Kevin McCarthy Just Can’t Quit His Revenge Mission Against Matt Gaetz

Leigh Kimmins
·2 min read
McCarthy on Gaetz
McCarthy on Gaetz

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy still doesn’t much like Matt Gaetz, if his recent appearance on NewsNation’s Dan Abrams Live is anything to go by.

The pair have a long-running beef, stretching back to when Gaetz helped nudge McCarthy out as House speaker last October.

One-time attorney general pick Matt Gaetz, who has withdrawn his name from consideration
One-time attorney general pick Matt Gaetz, who has withdrawn his name from consideration

McCarthy fueled the flames again Wednesday night when he told Dan Abrams that Gaetz lied to President-elect Donald Trump about his potential attorney general nomination—in an attempt to swerve the ethics probe.

Stating that Gaetz “wanted an excuse to resign,” he elaborated on the alleged exit strategy, saying: “I blame Matt for lying to the president because Matt needed to get out of Congress before the ethics report came out on Friday. I don’t believe he told President Trump that.”

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Gaetz resigned from Congress while the House Ethics Committee probe was ongoing. It had been looking into allegations that Gaetz had sex with a minor in 2017 and that he had paid for sex. Gaetz has denied those claims, and a federal investigation didn’t bring charges against him.

“Matt’s biggest bill in Congress was about stock trades transparency,” McCarthy said. “If he says he hasn’t done this, why don’t you clear his name? Put the report out there.”

McCarthy also spoke about claims that Gaetz had inappropriate relationships with a minor. He stated that “people who represent the 17-year-old” had spoken to the ethics committee.

Gaetz clashed with former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and eventually led the efforts to remove him.
Gaetz clashed with former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and eventually led the efforts to remove him.

He added that other sources alleged Gaetz supplied drugs and engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct.

McCarthy reckoned the allegations were so big that it could even be the nail in the coffin of Gaetz’s political career.

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“This country is too great for that,” McCarthy said, stressing that “these young women need justice.”

The host then said that Trump “seems to like” the Florida politician, before McCarthy gave perhaps his clearest indication yet that he himself, in fact, does not.

“I don’t know who really likes him,” McCarthy said with a wry smile.

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