House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy reportedly worked to sink the re-election campaign of Madison Cawthorn while trying to weed out “controversial Republicans” who might cause disruptions to his agenda.
The Washington Post reports that McCarthy “worked this spring to deny Cawthorn a second term in office,” saying he had “lost my trust.”
They note that Cawthorn, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, had at the time accused members of Congress of using drugs and inviting him to an “orgy.”
“Top allies of Kevin McCarthy, the House Republican leader, worked this spring to deny Cawthorn a second term in office,” they write.
Cawthorn was defeated in his GOP primary back in May after multiple scandals surfaced and a Democrat political action committee known as the American Muckrakers PAC began targeting him by releasing salacious videos.
Scoop: Kevin McCarthy’s allies helped sink Madison Cawthorn. A look at how the would-be Speaker’s political machine worked to keep the most Ultra MAGA out of Congress w/ @jdawsey1 @iarnsdorf @MariannaReports https://t.co/hLhJJcUpJj
— Michael Scherer (@michaelscherer) September 27, 2022
Kevin McCarthy Worked to Defeat Madison Cawthorn, Other MAGA Candidates
Kevin McCarthy’s well-planned targeting didn’t simply focus on Madison Cawthorn. The House Republican leader also sought to keep other MAGA candidates out of Congress.
“Targeting Cawthorn was part of a larger behind-the-scenes effort by top GOP donors and senior strategists to purge the influence of Republican factions that seek disruption and grandstanding, often at the expense of their GOP colleagues,” they write.
The report indicates McCarthy and his political machine were working to “systematically weed out GOP candidates” they felt might give him “trouble” as House Speaker if Republicans regain control after the midterms.
It was also an effort to eliminate conservative candidates in districts where more moderate candidates were perceived to have a better chance of winning.
Kevin McCarthy allies funneled cash to ‘dark money’ groups to send Madison Cawthorn packing: reporthttps://t.co/VbIXDrZ8QL
— Raw Story (@RawStory) September 27, 2022
McCarthy Has Gone After Trump Allies Before
Audio surfaced earlier this year in which Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) criticized former President Trump and some of his staunchest allies in Congress.
“Well, he’s putting people in jeopardy, and he doesn’t need to be doing this,” McCarthy said of Rep. Matt Gaetz and the Florida congressman’s comments about the 2020 election. “We saw what people would do in the Capitol, you know?”
McCarthy also claimed that America First Reps. referring to mainstream Republicans who refused to question the election results as “anti-Trump” was “serious stuff” that “has to stop.”
“Can’t they take their Twitter accounts away, too?” he remarked.
Don’t forget the other bombshell reported on @maddow: Kevin McCarthy told GOP leaders during that same Jan. 10 conference call that he wished big tech companies would strip some of his members of their social media accounts.
“Can’t they take their Twitter accounts away, too?”
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) April 22, 2022
Fox News host Tucker Carlson pointed out that McCarthy’s comments were nearly indiscernible from any Democrat or left-wing media hack.
“Quote, ‘Can’t they take their Twitter accounts away too?’ Those are the tape-recorded words of Congressman Kevin McCarthy, a man who in private, turns out, sounds like an MSNBC contributor,” Carlson said.
Carlson went on to warn that McCarthy as Speaker would mean the Democrats would have an ally in the House leader.
“That would mean you would have a Republican Congress led by a puppet of the Democratic Party,” he said.
Tucker Carlson: “Unless Conservatives get their act together right away, @GOPLeader or one of his highly liberal allies like @RepStefanik is very likely to be Speaker of the House in January. That would mean we would have a GOP Congress headed by a puppet of the Democratic Party” pic.twitter.com/e26M88EYcJ
— The Columbia Bugle ?? (@ColumbiaBugle) April 27, 2022
Not long afterward, more audiotapes surfaced and showed McCarthy discussing removing Trump from office and blaming him for the Capitol riot.
“Look, what the president did is atrocious and totally wrong,” he said in a recording dated January 8th.
McCarthy is also heard on the audiotapes discussing the 25th Amendment, but noting it would take “too long” to implement.
The 25th Amendment is a constitutional provision allowing for the removal of the President should he be deemed medically, or as some were suggesting at the time, mentally, unfit.
Their book is out today.. but @jmartNYT & @alexburnsNYT are still dropping audio bombs.
This time Kevin McCarthy says:
“What the president did is atrocious and totally wrong.”Full story: https://t.co/lLGEf1uiD9 pic.twitter.com/Ag0mbDsmhb
— Ryan Nobles (@ryanobles) May 4, 2022
Allies of McCarthy tell the Washington Post his efforts to defeat Cawthorn have less to do with his political leanings and more about wanting lawmakers willing to go along to get along.
They cite his support for Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), a MAGA Republican who he has suggested will have her committee assignments restored in a GOP majority, as evidence.
