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McCarthy on a call with other Republican leaders days after the
Jan. 6, 2021, riot expressed his concerns about comments made by
members closely aligned with Donald Trump after the
then-president's supporters stormed the Capitol, according to
audio obtained by the New York Times.
Brooks addressed the rally that led to the assault on Jan. 6,
and Gaetz went on national television to namecheck Republicans
who had criticized former President Donald Trump in his effort
to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
"Calling out other members, that stuff's got to stop," McCarthy
said in a recording of the call published by the Times. "Tension
is too high, the country is too crazy. I don't want to look back
and think we caused something and someone got hurt."
Representative Steve Scalise, the No. 2 House Republican,
suggested Gaetz's comments could be illegal, according to the
Times.
The offices of McCarthy, Scalise, Gaetz and Brooks did not
immediately respond to requests for comment. The newspaper
quoted Brooks on Tuesday as dismissing the criticism, saying
"Kevin McCarthy spoke before knowing the facts."
The audio was obtained through reporting for a book by Times
reporters Alexander Burns and Jonathan Martin.
McCarthy suggested on the call he would do more to keep his
members in line, but he ultimately has not disciplined
Republican House members who he said put other lawmakers in
jeopardy.
If Republicans win back the House in November's midterm
elections, McCarthy is widely expected to make a bid for
speaker, a role for which he would need the support of far right
Republican House members.
McCarthy last week initially denied part of the Times' reporting
on his conversations following the riot. The paper responded by
releasing audio of his phone calls with fellow Republicans.
(Reporting by Moira Warburton; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
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