Reporters talk to Congressman Meadows about his resolution to strip John Boehner of his Speakership

Representative Mark Meadows of North Carolina today offered a resolution to strip John Boehner of his Speakership.

“It’s really more about trying to have a conversation about making this place work, where everybody’s voice matters, where it’s not a punitive culture,” said Meadows, who has felt the repercussions of bucking leadership.

In filing his motion in a non-privileged form — meaning it did not require immediate consideration, or consideration at all — Meadows said he wanted to see if just raising the issue of dissatisfaction with Boehner might prompt some changes at the top. He said he hoped for a “family discussion,” borrowing Boehner’s favorite euphemism for ugly intraparty fights.

But when he was asked if a lack of results on that front could culminate in Meadows bringing the motion up again, this time as privileged, Meadows was clear.

“Correct,” he said.

Republicans speculated Tuesday night that Meadows knew he didn’t have the votes at this point to remove Boehner and deliberately filed the motion as a non-privileged measure in order to let the prospect of a leadership change — however far-fetched — simmer over the monthlong August recess.

“It comes down to one thing,” Meadows said. “And that is, the voice of the American people needs to be heard.”

Read more of a post by By Emma Dumain and Matt Fuller at Roll Call.com