Gaetz Claims He Was ‘Threatened’ Over Opposition to McCarthy

Things are heating up in the republican side of the House to say the very least..

Kevin McCarthy still doesn’t have the votes to become the new speaker, and the republicans opposing him don’t appear to be backing down anytime soon.

The de facto leader of the opposition is congressman Matt Gaetz, who had some more strong words for McCarthy.

Gaetz made his intentions clear when he called McCarthy the “biggest alligator” in the proverbial swamp.

He also claimed that he and other republicans who oppose McCarthy were ‘threatened’ that if they did not vote for McCarthy, they would be removed from their committees.

A third round of voting is now in the cards for McCarthy.

As for Gaetz, he is still pushing for Jim Jordan to become House Speaker.

Matt Gaetz slams DC swamp, McCarthy: ‘You cannot put the biggest alligator in charge of the exercise’https://t.co/Zn6NBE3FsB

— RSBN 🇺🇸 (@RSBNetwork) January 3, 2023

RSBN has more from Gaetz:

In a statement made to the press, Gaetz made it clear that he would not be voting for House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., noting, “Those of us who will not be voting for Kevin McCarthy today take no joy in this discomfort that this moment has brought, but if you want to drain the swamp, you cannot put the biggest alligator in charge of the exercise. I’m a Florida man and I know of what I speak.”

He added, “We offered Kevin McCarthy terms last evening that he rejected. We sought a vote in the first quarter of the 118th Congress on term limits. He refused. We wanted a budget…that balances on the floor in the first quarter. He refused. We wanted the border plan that the Texas delegation put together on the floor. He refused. And it is true that we struggle with trust with Mr. McCarthy because time and again, his viewpoints and positions shift like sands underneath you.”

Gaetz claims he was threatened over his opposition:

.@RepMattGaetz: "We were threatened…that if we did not vote for Mr. McCarthy, we would be removed from committees."

"I'm not here to participate in some puppet show…I don't want to relive the Benghazi experience where it's just theater pretending to be oversight." pic.twitter.com/G9s0F6OGTr

— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) January 3, 2023

BREAKING: Matt Gaetz says Republican House members were threatened with removal from committees if they didn’t vote for Kevin McCarthy.

The swamp is getting scared.

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 3, 2023

Meanwhile, Gaetz remained steadfast in his assertion that Jim Jordan should be the next speaker:

Today I'm nominating JIM JORDAN for Speaker of the House! pic.twitter.com/XErQ33qyxB

— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) January 3, 2023

Gaetz is not alone in his opposition:

Steve Scalise nominates McCarthy. Chip Roy nominates Jim Jordan. Round 3 begins.

— Loren Culp (@LorenCulp) January 3, 2023

Matt Gaetz and Chip Roy are kicking ass and taking names! Mike Rogers you better watch your ass! We’re sick of the swamp! https://t.co/mUETS8OSzc

— Little big mouth (@bamagurl0404) January 3, 2023

Kevin McCarthy isn't just a member of the swamp, he IS the swamp.

— Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) January 3, 2023

We are now in the THIRD round of votes for Speaker of the House. @chiproytx just stood up and nominated @Jim_Jordan for Speaker of the House.

But Jim Jordan has nominated Kevin McCarthy.

BURN IT ALL DOWN!!!!!!!

Do whatever it takes to make sure McCarthy is NEVER Speaker.

— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) January 3, 2023

Who else thinks Republicans should ditch Kevin McCarthy and select Jim Jordan as Speaker instead?

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 3, 2023

https://twitter.com/DJFreedomRocket/status/1610378063036153857?s=20&t=y8v7oiZ2dAu9JStxTC52Ww