Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL) said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that after he offers a motion to vacate House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) post, if the Democrats save him, they will “own” him.
Anchor Jake Tapper said, “So how many House Republicans do you think will be with you in your motion to vacate. Obviously, you need 218 votes to get him out of the speakership. You don’t have 218 Republican votes. You’ll need Democrats. Let’s start with the Republicans. How many Republicans do you have?”
Gaetz said, “Well, enough so that when you host this show next week, if Kevin McCarthy is still the Speaker of the House, he will be serving at the pleasure of the Democrats. He will be working for the Democrats. The only way Kevin McCarthy is Speaker of the House at the end of this coming week is if Democrats bail him out. Now, they probably will. I actually think that when you believe in nothing, as Kevin McCarthy does, everything’s negotiable. And I’m sure he’ll make a deal with the Democrats.”
Tapper said, “But if you succeed in vacating him, you also will have to make a deal with the Democrats. You also will have to get Democratic votes to kick him out.”
Gaetz said, “Absolutely, I will make to deal with Democrats and concede no terms to them. I actually think that Democrats should vote against Speaker McCarthy for free.”
Tapper said, “So you’re not going to cut any deals with them?”
Gaetz said, “Absolutely Not. And I don’t think that any Republicans that share my view on Speaker McCarthy would cut deals with Democrats, but here’s the thing. i’m done owning Kevin McCarty. We made a deal at the end of January to allow him to assume the speakership. I’m not owning him anymore because he doesn’t tell the truth. The Democrats want to own Kevin McCarthy by bailing him out, I can’t stop them, but then he’ll be their speaker, not mine.”
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