GOP Congressman Launches Surprise Bid to Oust Speaker Boehner
By Margaret Hartmann
Republicans have revolted against House Speaker John Boehner on numerous occasions, but since the last embarrassing but ineffective coup attempt in January, there hasn't been much grumbling about stripping him of the speakership. That's why Representative Mark Meadows' "motion to vacate the chair" on Tuesday was so surprising. According to Politico, even some of the North Carolina Republican's friends didn't know about his plan to file the motion tonight, just one day before Congress heads out for a six-week recess. The effort is unlikely to succeed, but it could disrupt the Republicans' agenda. "We were focused on the Iran issue," one Boehner supporter told the Washington Post. "This takes the eye off the ball."
The motion to vacate is an obscure maneuver that has never succeeded, and was only attempted once in 1910. While Meadows could have filed it as a privileged resolution, forcing a vote within two days, instead he offered it in a form that sent the motion to committee. The resolution alleges that Boehner has "endeavored to consolidate power and centralize decision-making, bypassing the majority of the 435 Members of Congress and the people they represent;" "through inaction, caused the power of Congress to atrophy;" and used "the power of the office to punish Members who vote according to their conscience instead of the will of the Speaker." Yet, Meadows said that he merely wants it to be the "impetus" for a "family discussion" about making sure everyone in Congress is being "treated fairly." 

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