Matt Gaetz pledges to release the deals he made with Kevin McCarthy to the public
There have been questions over the past several weeks about the deals that were made between Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) that would allow McCarthy to ascend to the Speaker post without objections from Gaetz and the far-right anti-McCarthy activists.
Gaetz dismissed any idea that those details were being hidden saying that many of them were discussed as part of the speeches on the floor or publicized. He went on to mention personnel and other such things that were part of the negotiation.
"That is something that has been reportedly written down and agreed to on the side, as sort of a side deal," said MSNBC host Ari Melber with a clip of Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC). "Let's get into this. Maybe we resolve it once and for all on live TV. You have a 55-page rules package. That part is public under the rules. We can put up reports on that we all know about. That then you have reporting after a secret three-page agreement. Reading here in from punch bowl. It's got 'other concessions including Rules Committee.' That's personnel, which you just referred to -- and other things."
Melber asked "point blank" if that three-page addition exists in writing somewhere. Gaetz said that it did.
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"There were some offers they accepted, some he modified, some he rejected just like you'd seen in any negotiation," he said.
"I'll let you continue, but the question where I'm going is, why keep that secret?" asked Melber.
Gaetz said he'd answer questions about any of it.
"I appreciate you taking questions, but why not release the written product that exists and has currently kept secret? You have been talking about transparency. It's another one thing to hear it described and another thing for the now majority to release what the underlying material is... Why not commit to releasing the written agreement or getting it released tonight?"
"I have no objection. It was largely released to the conference and country when you saw the appointments to the committees. When you see which members populate, you're seeing — when you see floor votes you see that agreement. I can tell you we also have a vote on term limits, something that's popular in every zip code in America except Washington, D.C. We have a budget resolution to roll back to 2022 spending levels. We secured those things. I think they're critically important."
Melber followed up by asking if he was willing to release it in writing and Gaetz again agreed.
See the exchange below or at the link here.
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