‘Matt Gaetz is a Fraud’: House Republican Smashes Notion of a GOP Detente, Says it Will Be ‘Very Difficult’ to Work With Gaetz, Greene and Santos

Congresswoman Nancy Mace burrowed into fellow Republican Reps. Matt Gaetz and George Santos in the aftermath of the chaotic vote for Speaker of the House.

Mace joined Face the Nation on Sunday to speak with CBS’s Margaret Brennan about the negotiations and the dramatics before GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy finally secured enough votes to become Speaker. Since the House Freedom Caucus was able to draw significant concessions from McCarthy throughout this saga, Brennan asked Mace if she would be able to work with the likes of Gaetz — whom she called a “D-lister” and a fraud over his rebellion against McCarthy — as well as Marjorie Taylor Greene.

“It’s going to be very difficult,” Mace answered frankly. She then doubled down on her previous comments by saying “Matt Gaetz is a fraud.”

Every time he voted against Kevin McCarthy last week, he sent out a fund-raising email. What you saw last week was a constitutional process diminished by those kinds of political actions. I don’t support that kind of behavior. I am very concerned as someone who represents a lot of centrists, a lot of independents, I have as many centrists and independents in my district as Republicans. I have to represent everyone. I’m concerned common-sense legislation will not get through to get a vote on the floor.

As Mace elaborated on these concerns, Brennan switched gears by asking about her colleague from New York, referring to how Santos remains under public scrutiny over his fabricated life-story. Asked if she could work with Santos or would rather see him removed from office, Mace said “It’s very difficult to work with anyone who cannot be trusted.”

Mace’s posture stands in stark contrast to other House Republicans who made the rounds on the Sunday shows. From Rep. Dan Crenshaw, to Rep. Chip Roy, to Rep. Jim Jordan, all tried to downplay the conflict among Republicans in the lower chamber and tried to sound a note of unity. But Mace’s comments show there’s still plenty of bad blood.

Watch above via CBS.

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