McCarthy vs. Gaetz: The GOP’s never-ending feud
Seven months after the Florida firebrand led the ouster of the former speaker, tempers are running hotter than ever — with McCarthy lauding Gaetz’s new primary challenger.
By Olivia Beavers
05/08/2024 09:56 AM EDT
Kevin McCarthy is escalating his revenge campaign against Rep. Matt Gaetz.
In an interview with POLITICO, McCarthy backed Gaetz’s new Florida GOP primary challenger; a top McCarthy adviser also acknowledged playing a role in vetting that opponent, Aaron Dimmock. And McCarthy delivered a slashing attack on Gaetz, who led the effort to overthrow him as speaker last fall.
“Gaetz is the Hunter Biden of the Republican Party,” McCarthy said. “He’s got an opponent who is pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, trained at Pensacola, went to the Naval Academy and flew jets to defend us while Gaetz was getting kicked out of high school, buying coke and paying minors for sex.”
McCarthy was referring to the focus of an ongoing House Ethics Committee probe: allegations that Gaetz had sexual contact with minors. The committee is in possession of a sworn statement that alleges Gaetz was present at a party where illegal drugs were used, ABC reported. Gaetz has denied the drugs and sex-related allegations; he graduated from Niceville High School in Florida, according to his biography on the nonpartisan site Legistorm.
The Department of Justice conducted its own investigation as part of a sex trafficking probe and, according to Gaetz’s lawyers and DOJ officials, decided not to bring criminal charges.
Gaetz responded by inviting McCarthy to appear in the district with Dimmock, arguing it would be a boon for his campaign: “I whooped Kevin McCarthy in Washington. I don’t think he’s going to fare better when I’m playing home-field advantage in North Florida.”
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https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/08/mccarthy-gaetz-gop-florida-00156659
