Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) recently slammed Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who filed the motion that ultimately led to McCarthy’s removal as speaker in October via Mediaite.
It has been noted that McCarthy is resigning his seat at the end of the month. The move further narrows the already slim Republican majority in the House. Notably, Gaetz has been a thorn in McCarthy’s side for quite some time now.
In January, the House needed 15 ballots to choose McCarthy as speaker after Gaetz led the charge to block him from ascending to the position.
On the 15th ballot, Gaetz dropped his opposition in exchange for concessions that included a one-member threshold to trigger a House vote on whether to oust the speaker.
On Thursday, The Hill published an exit interview with McCarthy, who said his departure was “kind of bittersweet.”
McCarthy previously alleged that Gaetz’s motivations to bump him from the speakership stemmed from the former’s unwillingness to intervene in an Ethics Committee investigation into the Florida lawmaker. Gaetz denies the charge.
“He was psychotic,” McCarthy said of Gaetz. “People study that type of crazy mind, right? Mainly the FBI.”
The “FBI” comment may have been a nod to a Department of Justice probe into whether Gaetz engaged in the sex trafficking of a minor. Earlier this year, lawyers for Gaetz said the department informed them their client would not be charged.
“Thoughts and prayers for the former congressman,” he said. “We had a process. He was removed. He then chose to take his ball and go home, reducing our majority. Kevin’s premature departure shows it was only ever about personal power to him.”
