Some House GOP members are reportedly seeking to expel Gaetz over attempts to oust McCarthy

Members of the House GOP are looking to expel Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz over his attempts to oust Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as House speaker. 

“No one can stand him at this point. A smart guy without morals,” one unnamed lawmaker described Gaetz to Fox News on Sunday.

According to the outlet, if the House Ethics Committee investigates Gaetz and finds any wrongdoing, there will be a call to expel him. 

Gaetz brushed off the threats and posted a meme on X, formerly called Twitter, in response.

Florida GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna spoke out against the attempt.

"TO be clear: It is UNETHICAL to threaten to expel a member for following and using house rules that the ENTIRE conference agreed too," Paulina wrote on social media. "This game works both ways just FYI to any MEMBER who thinks they can blackmail a legislator into not legislating."

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said that threatening to expel Gaetz is a "step too far," but eliminating his committee assignments may be justified. 

"The effort to expel Matt Gaetz for being a destructive, irresponsible anti-Republican may be a step too far," Gingrich wrote on X. "Expulsion from the House requires a two-thirds vote. However expelling him from the House Republican Conference and eliminating all his committee assignments and all resources other than those an individual member is entitled to would be a rational response to his suicidal efforts to cripple the House GOP."

Gaetz said that he would seek to oust McCarthy as House speaker after a drama-filled scramble to pass a federal budget forced a last-minute temporary spending bill that required Democrat votes to pass.