McCarthy under scrutiny for roommate deal with pollster, Trump critic Luntz

"Frank Luntz and Kevin McCarthy are not simply friends; they're roommates," said Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy

House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy is facing scrutiny for a deal in which he rented a room while in Washington, D.C., from pollster and Trump critic Frank Luntz.

A McCarthy spokesperson told Fox News the California Republican and Trump supporter usually sleeps in his office or rents hotel rooms while he's working in the nation's capital. However, due to the pandemic he rents a room from Luntz, who reportedly has a penthouse not far from Capitol Hill. The spokesperson also said the rent was as at "fair market price."

The arrangement has been reported by Fox News opinion show host Tucker Carlson. 

"Frank Luntz and Kevin McCarthy are not simply friends," Carlson said on his show Monday night. "They're roommates. We did not believe it ... . The top Republican in the House lives with a Google lobbyist? Come on. Even by the sleazy and corrupt standards of politics in Washington, that didn't seem possible. In fact, it sounded like a joke."

Luntz, who has not responded to a request for comment, said in February that Trump hasn't "a shred of hope" if he decides to run again for elected office. Luntz, who has done live focus group segments for Fox, has feuded with Trump at least as far back as 2015.

"@FrankLuntz is a low class slob who came to my office looking for consulting work and I had zero interest," Trump reportedly tweeted after a GOP primary debate in Cleveland. Twitter has shuttered Trump's Twitter account, and the tweet is no longer visible.