House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was caught on a hot mic Tuesday complaining about Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), the party’s third highest-ranking House member, and her refusal to falsely describe the 2020 presidential election as fraudulent.
According to audio reviewed by Axios, McCarthy reportedly told “Fox & Friends” co-host Steve Doocy that Cheney has “got real problems.”
“I’ve had it with her,” McCarthy told Doocy during an off-air conversation, according to Axios. “You know, I’ve lost confidence ... Well, someone just has to bring a motion, but I assume that will probably take place.”
The “motion” refers to attempts by House Republicans to remove Cheney from her leadership positions because she won’t promote the lie that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from former President Donald Trump.
Trump has continued to repeat the lie, saying in a statement Monday that the election he lost was “fraudulent.” It wasn’t.
“The 2020 presidential election was not stolen,” Cheney tweeted Monday in response to Trump. “Anyone who claims it was is spreading THE BIG LIE, turning their back on the rule of law, and poisoning our democratic system.”
An unnamed source confirmed to CNN that McCarthy made the remarks described in the Axios story.
McCarthy’s on-air comments to “Fox & Friends” Tuesday were more measured than those caught on the hot mic. He said he has “heard from other members concerned about [Cheney’s] ability to carry out the job as conference chair, to carry out the message.”
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