The bitter feud between House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) is reaching a boiling point as Gaetz has been leading a group of rebellious Republicans toward a government shutdown.
Politico's Playbook on Friday tried to trace the origins of the animosity between McCarthy and Gaetz, and it cited an anecdote recounting in former Trump White House official Cassidy Hutchinson's book as a potential source of friction.
During a Republican retreat at Camp David in 2019, Hutchinson says that Gaetz late at night accompanied her to a cabin that he thought was hers.
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However, the cabin in question was actually McCarthy's, and he had invited several other Republicans including Hutchinson over for drinks.
Upon seeing this, Gaetz told Hutchinson that he was "lost" and asked her to accompany him back to his own cabin.
At this point, McCarthy intervened and shut the door in Gaetz's face.
"Get a life, Matt," the GOP leader told the Florida Republican, according to Hutchinson.
Playbook notes that Gaetz has denied this account.
Hutchinson, for her part, has denied any rumors that she ever dated Gaetz, on the grounds that "I have much higher standards in men."
