Gaetz Speech Ripping McCarthy's 'Vanity' Disrupted by Screaming Republican

GOP Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida on Friday insulted Representative Kevin McCarthy while announcing that he would once again not vote for the Californian Republican for House speaker.

His words elicited a vocal response from members of his own party seated in the chamber, most notably from Representative Mike Bost of Illinois, who began yelling.

"Mr. McCarthy doesn't have the votes today, he will not have the votes tomorrow, and he will not have the votes next week, next month, next year," Gaetz said from the floor. "And so one must wonder, Madam Clerk: Is this an exercise in vanity?"

Gaetz's words came before McCarthy lost the chamber's 12th vote for speaker. McCarthy managed to flip some votes in his favor by making concessions to far-right members of his party, but he still fell short of the 218 votes necessary to secure the speaker position.

While other GOP lawmakers groaned or filed out of the room upon Gaetz's comments, Bost began shouting at the right-wing congressman. Bost's words were hard to make out, but he remained standing and yelling as House Clerk Cheryl Johnson tried to restore order.

After previously casting his vote for former President Donald Trump, Gaetz on Friday changed his support to Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio, whom he was in the process of nominating when Bost became upset.

Gaetz is a member of the Freedom Caucus, which is considered the most conservative and farthest-right bloc in the House. Members of the caucus, including Representative Lauren Boebert of Colorado, have blocked McCarthy in his effort to become speaker.

One notable exception to the Freedom Caucus' voting this week has been Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who has steadfastly supported McCarthy and criticized members of her party who don't.

Greene even mentioned Gaetz and Boebert by name when speaking to reporters on Tuesday. She questioned why Gaetz continued opposing McCarthy's bid for speakership despite calling a proposed compromise "exquisite." She also called out Boebert for taking McCarthy's funds for GOP candidates for her recent successful reelection campaign.

On Thursday night, Gaetz appeared on Fox News to discuss the stalemate in choosing a House speaker. He was questioned by host Laura Ingraham about the possibility of House Republicans striking a deal with Democrats to elect a moderate Republican as House leader.

Ingraham asked Gaetz if he would be OK if moderate Democrats made a deal with Republicans to give them co-control of the House.

"Absolutely not," Gaetz replied.

The Florida congressman said Democrats will likely continue to vote for Democratic Representative Hakeem Jeffries of California, but he added that he would not remain in office if they struck a deal with GOP lawmakers.

"If Democrats join up to elect a moderate Republican, I will resign from the House of Representatives. That is how certain I am. I can assure your viewers that won't happen," Gaetz said.

As for McCarthy, Gaetz vowed to not support him on Friday, even before voting had begun for the day.

"I will not be voting for Kevin McCarthy," Gaetz wrote on Twitter. "I resent the extent to which he utilizes the lobbyists and special interests to dictate how political decisions, policy decisions, and leadership decisions are made. We have zero trust in him."

Newsweek reached out to Gaetz and Bost for comment.