Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy criticized the “disorder” in the House of Representatives during a Sunday appearance on “MediaBuzz,” after a foreign aid bill passed with significant Democratic support.
Discussing the current infighting within the GOP, including efforts to challenge Speaker Mike Johnson just months after his own removal, McCarthy warned that Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) has disrupted the Republican majority.
KEVIN MCCARTHY: I think they’re in disarray, but it stems from those eight [Republicans] working with all the Democrats. If there’s no consequence… The Gaetz eight. But they work with all the Democrats to decide who could be speaker; and since then, what has transpired? So the conference is broken because they never dealt with those eight, and until they do, it would stay broken. But to Marjorie [Taylor Greene’s] point is, Marjorie didn’t do what Matt Gaetz did. She didn’t make this privilege. She’s making it an issue for a debate. Now, I think they should keep it internal. They should have their discussion. Look, being speaker is not easy. Otherwise, maybe I’d still be there.
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What Matt Gaetz did has broken the Republican majority. He’s now created “Lord of the Flies.” Ask anybody inside our conference; they actually know it.
Tensions escalated in the House of Representatives on Thursday as a group of conservative members confronted Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) over his foreign aid proposal, prompting a clash with another Republican.
The group, which included Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), and others, were seen engaged in a discussion with Johnson on the House floor after morning votes.
Shortly after, Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) interrupted the conversation, resulting in a heated exchange with Gaetz. Van Orden later told Fox News Digital that he called Gaetz “tubby” and challenged the GOP rebels to initiate a vote for Johnson’s removal, a possibility raised by Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who were not present during the confrontation.
