Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) engaged in a fiery discussion with Maria Bartiromo, the host of Sunday Mornings Futures on the Fox News Channel, regarding the infighting within the Republican party over the budget and Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). The House is facing challenges in finalizing funding bills before the current fiscal year’s end on September 30th. Failure to reach an agreement to fund the government beyond that date will result in a partial government shutdown.
Bartiromo initiated the clash with Gaetz by first interviewing House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH), a supporter of McCarthy, who advocated for Republican support of a short-term continuing resolution to postpone a potential government shutdown. Gaetz, on the other hand, opposes any continuing resolution and is advocating for holding McCarthy accountable for his commitment to funding the government through the regular order of separate funding bills.
Bartiromo defended McCarthy’s approach and highlighted his efforts in establishing committees to investigate matters such as the Bidens, government weaponization, and China. Gaetz countered that these committees have primarily focused on “process” and have yet to produce substantial results. He pointed out that Donald Trump Jr. was summoned before House committees three times during the first year of Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Democrat-led House in 2019, whereas Hunter Biden has not been subpoenaed to testify before the House. McCarthy has stated that he is waiting for the right moment, pending further examination of bank records, to call in Hunter Biden for testimony.
During their nearly nine-minute interview, Gaetz corrected Bartiromo when she stated that McCarthy had made the January 6th Capitol videos available to anyone interested.
Gaetz masterfully articulated the performative nature of McCarthy’s speakership in this exchange with Bartiromo:
Maria Bartiromo: “How about the fact that he has set up a weaponization committee to investigate the DOJ, whether they’re involved in a cover-up…. How about the fact that he set up a China select committee to keep China to account and of course he has launched this inquiry into impeachment potentially for President Biden, is that not what you want?”
Rep. Matt Gaetz: “None of those things are deliverables. Those are steps in a process. Setting up a committee is an end unto itself, only in Washington DC. These committees have done nothing to reduce inflation, they have done nothing to actually constrain the Biden government. We can set up committees and have hearings and yell at people but at the end of the day we still send the check to fund a weaponized government, having a weaponization subcommittee is little relief to the American people. And if any of these were serious we would be sending out subpoenas and compelling process the way Jan 6th committee did… We should be operating like them but instead we are playing patty cake with the Bidens.”
Watch:
Maria Bartiromo: "How about the fact that he [McCarthy] set up a China select committee to keep china accountable and of course he has launched this enquiry into impeachment potentially for President Biden, is that not what you want?"
— Real Mac Report (@RealMacReport) September 24, 2023
Rep. Matt Gaetz: "These committees have… pic.twitter.com/CQMSMOA0IL
Watch the complete interview below:
The way to fund the government is not by doing it the same way Congress has since the mid-90s, where it's one up or down vote on the entire government all at once.
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) September 24, 2023
We should have separate single-subject spending bills. @SpeakerMcCarthy promised that in January. He is in breach… pic.twitter.com/iewuoroMqL
