Former GOP lawmaker on shutdown drama: ‘This is about promoting the Gaetz brand’

Former Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) weighed in on the government shutdown drama between conservatives and Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).

Hours after McCarthy’s bill to avert a government shutdown was voted down by many Republicans, Walsh appeared on CNN. Walsh said he thinks the drama has been fueled by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) hatred for the speaker.

“He hates McCarthy – to put it bluntly this Friday evening,” Walsh said on CNN. “Matt Gaetz can’t stand Kevin McCarthy.”

Walsh said he thinks the government shutdown battle stems from Gaetz’s personal agenda.

“Matt Gaetz is already trying to run for governor of Florida. This is about promotion of the Gaetz brand,” Walsh said.

In recent weeks Gaetz has held up passing appropriations bills, pausing the process for the government to fund itself as it nears a deadline at the end of the week. He has called for a motion for McCarthy to vacate his chair as Speaker, and the pair have exchanged heated words behind closed doors.

“Look, very few House Republicans really respect McCarthy. They always have had a hard time believing that you can trust his word. They know he wants to be Speaker more than anything. Gaetz is just verbalizing that better than anyone else, and they’ve been making life miserable for him ever since,” Walsh said.