Last Updated on December 19, 2022
Kevin McCarthy received some disparaging words from his former mentor as the California rep. continues to face pressure from House Republicans ahead of the January 3rd house Speaker election.
Former Rep. Bill Thomas (R-Calif.) called his former “protege” a liar whose words cannot be trusted.
“The Kevin McCarthy who is now, at this time, in the House isn’t the Kevin McCarthy I worked with,” Thomas said of McCarthy.
Thomas went on to call McCarthy an untrustworthy, dishonest politician. “Kevin basically is whatever you want him to be. He lies. He’ll change the lie if necessary. How can anyone trust his word?” Thomas questioned.
Equating the California rep. to a shady insurance salesman, Thomas added “he’s the guy in the college fraternity that everybody liked and winds up selling life insurance, convincing people they need it.”
The now-retired Rep. Thomas served 28 years in Congress and McCarthy got his start in politics as Rep. Thomas’ aide. Thomas explained how McCarthy sold out Donald Trump after major corporate donors threatened to abandon their donations to congressional Republicans if they voted against certifying the 2020 election.
With Republicans holding 222 floor seats, and McCarthy needing 218 floor votes to secure the Speakership on the January 3rd election, the California rep’s chances of becoming speaker look bleak.
As National File previously reported, at least a dozen Trump-aligned GOPers are refusing to vote for the speaker-elect.
“I believe…that there’s a dozen or so who will show the steel courage that’s needed…that will not be persuaded [to vote for McCarthy],” Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.) said in late November.
READ MORE: Rep. Bob Good Says A Dozen House Republicans Will Vote Against McCarthy For Speaker
National File covered how McCarthy seems to get quite defensive when pressed as to why so many members of his party are refusing to support him.
“Why has it been so hard for you to get 218 votes to become speaker?” one reporter asked McCarthy earlier this week.
“You’ve been meeting with members of the Freedom Caucus but the votes just aren’t there,” the reporter added to which the California establishment figure refused to respond to, calling it an “inappropriate” question.
WATCH:
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Stay tuned to National File for any updates.
