Outgoing House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, didn't hold back in his criticism of fellow GOP congressman Matt Gaetz, who spearheaded the effort to remove McCarthy from his position.
McCarthy referred to Gaetz as "psychotic" and suggested that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) studies minds like his.
"He was psychotic," McCarthy stated, referring to Gaetz's actions that led to his own ouster as House speaker. "People study that type of crazy mind, right? Mainly the FBI."
This latest exchange is just one in a series of ongoing clashes between McCarthy and Gaetz, with Gaetz's motion to vacate ultimately resulting in McCarthy's loss of the House speakership. McCarthy previously told Politico that Gaetz belongs behind bars, highlighting the ongoing probe by the House Ethics Committee into allegations of sexual misconduct and misuse of funds against Gaetz.
In response to McCarthy's criticism, Gaetz fired back, accusing McCarthy of assaulting fellow Republican Representative Tim Burchett by elbowing him in the kidneys. Gaetz stated, "The only assault I committed was against Kevin's fragile ego."
The strained relationship between McCarthy and Gaetz escalated during the process of selecting a new House speaker, which ultimately saw Representative Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, assume the role. Gaetz and Burchett were among the eight Republicans who voted with Democrats to remove McCarthy.
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