GOP Rep. Nancy Mace blasts Matt Gaetz as a ‘fraud’ for fundraising off McCarthy Speaker votes

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) called fellow Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz (Fla.) a “fraud” for fundraising off of his efforts to block Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from winning the position last week.

“Matt Gaetz is a fraud. Every time he voted against Kevin McCarthy last week he sent out a fundraising email,” Mace said on CBS’s “Face The Nation” with Margaret Brennan. “What you saw last week was a constitutional process diminished by those kinds of political actions.”

Gaetz was part of a group of up to 20 holdouts who barred McCarthy from becoming Speaker for 14 rounds of voting. Gaetz was among what ultimately became six lawmakers who voted “present” in a 15th round of voting early Saturday that allowed McCarthy to capture the post after making a host of concessions to far-right lawmakers.

“I have no regrets about casting my vote on the House floor against Kevin McCarthy for Speaker!” one Gaetz fundraising email read.

The Hill has reached out to Gaetz’s office for comment.

Mace offered sharp criticism of Gaetz and other Republicans who were demanding concessions from McCarthy. She said she had “significant heartburn” over the deal-making that she said was not done transparently.

“We don’t know what they got or didn’t get,” Mace said. “We haven’t seen it. We don’t have any idea what promises were made.”

“I don’t support that kind of behavior.”

The House is set to vote on a rules package Monday, which it needs to adopt before any further business in the chamber can be conducted. The House came to a standstill all of last week during the Speakership vote, which also delayed the swearing-in of all its members.

Mace said she was considering holding back her support of the rules package because of the “backroom” style deals that were cut by McCarthy and opposing Republicans.

“I am on the fence right now about the rules package vote tomorrow for that reason,” Mace said.