Kevin McCarthy Calls Out Matt Gaetz For ‘Putting People In Jeopardy’ In Recordings

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-California) came under fire for newly released audio recordings this past week, and now more recordings reveal the prominent Republican accusing his GOP colleagues of “putting people in jeopardy” with their rhetoric surrounding the January 6 Capitol attack.

“These members calling out other members, that stuff’s got to stop,” McCarthy can be heard saying in a Jan. 10, 2021 recording during a phone call with Rep. Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana).

“He’s putting people in jeopardy,” McCarthy said of ardent Trump supporter Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) following comments he made about the events of January 6. “And he doesn’t need to be doing this. We saw what people would do in the Capitol, you know, and these people came prepared with rope, with everything else.”

“The tension is too high. The country is too crazy. I do not want to look back and think we caused something. … I don’t want to play politics with any of that,” McCarthy added.

In the recording, the top House Republican also mentioned disapproval of Rep. Mo Brooks‘ (R-Alabama) comments urging Trump supporters to “fight like hell.”

Later, McCarthy publically defended the colleagues he was privately critical of.

Brooks said on Tuesday that the recordings were before McCarthy knew the facts.

In the previously released recordings, he can be heard condemning former President Donald Trump following the January 6 Capitol attack even though he voiced his support for Trump publically. Prominent leaders from both sides of the aisle criticized McCarthy for lying.

The House committee investigating the Capitol attack is expected to issue a second request this week to have McCarthy appear in front of the committee.