Kevin McCarthy says Matt Gaetz has a ‘crazy mind’ only the FBI can study and compares his ousting to Lincoln’s comebacks as he leaves Congress and says he’s open to Trump White House job

In his farewell from Capitol Hill, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy warned his successor not to fear rogue dissenters at the Republican conference — and hinted that he would challenge the Republicans who voted to impeach him for the first time.

Earlier this month, McCarthy announced he would not run for re-election and would leave Congress by the end of the year after being ousted from the top position on October 3.

In his farewell call to the press, McCarthy addressed Republican Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who launched the effort to oust him, while offering advice to his successor Mike Johnson on how to navigate the job.

The former speaker said Johnson had not sought advice from him since taking office, but offered it anyway: “My advice would be, if he asked me, (is) not to be afraid of the motion to to leave. '

Under a rule McCarthy agreed to in January, only one member is needed to vote on the “motion to evict” – or a resolution to oust the chairman.

He embarked on a monarchical farewell tour this week to commemorate his nearly 17 years in Congress with a farewell party featuring gifts, speeches and a photo line.

DailyMail.com has obtained photos of a blue boxing jacket for the 15 rounds he fought to become speaker in January, which was donated by Reps. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., and Aaron Bean, R-Fla.

McCarthy received a boxing jacket as a gift from Reps. Aaron Bean, R-Fla., and Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis.

McCarthy pictured wearing his boxing jacket

Speaking to a small group of reporters in his final moments in his Capitol hideout, McCarthy said Thursday that the eight rioters who voted with all Democrats to push him out would not do that to Johnson.

“They can't do it again,” the former speaker said in remarks addressed to Johnson. “You can't govern if you worry about them.”

“What happens is you become isolated in this job. You should spend more time with problem people than with people who make things right,” McCarthy continued.

The Republican conference must “fix itself,” he warned.

“People study crazy minds like that — maybe at the FBI,” he said, warning that Gaetz could be expelled if the upcoming ethics report on his behavior disappears.

“Gaetz is now raising money to get him expelled,” McCarthy said. “He's doing everything he can to make sure (the report) doesn't go down.”

McCarthy has long said Gaetz launched the motion that cost him his job because of a retaliation against him for failing to halt an Ethics Commission investigation into alleged sexual misconduct and misuse of funds.

Little has been revealed about the investigation, which started, stopped and then started again because of a separate Justice Department investigation into Gaetz that has since closed.

McCarthy, a notoriously prolific fundraiser, also revealed that he was able to bankroll key challengers among the eight who voted to oust him.

'I have a lot of money. I probably have the best fundraising team out there.”

McCarthy has long said Gaetz launched the motion that cost him his job over a vendetta against him for failing to halt an Ethics Commission investigation into alleged sexual misconduct and misuse of funds.

“I want to find conservatives who want to govern,” the speaker said when asked about finding challengers to members like Gaetz and Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C. “Chaos doesn't help us.”

As for his next chapter, McCarthy did not rule out returning to government, even in a second Trump administration if the former president is re-elected.

'Yes. I believe in public service,” he told DailyMail.com before launching into a tirade about Abraham Lincoln's many failures before becoming president.

McCarthy formally endorsed former President Donald Trump last week after months of remaining coy on the issue.

During an interview preview for CBS Sunday Morning, McCarthy told CBS host Robert Costa that the 45th president could “count on his support.”

The California Republican did not endorse Trump when he served as speaker.

In a wide-ranging interview with DailyMail.com at the beginning of the month, McCarthy commented on his current relationship status with Donald Trump, who he says will easily win the Republican nomination for president and ultimately defeat President Biden.

We have a “good relationship,” McCarthy said. 'The interesting thing is that we have been together for a long time. Sometimes we disagree, but we always do it privately.

'That is a healthy relationship, in which you can tell each other what you think and what you can do, and we don't let that come out. It only makes our relationship stronger,” he continued.

The pair's relationship has gone back and forth over the years, and Trump notably did not come to McCarthy's aid when eight Republican hardliners tried to oust him from the speakership in October.

The former chairman also previously questioned whether Trump is the “strongest” Republican candidate for president.