Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., urged House Republicans to remain unified despite some party members being livid at colleagues for backing the $1 trillion infrastructure plan signed into law by President Joe Biden on Monday.
Former President Donald Trump last week blasted the 13 House GOP members who voted for the infrastructure bill.
McCarthy, though, might see a red wave building for next year's midterms and does not want to jeopardize the GOP's momentum.
"NEW: During a closed door party meeting, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy urged Republicans to stick together as some in the conference vow retaliation against the 13 Rs who voted for infrastructure, saying now isn’t the time to go after fellow members, per sources in room," CNN’s Melanie Zanona tweeted.
"McCarthy also told members he talked to [Arizona Rep. Paul] Gosar about his anime video depicting violence against Dems & he took the vid down. He pointed out Dems havent punished their own members like [Rep.] Maxine Waters, who said 'we’ve got to get more confrontational' about police brutality," Zanona said in a follow-up tweet, before adding:
"Gosar also got up at the mics to try to explain his anime video and said a threat of violence was not his intention, sources said."
Zanona also tweeted that McCarthy and Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, got into a "heated exchange" during the meeting.
"Roy lamented that he has to now go back to his district and explain why people should bother voting Republican when they handed a victory to Dems, and argued leadership should act," Zanona said.
"McCarthy then got up and shot back that he’s had to explain to voters many times votes that Roy has taken. Roy pressed McCarthy to name which votes he was taking about — "Really?" said Roy — but McCarthy didn’t name any, the source said," Zanona tweeted.
Zanona tweeted other updates, based on sources, from the GOP caucus gathering.
One Zanona tweet said: "Despite McCarthy’s plea, Rep. Dan Bishop filed a resolution to strip Rep. John Katko of his ranker position on the homeland security committee, but it was referred to the steering committee where leadership can essentially bury it, per lawmakers in the room."
"Rep. Brian Babin tells me people are really 'mad' and 'upset' that Republicans didn’t stay unified in opposition to the infrastructure bill and is considering supporting this resolution," Zanona tweeted. "Rep. Jim Jordan, a McCarthy ally, says there 'ought to be a discussion' about it."
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