GOP caucus meeting goes off the rails as Gaetz and McCarthy launch into foul-mouthed face-off

A House Republican caucus meeting went off the rails after Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) attacked House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) for contributing $5 million to the National Republican Congressional Committee and key members to bolster their funding for re-election in 2024, Punchbowl News' Jake Sherman reported on Thursday.

"How much of that is from FTX or Sam Bankman-Fried?" shot back Gaetz, referencing the cryptocurrency trading platform entrepreneur who, after donating money generously to both political parties, was arrested and charged with stealing clients' money to funnel into his own personal investment schemes.

Rep. French Hill (R-AR), a close associate of McCarthy, then barked out, "Oh, f--k off."

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Gaetz, a key figure in the far-right House Freedom Caucus has for months been escalating a fight with McCarthy, who was only narrowly elected Speaker over the initial objections of much of the Freedom Caucus after making a number of concessions.

Earlier this week, he said he's ready to call a motion to vacate the chair, a procedure that could strip McCarthy of the Speakership.

All of this is occurring against the backdrop of a number of disputes within the House Republican caucus, including whether and how to move forward with an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden, and how to pass the funding to avert a government shutdown, which now appears all but certain to happen on the weekend.