 years in Washington seats of power corruptly enriching himself and his family by delivering policy deals to foreign investors," she added.

REP. BYRON DONALDS SAYS MCCARTHY IS 'IN TROUBLE' AFTER BUDGET DEAL: 'WE DIDN'T GET ANYTHING'

Additionally, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich suggested GOP leadership could expel Gaetz from the House Republican Conference and eliminate his committee assignments.

"Is Gaetz secretly an agent for the Democratic Party? No one else is doing as much to undermine, weaken and cripple the House GOP," Gingrich said in a social media post.

Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, a former Trump aide who was endorsed by the former president, blasted Gaetz in a post on X Tuesday, saying, "It says a lot that Matt Gaetz and his small crew of supposed conservatives are speaking from the Democrat side of the House chamber."

"Instead of working on appropriations bills, we watch as Gaetz joins with Democrats to halt our conservative agenda," he added.

And Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., who was endorsed by Trump during the 2022 election, blasted the effort to file a motion to vacate as counterproductive and self-destructive during a floor speech that preceded Gaetz's on Monday.

"We are faced with the threat that a Republican will move to vacate the Republican speaker of the House. It will only require four other Republican members to join the Democrats to achieve this result," McClintock said. "The immediate effect will be to paralyze the House indefinitely because no other business can be taken up until a replacement is elected."

"Just when we are on the verge of completing the appropriations process, that in turn will finally initiate discussions with the Senate that are vital to change the dangerous path that our country is on – I cannot conceive of a more counterproductive and self-destructive course than that," the California Republican added. "The supreme irony is that this is being initiated by self-described conservatives."

Also on Monday, former senior White House adviser Stephen Miller said McCarthy is "not going to be going anywhere" and called for unity among Republicans to solve border security issues.

"I think at this point in time, it's very clear that Kevin is not going to be going anywhere," Miller said in an interview with FOX Business. "He has the support of 218 members and I understand and I need to – everybody rise above. I understand all the emotions that are playing out right now." 

"But for the love of God, we are losing this country and we are losing it fast," he continued. "Republicans need to unify around the twin mission of stopping the open border invasion and stopping a government that has been weaponized against conservatives and Christians and anyone who does not subscribe to the tenets of the radical left."

Gaetz's office did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Gallagher rolls out ‘DADDY Act’ to block family of executive branch officials from foreign business work

EXCLUSIVE: House China Committee Chairman Mike Gallagher is introducing a bill that would block immediate family members of officials within the executive branch of the U.S. government from working for certain foreign companies.

The bill, called the "Deterring Attempts at Dirty Deals by Youngsters Act" or the "DADDY Act," would apply to family members of the president, vice president and cabinet officials, to ensure that immediate family members — like a son, daughter, sister, brother, or in-law — cannot take roles sitting on the boards of foreign companies while their family member holds the office.

The bill would cover immediate family members of the president of the United States; vice president; secretary of State; secretary of the Treasury; secretary of Defense; attorney general; secretary of the Interior; secretary of Agriculture; secretary of Commerce; secretary of Labor; secretary of Health and Human Services; secretary of Transportation; secretary of Energy; secretary of Education; secretary of Veterans Affairs; secretary of Homeland Security; and the director of National Intelligence.

COMER SUBPOENAS PERSONAL, BUSINESS BANK RECORDS FOR HUNTER BIDEN, JAMES BIDEN AS PART OF IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

Immediate family is described in the bill as a spouse, child, mother, father, sibling, grandchild, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, and brother-in-law; as well as adopted and step relatives.

Gallagher’s bill comes amid the House impeachment inquiry against President Biden, and House Republicans’ investigations into the Biden family’s overseas business dealings.

The House Oversight Committee said this week that, through bank records, it has uncovered that the Biden family and their business associates raked in more than $24 million from foreign countries in 2014, 2015, and 2016 — when Joe Biden served as Vice President — through 2019 when he announced his presidential campaign.

HUNTER BIDEN'S $250K WIRE FROM CHINA LABELED AS A 'PERSONAL INVESTMENT'

Lawmakers have focused in on Hunter Biden’s business deals in China, Ukraine and other foreign nations, as well as his lucrative role on the board of Ukrainian natural gas firm Burisma Holdings while his father served as vice president in the Obama administration and ran Ukraine policy. His former business associates have testified to Congress that Hunter Biden was "selling Joe Biden as ‘the brand’ around the world."

