Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was pressed by Fox host Maria Bartiromo Sunday, denying allegations that he intentionally “elbowed” a fellow member of Congress.
McCarthy appeared on Fox’s “Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo” discussing rumors that he had elbowed Tennessee Republican Rep. Tim Burchett in the back. McCarthy emphasized that due to the “narrow hallway” people press by each other constantly, saying nothing was “intentional.”(RELATED: ‘Strike One And Two’: House Republicans Express Frustration With Mike Johnson, GOP Leadership Over Stopgap Spending Bill)
“No, not at all. This is a narrow hallway. We were in a conference with 200 people. You’ve got the press all standing there, walking out, talking to other members — And don’t just take my word for it. Take to the other members who were next to me and behind me,” McCarthy stated.
“If anybody got bumped it was not intentional. Just a crowded hallway where everybody’s walking out at one time. And so no, it’s – nobody got punched, nobody got hit. Some people want to make press out of nothing, but that’s exactly what transpired.”
Following a closed-door meeting on Nov. 14 as McCarthy and Burchett were leaving, the former House speaker reportedly bumped into the back of the Tennessee representative. Burchett then reportedly stated that McCarthy “elbowed” him, taking a “clean shot to the kidneys.”(RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: GOP Reps Who Ousted McCarthy Stand By Speaker Johnson Despite His Support For Ukraine Funding)
Bartiromo continued to press the former House speaker asking if he believed Burchett was then fabricating the story if he did not “elbow” him. “So you think he’s making it up then?” Bartiromo asked.
“Now no, look, if somebody got bumped because of a narrow hallway, it happens all the time. It was not intentional. I know no one got punched in the process. You could talk to the members who are behind me, around me, and everywhere else,” McCarthy stated.
Republican Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz filed an ethics complaint against McCarthy following the incident, stating that the “assault was witnessed by multiple people.” Since the incident, Burchett has not taken any action against the former House speaker.