Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz was reportedly almost in a physical altercation with a fellow lawmaker during Thursday conference.
Fellow Florida Rep. Anna Pauline Luna reported the incident in a X post.
“Someone tried to fight Gaetz in conference,” she wrote Thursday afternoon.
Someone tried to fight Gaetz in conference.
— Anna Paulina Luna (@realannapaulina) October 19, 2023
California Rep. Kevin McCarthy, who was removed from the office of Speaker of the House after Gaetz spearheaded the effort to remove him earlier this month, confirmed a verbal altercation had occurred.
According to McCarthy, Gaetz interrupted the former Speaker while he was speaking during conference to which himself and other House Republicans shouted at the Florida Rep.
“I told him to sit down,” McCarthy said.
“I think the entire conference screamed at him,” the former Speaker told reporters. “The whole country I think would scream at Matt Gaetz right now.”
Kevin McCarthy confirms that be he and the other RINOs screamed at Matt Gaetz like spoiled children during today's House conference meeting:
"I think the entire conference screamed at him. The whole country I think would scream at Matt Gaetz right now.” pic.twitter.com/DfLIZmOVuM
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) October 19, 2023
McCarthy took aim at Gaetz and seven other Republicans voting to oust him as Speaker earlier this month for the current House Republican in-fighting.
The former Speaker also repeated a previous statement claiming 4% of House Republicans overrode 96% of the conference’s support for McCarthy to remain Speaker of the House.
Gaetz originally opposed a McCarthy Speakership during January’s historically contentious Speaker vote. Fifteen ballots were cast before McCarthy secured Speakership
During January’s Speaker vote, Alabama Rep. Mike Rogers attempted to engage in a physical altercation with Gaetz after the Florida Rep. derailed one of McCarthy’s ballots.
The GOP base want Speaker Jim Jordan.
But the Establishment Republicans don’t want to vote for America First speaker.
Rep. Mike Rogers is openly talking about making a deal with Democrats rather than vote for Jordan.
Rogers is the same guy who was trying to fight Matt Gaetz… pic.twitter.com/x2a9v6nNNW
— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) October 14, 2023
Gaetz briefly spoke about the altercation on MSNBC on Thursday.
“I think his … passions are a little inflamed,” Gaetz said, though it was unclear who he was speaking in reference to. “I think he’s working through the stages of grief.”
One reporter asked if Illinois Rep. Mike Bost “lunged” at Gaetz during Thursday conference.
“I think he was pretty animated,” Gaetz responded. “I don’t know if I would describe it as a lunge.”
Another reporter asked what Gaetz said to cause McCarthy to yell at the Florida representative.
“Well, I don’t know,” Gaetz said.
“I said that I thought that having Speaker-lite was a bad idea,” he said of Pennsylvania Rep. Mike Kelly’s resolution to grant Speaker Pro Tempore temporary expanded powers to move legislation. “I think Republicans ought to stay in our conference until we elect a Speaker.”
Gaetz concluded by reiterating his support for a Jordan Speakership.
The Florida representative has not directly addressed the alleged altercation as of Thursday afternoon.