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McCarthy need to go! We do not need a RINO REPUBLICAN AS HOUSE SPEAKER! If these other Republicans going to stand with him. We will removed them as well. BIDEN has violation the CONSTITUTION LAWS SINCE HE BEEN A SENATE! PELOSI DESERVES THE DEATH PENALTY FOR HER ROLE IN MISLEADING THE PEOPLE! I can name everyone of these politicians who deserve removing on both side! What we the people need is a WHOLE NEW CONGRESS!
So McCarthy wants republicans who get along to get along meaning he is nothing but a old fashioned negotiating with democrats to give democrats what they want. We have been needing to get rid of, a democrat pretending to be a republican. We need fighters who say no to the democrats and rinos not fake republicans and rinos who get along to get along putting money and power ahead of this country. So McCarthy is an anti Tumper, well McCarthy is pretty good sneaking around to get rid of whom he wants. He needs to go to the democrats since McCarthy is that good at hiding his anti-Trumpism and his anti-true republicanism.
Time for 3rd party. One that honors the constitution and the Bible and is citizen driven. Our party has been hijacked by traitors.
RINO McCarthy can NOT be Speaker when R’s take the House!!! And Mitch the Squish can NOT be Senate President either.
When the MAGA Party splits off, the GOP will be hurting.
tucker carlson is a pro lgbt libertarian, not a conservative .. I never listen to anything from tucker carlson
The guy was a terrible candidate and McCarthy is a terrible person, but that is all we have.
Not so…. Have you thought for a moment about Jim Jordan, Matt Gaetz, Steve Scalise. They have guts and will stand their ground.
McCarthy needs to think about some of the stunts he has pulled to keep the RINOs in place. He will not be speaker; he needs to be voted out of office after what he did to Madison Cawthorn for telling the truth. Word from the prophets is that Madison is one of God’s chosen people.
Madison Cawthorn is too young and inexperienced to take on the job as speaker. I don’t see him returning to Congress.
McCarthy has no moral compass and lacks conviction to fight for Christian conservative values. Career politicians such as he is are bought and sold very easily. Not the leader the GOP needs in such desperate times as these.
Why in the hell did Trump endorse him?
Simple answer …. McCarthy was playing Trump and got caught on audio denigrating Trump. I think Trump will become Speaker (since one does not have to be elected to become Speaker), then impeach Biden and Harris, as 3rd in line to the Presidency, he will walk right in to finish Biden’s two years, and get another 4 when he runs in 2024. He would be the only President in History to be President for 12 yrs.
No Kevin McCarthy from CA should never be speaker. He was John Boehner and Paul Ryan’s lap dog. He is a RINO and we don’t need more RINO’s in Congress. Matt Gaetz would be a great speaker, so would Jim Jordan. I sometimes believe Stefanik from New York, but she should not be speaker. Kevin McCarthy should follow Boehner and Ryan out the doors of Congress and never be welcomed back. That was the problem President Trump had when in office, he thought he could trust the people who claimed to work for him, but backstabbed him repeatedly. When he accepted Bill Barr as his AG, wow, the Bushes hated Trump, and Barr worked for both Bush Presidents. I would never have let him in the doors. What a big mistake, that ultimately was Trump’s downfall. I beliee Trump will run again for President, and when he wins, the first thing he should do is release a statement of White House Presidential and Staff decorum for the media. They will have to follow the rules or be replaced. When a reporter wants to have there 15 minutes of fame, he should say “NO COMMENT” and leave the room. I hope his second term is better, but with McCarthy as Speaker would be no partner to work with. The people who work for Trump, need firebrand to deal with those who would try to destroy his return to the Presidency.
Please freedom caucus….you must pick one to run against Luntzie roommate, cya corruption, big business buddy McCarthy…..IF AMERICA HAS A CHANCE TO SURVIVE…LEADERSHIP MUST CHANGE!!!
McCarthy in no way can become the next speaker. He has been prove soft and at this time in history there is no place for softness. Either it is MAGA full steam ahead or America falls completely. Republicans have yielded to democrats far to often and the table is turning, time for some reciprocity or they can sit it out.
Mccarthy , do we trust him ??????????
Yeah but who do we trust, they are all mostly worthless? What do they do all day, plot against the American people? I don’t trust any of them.
Read my answer above … !!!!!!
McCarthy, start counting, your political days in office are numbered. The count down has begun.
McCarthy, another career politician, who does not have the talent to hold the position of speaker of the house should have lost his seat. Congress elects by seniority, not ability! America needs citizen representatives, not career politicians!
President Trump needs to find another best friend to support. McCarthy is an on-and off-again Trumper.
You are being far too kind to the feral anti-Trumper !
Who does Macarthy think he is, he sounds just Pelois……
this is why the old RINO guard has to go.. intolerance and old ways will get no support from the people who want our America back from the far left and the RINO right.
I don’t trust McCCarthy any farther than I can throw him. He is totally establishment, and his main goal is to become Speaker. I am so sick of this “next in line” mentality in D.C. NO ONE should be next in line. It should be the one who is going to do the best job FOR THE PEOPLE. I vote for Jim Jordan.