‘You disrespectful fool!’ GOP House meeting reportedly descends into chaos over gas tax fight

WASHINGTON, DC: A late-night bipartisan meeting of House Republican leaders devolved into a shouting match, when Rep Clay Higgins, R-La, called a fellow Republican a “disrespectful fool” before storming out of the chamber, reports The Washington Sun, the paper formerly known as NOTUS.

The heated exchange took place during a 9:15 pm meeting convened by Speaker Mike Johnson.

Johnson had gathered members of the Republican leadership, including committee chairs and the heads of the party's five ideological caucuses, also known as the "five families," to discuss Rep Andy Harris’ attempt to block the federal gas tax deferral ahead of the election.

Harris, the chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, had received support for the meeting by promising to vote for the leadership on another procedural vote.

Andy Harris’ old tweet sparks GOP clash

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Sam Graves (R-MO), who opposed moving Harris’ proposal to the floor, produced a 2022 social media post in which Harris criticized then-President Joe Biden for pursuing the same policy.

“Suspending the federal gas tax is just another Biden Administration stunt to distract from their self-inflicted crisis,” Harris wrote at the time.

According to the outlet, Harris became furious over Graves raising the old post, pounded the desk, and yelled, “This is war! This is war!”

Harris then moved to leave before Johnson urged him to stay and “talk this out.” 

Higgins jumped into the clash on Harris’ side, reportedly berating Graves, “Why do you have to come at him personally? You disrespectful fool!”

GOP infighting erupts during House meeting

One source described the gathering as among the wildest meetings they had witnessed, while another told the Sun simply, “The room was really tense.”

The outlet spoke with five sources who were in the room and another who was briefed on the meeting.

The following day, Higgins took to X and fired another shot at Graves, saying in a post that Graves is an “Establishment elitist” who had a “lifetime Heritage score of 69.”

“[Graves] just killed the Freedom Caucus bill that would have canceled the federal fuel tax for 3 months. Our intention was to bring the bill to the House floor tomorrow night. Man wants his taxes,” Higgins said. “And he was rude about it. Unbelievable. The swamp is fighting hard to come back.”

All this tension has led to the House routinely canceling votes and sending members home early due to the constant infighting.

Less than a day after the contentious meeting, the speaker announced the House was finishing up work early and sending members home until after the midterms.