Matt Gaetz Accuses Kevin McCarthy of 'Lying Like a Dead Dog'

The war of words between Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz and Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy has escalated, with Gaetz accusing McCarthy of "lying like a dead dog."

McCarthy announced this week that he was unilaterally opening an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, a move that many political observers saw as a capitulation to the demands of Gaetz and other hard-right Republican House members. McCarthy had previously indicated that he would not seek an inquiry without first requiring a full House vote.

Despite the impeachment inquiry announcement, Gaetz has repeatedly threatened to push for the removal of McCarthy from House leadership unless a series of conservative policy demands are met. At one point earlier this week, he floated the prospect of ousting McCarthy with the unlikely aid of Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell.

McCarthy fired back in comments to CNN reporter Manu Raju on Wednesday, claiming that Gaetz was secretly demanding that he take action to end a revived complaint lodged with the House Ethics Committee. The panel previously investigated Gaetz in 2021 over allegations of sexual misconduct, illegal drug use and campaign finance issues.

"Matt is working with Eric Swalwell," McCarthy told Raju. "But let me be very clear with you. Matt is upset about an ethics complaint. I don't care what they threaten against me, I am not going to interject into an independent committee like Ethics. And I'm not going to put Swalwell back on the Intel Committee. So, they can do whatever they want."

Gaetz responded to McCarthy's claim during an interview with MSNBC host Ari Melber hours later. The congressman asserted that he is "the most investigated man" in Congress before denying that he had asked McCarthy about an ethics complaint.

"This is about term limits, a balanced budget amendment and single-subject spending bills," said Gaetz. "I am the most investigated man in the entire Congress. And right there, you saw Kevin McCarthy lying like a dead dog, because I have never asked him to interfere in any ethics matter."

Gaetz continued to accuse McCarthy of lying and issued another threat to remove him from House leadership after Melber pressed the congressman on whether he had asked McCarthy for "some special handling or treatment in the ethics complaint."

"That is an abject lie from a sad and pathetic man who lies to hold on to power," Gaetz responded. "He lied to get power in January when he made this agreement, and he's lying now about the basis for breach."

"And you know what?" he continued. "Eventually, the lying has to come to an end and the votes are gonna start on a motion to vacate."

Newsweek reached out for comment to McCarthy's office via email on Wednesday night.

Gaetz was one of the last GOP holdouts to approve McCarthy's speakership in early January. McCarthy took control of the chamber only after agreeing to allow a single member of the House to initiate a motion to vacate.

In theory, Gaetz or any other Republican dissatisfied with McCarthy's leadership could repeatedly force a vote to remove him from the job.

Gaetz threatened to do just that earlier on Tuesday, telling CNN that he would exercise his "leverage" over McCarthy by calling a motion "over and over again until it works" if his demands are not met.