The saga between Tim Burchett and Kevin McCarthy has rumbled on into its second day, with the TennesseeRepublican now suggesting that South Carolina congresswoman Nancy Mace has dirt on the former House Speaker.
Speaking on Newsmax on Wednesday, Mr Burchett said that Mr McCarthy “has $17m in an account,” before accusing him of plotting to use the cash to mess with “a lot of people like my and Nancy Mace’s campaigns, I’m sure”.
“I don’t know if he does that with Nancy Mace. She could come back with some stuff that he doesn’t want out there in the public, I think. If you know what I’m saying,” Newsmax co-host Rob Finnerty said.
Rep Burchett responded: “She’s already told me. She said, ‘I hope he does that with me.’ And she’ll take care of him.”
Ms Mace and Mr Burchett were among the eight Republicans who voted to oust Mr McCarthy as House speaker last month.
“Today I voted for the Motion to Vacate and remove the Speaker. This isn’t about left vs right. This isn’t about ideology. This is about trust and keeping your word. This is about making Congress do its job,” Ms Mace said in a statement at the time.
Social media users quickly expressed interest in what potential dirt she may have on Mr McCarthy.
One person wrote on X: “Oh wow! What’s this now? Sounds like Nancy Mace and Tim Burchett have the goods on Kevin McCarthy. It’s like Melrose Place, but with old people.”
Another remarked: “MAGA-On-MAGA blackmail is SO delicious!”
Mr Burchett’s latest comments about Mr McCarthy came just one day after he accused the California Republican of elbowing him in the kidneys in a bizarre incident in the halls of Congress on Tuesday.
Following the incident, fellow GOP lawmaker Matt Gaetz filed an ethics complaint against Mr McCarthy, accusing him of “assault”.
“I myself have been a victim of outrageous conduct on the House floor as well, but nothing like an open and public assault on a Member, committed by another Member,” Mr Gaetz wrote.
