- McCarthy gave a surprise press conference on Capitol Hill on Tuesday
- The former chairman took aim at Republicans who voted to impeach him
- Gaetz, who spearheaded McCarthy’s impeachment, called the former chairman a ‘quitter’
Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy spoke to Rep. Matt Gaetz at a surprise press conference on Tuesday, claiming that his Florida lawmaker and nemesis may have cheated on his wife.
McCarthy and Gaetz have long had a tumultuous relationship, but things got worse when the Florida Republican filed a motion to fire the chairman in October.
Gaetz’s motion ultimately succeeded when he and seven other Republicans joined every House Democrat in removing McCarthy from the chairmanship.
In a return to Capitol Hill Tuesday, McCarthy took aim at those who once attacked him.
“Gaetz is probably making a lot of noise,” McCarthy said, insinuating the Florida lawmaker’s lies about his connection to Trump.
“He’s probably lying about who he’s sleeping with, too,” McCarthy said.
Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy confronted Rep. Matt Gaetz at a surprise press conference on Tuesday, claiming the Florida lawmaker may have cheated on his wife
McCarthy returned to Capitol Hill on Tuesday after his historic impeachment last year to rip Matt Gaetz — one of the eight Republicans who voted him out
Gaetz is the subject of an ethics investigation into his conduct as a member of Congress
The personal attack on Gaetz comes as the Florida Republican is the subject of an ongoing ethics investigation.
The House Ethics Committee first opened an investigation into Gaetz in April 2021, but shelved it while the Justice Department launched its own investigation into the member.
The DOJ ultimately decided not to file charges against Gaetz.
However, the House Ethics Committee has reopened their investigation into the Florida.
Additionally, newly reported text messages reveal that Matt Gaetz invited a young woman, who had paid his now-imprisoned boyfriend Joel Greenberg for sex, to join him on a three-day excursion to the Florida Keys.
The messages, reported by ABC newsis said to have taken place in May 2017, months after the Florida Republican was sworn in.
Texts detailed to the outlet show Gaetz asking the woman to fly on a private plane and join him, another woman and three other men in the Keys.
McCarthy also wasn’t concerned Tuesday when he talked about Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C. She also voted to oust the former chairman last year.
‘I hope Nancy gets the help she needs. Really,” he said.
‘I just hope she gets help to get her life back on track. I mean, she has a lot of challenges. No one will continue to work for her.”
McCarthy, California, became the first speaker in the 234-year history of the U.S. Congress to be ousted and have his gavel taken away by fellow lawmakers.