The House is in a stronger position after these concessions: Rep. Matt Gaetz
Rep. Matt Gaetz and Rep. Lauren Boebert discuss the new House rules package and the importance of Kevin McCarthy’s concessions on the road to speaker on ‘The Ingraham Angle.’
As Republicans fought to elect a speaker, a number of viral videos showed Rep. Matt Gaetz engaging in what appeared to be contentious or unusual conversations with other members of the House, including some far-left Democrats like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Pramila Jayapal and Ilhan Omar.
Gaetz, however, said the poor optics were just a matter of timing.
Gaetz was joined on "The Ingraham Angle" Monday by Rep. Lauren Boebert, both of whom took harsh criticism for withholding support for Kevin McCarthy in his bid for House speaker. After a historic 15 votes, McCarthy was ultimately elected.
"To Speaker McCarthy's great credit, in the final moments, he made the requisite concessions to bring our team together," Gaetz told host Laura Ingraham.
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Ingraham described one interaction prior to the final vote as "heated," as dramatic video showed McCarthy confronting Gaetz on the House floor in the late hours of Friday night. The world, Ingraham said, wants to know what was said.
"This was a matter of timing," Gaetz said. "Those of us who had withheld our support for Speaker McCarthy wanted to move as a group. We thought it should be a unifying moment."
He went on to praise Republicans for ending the "imperial speakership" that existed under the Democrats’ majority, suggesting that House members had no real power under Nancy Pelosi’s speakership.
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., talks to Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., after Gaetz voted "present" in the House chamber as the House meets for the fourth day to elect a speaker and convene the 118th Congress in Washington, Friday, Jan. 6, 2023. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Gaetz was also seen engaging in conversation with a number of Democratic members.
Ingraham said Gaetz looked "cozy" and asked if he was considering a deal with the opposing party.
"Absolutely not," he said.
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 05: U.S. Rep.-elect Matt Gaetz (R-FL) (R) talks to Rep.-elect Ilhan Omar (D-MN) in the House Chamber during the third day of elections for Speaker of the House at the U.S. Capitol Building on January 05, 2023 in Washington, DC. ((Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images))
Gaetz explained that he talked to Jayapal about legislation that would break up big tech companies – an issue that didn’t make it to the floor for debate or vote under Nancy Pelosi's leadership.
"We were talking about during Republican control, could we get those bills to the floor that Nancy Pelosi wouldn't bring to the floor while her husband was trading big tech stocks," he said.
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Ingraham said Boebert and Gaetz were "vilified" last week for blocking McCarthy's speaker bid, but ultimately "a lot of great things" came out of the negotiations.
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