Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) said Sunday that she would “absolutely” cast a vote to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) should a motion be brought to the House floor.

Ocasio-Cortez made the comments during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union” with host Jake Tapper shortly after Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) told the host that he would file a motion to vacate against McCarthy sometime this week. The Democratic congresswoman blasted McCarthy for his leadership and said he waited too long to avert a shutdown. 

“Do you think that there will be any Democrats that might vote to save McCarthy?” Tapper asked. 

“I mean, I certainly don’t think that we would expect to see that unless there’s a real conversation between the Republican and Democratic caucuses and Republican and Democratic leadership about what that would mean, but I don’t think we give up votes for free,” Ocasio-Cortez said.

“But would you vote to vacate? Would you vote to get rid of McCarthy as speaker?” Tapper pressed. 

“Would I cast that vote? Absolutely. Absolutely. I think Kevin McCarthy is a very weak speaker, he clearly has lost control of his caucus,” the New York Democrat said. 

Ocasio-Cortez went on to criticize McCarthy for waiting until the “final hour” to pass the stop-gap spending measure, which 126 Republicans and 209 Democrats voted in favor of. She said the country would be “right back in this place” in November when the measure’s 45-day extension expires. Had the House and Senate not sent the bill to President Joe Biden’s desk, a government shutdown would have ensued at 12:01 a.m. Sunday. 

AOC on CNN says she'd "absolutely" vote to oust McCarthy as speaker pic.twitter.com/Cl2ECx99jt

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 1, 2023

The bill includes $16 billion for U.S. disaster relief aid but no additional funding to Ukraine. However, reports suggest McCarthy may have made a side deal with Democratic House leadership, who said they “expect” McCarthy to “advance a bill to the House floor for an up-or-down vote that supports Ukraine” when the House returns. 

Gaetz claimed the speaker did not inform Republicans of this until after the continuing resolution passed, calling it “more deceit” from McCarthy. On Sunday, Gaetz went further, saying he would file a motion to vacate the chair to oust the California Republican. 

“I do intend to file a motion to vacate against Speaker McCarthy this week,” Gaetz told Tapper. “I think we need to rip off the Band-Aid. I think we need to move on with new leadership that will be trustworthy.”

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Gaetz accused McCarthy of repeatedly breaking the promises he made while seeking the role and said the “last straw” was the “agreement that he made with Democrats to really blow past a lot of the spending guardrails we set up.”

On Sunday morning, McCarthy said he wasn’t fazed by Gaetz’s threat, saying, “Let’s get over with it. Let’s start governing. If he’s upset because he tried to push us into a shutdown and I made sure government didn’t shut down, then let’s have that talk.” McCarthy also said he would “survive” the vote and claimed Gaetz was “more interested in securing TV interviews” than other pressing issues.

Gaetz told Tapper that the “only way” McCarthy retains his position is if Democrats “bail him out,” which he said is likely. 

“I actually think that when you believe in nothing as Kevin McCarthy does, everything’s negotiable and I think he’ll cut a deal with the Democrats,” Gaetz said, explaining that he would “absolutely not” cut a deal with Democrats to oust McCarthy, saying instead they should vote against McCarthy “for free.”

All 25 Republican U.S. congressmen representing Texas are raising the alarm to state officials about Colony Ridge, calling on Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton to take immediate action on the housing development just outside of Houston that many believe has become a settlement for thousands of illegal aliens.

The letter, which was led by Representative Brian Babin and co-signed by the state’s entire Republican delegation, tells the officials that, based on the concerns raised by constituents about the development, it is “unthinkable that such an enormous settlement would be allowed to persist in Texas.”

“If even a fraction of the above claims are accurate, it is unthinkable that such an enormous settlement would be allowed to persist in Texas, much less expand to over double in size over the next decade,” the letter states. “We believe it is incumbent on state and local officials to respond appropriately to mitigate the effects on our citizens, their way of life, and their safety.”

The letter follows an investigation from The Daily Wire on Colony Ridge, which highlighted potential cartel presence in the area, Colony Ridge’s marketing, which appears to be targeted at foreign nationals who are in the country illegally, and the developer’s financial connections with prominent government officials. Several Republicans have since called on the state to investigate the development, and Abbott has indicated that it will be on the agenda when the state legislature convenes later this month for an emergency session. 

“Just north of Houston, an expansion to the massive residential development of Colony Ridge is being undertaken,” the letter states, adding that the developer “markets owner-financed lots with no credit checks or proof of legal residency, making the location an optimal haven for illegal aliens amid a historic border crisis.”

“Due to safety concerns and adverse effects on their way of life, Texas constituents have reached out to Members of Congress about the situation,” it reads, also noting that the development “reportedly has up to 75,000 residents.” The letter goes on to assert that “to date, local attempts to remediate these issues have been unsuccessful.”

READ MORE: Inside Colony Ridge: The ‘Fastest Growing Development’ In The U.S. Is A Magnet For Illegal Immigrants

The Republican congressmen say that Colony Ridge appears to have “doubled the size of the original neighborhood and appears poised for additional expansion,” going on to cite reports that point to a lack of “safety infrastructure” such as fire hydrants. The congressmen also highlight “concerning living conditions,” including “improvised housing” and issues with “water, power, and flooding issues.”

“State and local law enforcement officials have reported increases in violent crime throughout the county since new residents, many unlawfully present, have moved into the area, including several high profile murders, the largest drug bust in the history of Liberty County, and continuous drug cartel activity,” the letter goes on to read. 

“According to these same claims, state and local law-enforcement treat this area as an effective, ‘no-go zone,’ further heightening the appeal for illegal activity in this development.” The letter also addresses “negative impacts on the local school system,” explaining that its rapid growth is largely “due to the thousands of illegal aliens flocking to Colony Ridge.”

But in addition to issues regarding crime, an overburdened school system, and a surge in the illegal immigrant population in the area, the letter goes on to point to a burden on local infrastructure, citing a report from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality that found Colony Ridge responsible for “48,000 gallons of wastewater contaminating local bayous and significant fecal coliform contamination of drainage ditches.”

The congressmen say Attorney General Paxton should “thoroughly investigate the land purchasing, use, tax status, and other authorizations relating to Colony Ridge and its affiliate entities.” The letter applauds Governor Abbott for announcing his plan to call a special legislative session to address Colony Ridge, noting that “it is our view that any new state laws created to address these concerns should be applied and upheld in Colony Ridge and the surrounding area.”

Though the members call for new state laws, they say they realize federal action may be required as well.

“Keeping us apprised of development and sharing the results of your investigations with us will be a vital tool in our continued efforts to combat what is happening in Colony Ridge —  and illegal immigration at large — at the federal level,” the letter says. “Texans are counting on you, and we stand ready to assist in this endeavor.”