Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy claimed that Rep. Matt Gaetz’s (R-FL) decision to oust him in October was tied to a House Ethics Committee investigation into the Floridian.

McCarthy told House Republicans on Sunday not to be afraid of the motion to vacate tactic after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) filed the motion last week, threatening Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). Gaetz led the first successful motion to vacate in U.S. history, which, according to McCarthy, was largely motivated by personal animus.