"Hunter Biden is the ultimate swamp creature," Gallagher told Fox News Digital. "His shameless degree of influence peddling and profiteering is exactly what’s wrong with Washington, and it’s shocking this kind of behavior isn’t illegal already."

"This bill helps end this kind of corruption and ensures any family member of an executive branch official can’t profit off their family’s position in government," Gallagher said.

HUNTER BIDEN RECEIVED $250K WIRES ORIGINATING IN BEIJING WITH BENEFICIARY ADDRESS LISTED AS JOE BIDEN'S HOME

The bill’s focus would be on companies in countries that are adversarial to the United States. It would allow exemptions for companies in NATO countries, members of the Five Eyes Alliance — meaning Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States as well as Japan, South Korea or Israel.

If passed, violations of the law would be punishable by a fine of up to $250,000, up to five years in prison, or both.

The bill comes after House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer subpoenaed personal and business bank records belonging to Hunter Biden and the president's brother, James Biden, as part of the House impeachment inquiry.

"Bank records don’t lie, and coupled with witness testimony, they reveal that Joe Biden abused his public office for his family’s financial gain," Comer said Thursday night, adding that the financial records that his committee has obtained to date "reveal a pattern where the Bidens sold access to Joe Biden around the world to enrich the Biden family."

Comer subpoenas personal, business bank records for Hunter Biden, James Biden as part of impeachment inquiry

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer issued three subpoenas Thursday night for the personal and business bank records belonging to President Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, and brother, James Biden, as part of the House impeachment inquiry.

Comer, R-Ky., who signaled earlier this month his intention to subpoena those records, did so just hours after the first hearing as part of the House impeachment inquiry against President Biden.

Fox News Digital reviewed the subpoenas. The subpoenas have redactions over the names of the banks. It is unclear which financial institutions were subpoenaed for these records.

HUNTER BIDEN'S $250K WIRE FROM CHINA LABELED AS A 'PERSONAL INVESTMENT'

The subpoenas compel records, including account statements, direct deposits, deposits, cashier checks, wire transfers, electronic transfer payments, credit and debit card records, loan documents and other records related to Hunter Biden; his shell companies Owasco, P.C. and Owasco, LLC; Skaneateles; business associate Eric Schwerin; James Biden; Lion Hall Group, LLC: and JBBSR, Inc.

"From day one of our investigation of Joe Biden’s abuse of public office, we’ve followed the money and that continues with today’s subpoenas for Hunter and James Biden’s bank records," Comer said Thursday night. "Bank records don’t lie, and coupled with witness testimony, they reveal that Joe Biden abused his public office for his family’s financial gain."

Comer said the financial records that his committee has obtained to date "reveal a pattern where the Bidens sold access to Joe Biden around the world to enrich the Biden family."

"As the Bidens were sealing deals around the world, Joe Biden showed up, met with, talked with, shook hands with, and had meetings with the foreign nationals sending money to his family. This culture of corruption demands further investigation," Comer said. "The Oversight Committee, as well as the Committees on the Judiciary and Ways and Means, will continue to follow the money to determine whether President Biden’s involvement in his family’s corrupt business schemes makes him compromised and threatens our national security."

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Comer vowed to provide "the answers, transparency, and accountability that the American people demand and deserve."

The subpoenas also come after Fox News Digital first reported that the House Oversight Committee has learned that the Biden family and their business associates brought in more than $24 million between 2014 and 2019 by "selling Joe Biden as ‘the brand’ around the world."

House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., added that President Biden "was not just aware of his son’s business dealings, but in fact he was connected to them, it has become clear that whether it was lunches, phone calls, White House meetings, or official foreign trips, Hunter Biden cashed in by arranging access to his father."

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"While top Biden officials, Hunter’s lawyers, and congressional Democrats have offered little more than disinformation and lies, these bank records will bring us closer to the truth," Smith said. "Issuing these subpoenas is an appropriate – and necessary – step to following the facts wherever they lead, and may shed light on the $24 million the Biden family has received in exchange for selling their family ‘brand’ as part of a global influence peddling scheme."

The White House maintains that President Biden was never in business with his son and never discussed business with his son or his family. White House officials have blasted the impeachment inquiry against the president as an "evidence-free" political stunt.