(FiveNation.com)- After audio of Republican House Leader Kevin McCarthy telling GOP lawmakers that he believed Trump should resign from office was leaked to the New York Times, some conservatives called for McCarthy to be replaced and suggested Ohio Congressman Jim Jordon be considered for Speaker of the House if Republicans retake Congress.
Florida Republican lawmaker Matt Gaetz retweeted a tweet from Fox News contributor Leo Terrell calling on Republicans to replace McCarthy in the leadership, to which Gaetz added his support for Jim Jordan, calling Jordan the “hardest working and most talented member” of the Republican caucus.
Gaetz, appearing on Newsmax Friday, criticized McCarthy’s denials of what the audio revealed, saying McCarthy wanted people not to believe their “lying ears.” Saying that House Republicans didn’t believe that Trump should resign, Gaetz told Newsmax that having a leader who is “so far outside of the conference is itself a problem.”
However, not all Republican lawmakers agree with the push to replace McCarthy. After the McCarthy audio was leaked, Texas Republican Congressman Tony Gonzales told Punchbowl News that in 29 weeks, Republicans would retake the majority “and Kevin McCarthy will be Speaker of the House.”
On Friday, the Washington Post reported that Kevin McCarthy had spoken with former President Donald Trump and the two remain on good terms. McCarthy told reporters on Friday that he never told then-President Trump that he should resign, despite saying he would on the leaked call.
The leaked audio was from a January 10 phone call in which McCarthy said he “had it” with President Trump and was going to recommend he resign. McCarthy admitted in the recording that Trump probably wouldn’t listen to his suggestion and added that nobody can defend Trump’s actions on January 6, nor should they be defended.
In another leaked audio from January 8, McCarthy described Trump’s actions on January 6 as “atrocious and totally wrong.” Regarding Trump being banned from social media, McCarthy expressed his desire to have certain Republican lawmakers banned as well.
Congressman Matt Gaetz accused turncoat Congresswoman Liz Cheney of being the one who leaked the recordings to the New York Times.
