Gaetz blows up at McCarthy in closed-door House GOP meeting: 'Fireworks'

[mystery-ak]

Gaetz blows up at McCarthy in closed-door House GOP meeting: 'Fireworks'
Gaetz accused McCarthy of being behind an influencer campaign to smear him
By Elizabeth Elkind Fox News
Published September 28, 2023 1:46pm EDT

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., confronted Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., at a closed-door House GOP conference meeting on Thursday morning.

A source familiar with the meeting said "fireworks" occurred when Gaetz rose to accuse McCarthy and his allies of waging an online campaign against him using "MAGA influencers paid to attack Matt" on social media.

McCarthy denied the claim and dismissed Gaetz. "McCarthy said he wouldn’t waste his time on Gaetz like that," the source told Fox News Digital.

Another source present at the meeting said that McCarthy told Gaetz, "Tomorrow I'm spending my time giving $5 million [to GOP candidates and members] to expand our majority. What are you doing to help our majority?"

The second source said that other members also had expressed frustration with Gaetz. One lawmaker told Gaetz to "f--- off," the source said, while another called him a "scumbag."

Gaetz seemed to confirm to reporters he and McCarthy had had the exchange when he exited the meeting.

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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/gaetz-mccarthy-closed-door-house-gop-meeting-fireworks

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Gaetz' accusation doesn't make sense.  Enough people hate him -- fairly or not -- that they wouldn't need any incentive to slam him online.

Another source present at the meeting said that McCarthy told Gaetz, "Tomorrow I'm spending my time giving $5 million [to GOP candidates and members] to expand our majority. What are you doing to help our majority?"

That's a very fair question.  The Democrats would love nothing more than for Gaetz and his allies to refuse to pass anything, force a shutdown, and then have that shutdown end with them getting exactly what they wanted anyway.   Because that's the kind of issue with which they will beat the GOP over the head in the 2024 election.  So Gaetz is playing right into their hands.

The question is:  Why is Gaetz giving the Democrats exactly what they want?

[kevindavis007]

Gaetz' accusation doesn't make sense.  Enough people hate him -- fairly or not -- that they wouldn't need any incentive to slam him online.

That's a very fair question.  The Democrats would love nothing more than for Gaetz and his allies to refuse to pass anything, force a shutdown, and then have that shutdown end with them getting exactly what they wanted anyway.   Because that's the kind of issue with which they will beat the GOP over the head in the 2024 election.  So Gaetz is playing right into their hands.

The question is:  Why is Gaetz giving the Democrats exactly what they want?

Cause he fights.. But he tends to fight the GOP more than the Democrats.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Cause he fights.. But he tends to fight the GOP more than the Democrats.

That's a good way of describing it.

Some guys like being combative for the sake of being combative -- they build up their own ego by believing that everyone else is worth fighting, and they're just the guy to do it!

But it just isn't thought out.  A group of less than a dozen House members acting alone cannot change the path of the government in any significant way because eventually, coalitions will form that will make them irrelevant.  So you have to know how long and how hard to push without overplaying your hand, and he seems incapable of that.

Politically, it will appeal to a certain percentage of voters who are spoiling for a fight -- regardless of whether or not it is winnable.  So it can get him that niche even if it'll alienate him from a lot of other folks.   Where he really loses power is if the GOP gets a larger majority, because then the Speaker can tell him to F'off, and there's nothing he can do about that.

[kevindavis007]

That's a good way of describing it.

Some guys like being combative for the sake of being combative -- they build up their own ego by believing that everyone else is worth fighting, and they're just the guy to do it!

But it just isn't thought out.  A group of less than a dozen House members acting alone cannot change the path of the government in any significant way because eventually, coalitions will form that will make them irrelevant.  So you have to know how long and how hard to push without overplaying your hand, and he seems incapable of that.

Politically, it will appeal to a certain percentage of voters who are spoiling for a fight -- regardless of whether or not it is winnable.  So it can get him that niche even if it'll alienate him from a lot of other folks.   Where he really loses power is if the GOP gets a larger majority, because then the Speaker can tell him to F'off, and there's nothing he can do about that.

 

[Free Vulcan]

While I often agree with Gaetz, his tactics sometimes don't look to have any strategy to them. It makes him look like a punky little bomb thrower and doesn't seem to accomplish much.

That said, I still agree with him. The boot licking by our GOP caucus of McCarthy just shows how screwed we are.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

While I often agree with Gaetz, his tactics sometimes don't look to have any strategy to them. It makes him look like a punky little bomb thrower and doesn't seem to accomplish much.

That said, I still agree with him. The boot licking by our GOP caucus of McCarthy just shows how screwed we are.

It isn't McCarthy's fault that those 18 Republicans joined with Democrats to defeat the DEI exclusion in the defense bill.  Blame the voters for them.

And they're basically the same ones who refuse to meet the hardline FC demands on the appropriations bills.  That's why they haven't passed.

[Free Vulcan]

It isn't McCarthy's fault that those 18 Republicans joined with Democrats to defeat the DEI exclusion in the defense bill.  Blame the voters for them.

And they're basically the same ones who refuse to meet the hardline FC demands on the appropriations bills.  That's why they haven't passed.

Let's hope McCarthy didn't make a deal there.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Let's hope McCarthy didn't make a deal there.

I don't think he will. But he can't stop them for making a deal with the Democrats.

[Free Vulcan]

I don't think he will. But he can't stop them for making a deal with the Democrats.

I mean let those 18 defect to support him later on his agenda.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

I mean let those 18 defect to support him later on his agenda.

They can defect whether McCarthy lets them or not.  And remember, the FC deliberately weakened the Speakership in the January deal, so he isn't able to punish either the FC or the moderates for going off the reservation.

The FC wanted a weak Speaker, and that's what they've got.  That means both the FC and the moderates are free to vote however they wish, whether McCarthy likes it or not.

[Free Vulcan]

They can defect whether McCarthy lets them or not.  And remember, the FC deliberately weakened the Speakership in the January deal, so he isn't able to punish either the FC or the moderates for going off the reservation.

The FC wanted a weak Speaker, and that's what they've got.  That means both the FC and the moderates are free to vote however they wish, whether McCarthy likes it or not.

Sure, but a weak speaker will also make deals with the Devil to get what he needs, sacrificing the less important for the more. That's one of the oldest tactics in the book. My old Rat state senator did that for years. He'd vote conservative to save face here, but always voted with the Rats when they needed him, and the caucus leadership looked the other way.

[DefiantMassRINO]

 

... a battle royale between two immovable hair-do's.

[catfish1957]

Any disposal of McCarthy better have a Plan B.  I don't think Gaetz has thought that far ahead.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

... a battle royale between two immovable hair-do's.

And it's truly an Old School battle:  Kevin "The Dry Look" McCarthy v Matt "Brylcream" Gaetz!

[Timber Rattler]

Gaetz is a whiny little punk.