Matt Gaetz broke Kevin McCarthy for sport

As the Republican Party continues its Trump-led descent into the kind of crass and constant drama usually only found on reality TV, one man has emerged to be the breakout star of this ignominious circus: Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida.

He succeeded Tuesday in removing Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy. Gaetz and other Republicans who voted to remove McCarthy couldn’t forgive him for staving off a government shutdown last weekend with the help of Democratic votes.

McCarthy began an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden despite, so far, being unable to present any evidenced that links the president to wrongdoing. Nevertheless, Gaetz accused McCarthy of being too cooperative with Democrats and the current president. And the far-right Gaetz lined up enough unhinged members of his increasingly unhinged party to remove McCarthy and grind Congress to a halt.