Republican vows to snub Mike Johnson even if GOP colleagues 'pull all my fingernails out'
A Kentucky Republican made an extreme vow Thursday night during an appearance with disgraced former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) on Gaetz's debut show on a far-right news network.
Gaetz interviewed outspoken Rep. Thomas Massie, who has clashed with his MAGA colleagues in the past.
Massie's eyebrow-raising response came in response to Gaetz's question about whether he would vote for Mike Johnson to retain his House Speakership title if fellow Republican Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) was named chairman of the rules committee.
"Oh no. You can pull all my fingernails out. You can shove bamboo up in them. You can start cutting off my fingers. I am not voting Mike Johnson tomorrow. And you can take that to the bank," said Massie. "You know that Matt."
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Massie has been at odds with Johnson over several disputes, including government spending.
Massie strongly opposes excessive government spending and criticized Johnson for supporting the recent temporary government spending measure, describing it as "giving away the farm" and "worse than an omnibus." The bill funded the government through mid-March and averted a government shutdown just before the Christmas holiday.
“It’s not even just a spending bill,” Massie said at the time. “It’s worse than an omnibus and I think it’s shameful that Mike Johnson would do this after we received a mandate in the election. I know it’s a lame-duck session, but still, there’s no reason for us to capitulate when on Jan. 20, Trump’s going to be President and Jan. 3, we have the majority in the Senate."
He has also attacked America's practice of giving billions in foreign aid.
"US foreign aid spending is like watering the neighbor’s yard while your house is on fire," he wrote on X.
With a slim GOP 219 to 215 seat majority for Republicans, Johnson can't afford to lose any more votes without throwing the Republican caucus into another round of multiple votes and backbiting that followed ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy's (R-CA) ouster in 2023.
In an interview earlier, Massie told reporters he can't be pressured into voting for Johnson, bluntly stating, "I don’t know how to say this without cussing. If they thought I had no Fs to give before, I definitely have no Fs to give now.”
Watch the clip below or at this link.