Gaetz Accuses Liz Cheney of Secretly Recording McCarthy Pushing For Trump Resignation; Cheney Denies

Matt Gaetz (R-FL) went after Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) for suggesting Donald Trump’s resignation, and the congressman simultaneously accused Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) of secretly recording the House minority leader.
McCarthy is drawing fire after New York Times reporters Alexander Burns and Jonathan Martin previewed their upcoming book by saying he was enraged with Trump, brought up the 25th Amendment, and told Republican leadership he would ask the former president for his resignation over the events of January 6th. Burns and Martin reported that McCarthy’s comments were audio-recorded, and even though McCarthy tried to claim their story was “totally false and wrong,” the two released a tape confirming their reporting on him.
The commotion not only speaks to the GOP’s private frustrations with Trump, it also indicates McCarthy seriously considered having the former president politically exiled over the storming of the U.S. Capitol before he snuggled back up to him. Gaetz, a hardline Trump loyalist, took notice of the clip, and he fired a salvo against McCarthy on Twitter.
“While I was rallying in Wyoming against Liz Cheney, Kevin McCarthy was defending Liz Cheney among House Republicans…While Liz Cheney was secretly recording Kevin McCarthy for the New York Times,” Gaetz said. “@GOPLeader — you should have trusted my instincts, not your own.”
While I was rallying in Wyoming against Liz Cheney…
Kevin McCarthy was defending Liz Cheney among House Republicans…
While Liz Cheney was secretly recording Kevin McCarthy for the New York Times. @GOPLeader – you should have trusted my instincts, not your own. pic.twitter.com/teTxIvUAUt
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) April 22, 2022
Gaetz’s tweet does raise the question of who provided Burns and Martin with the Cheney-McCarthy recording. Cheney’s office has issued a statement in any case, insisting it didn’t come from her:
Rep Liz Cheney (R-WY) spokesman:
“The select committee has asked Kevin McCarthy to speak with us about these events but he has so far declined. Representative Cheney did not record or leak the tape and does not know how the reporters got it.”
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) April 22, 2022