New book details the moment a GOP lawmaker appeared to lunge at Matt Gaetz

It was one of the most rambunctious scenes to unfold on the floor of the House of Representatives in modern history. In the 14th round of voting to elect a new speaker of the House on Jan. 6, 2023, Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama appeared to lunge toward his fellow Republican, then-Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida. In an apparent attempt to restrain his colleague and avoid a televised fight in the middle of a congressional session, a third GOP lawmaker — Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina — clawed at Rogers' face, holding him back. New details on the confrontation — which came late at night, after more than a dozen failed votes in the most protracted and divisive House speaker election in decades — are recounted in a book by John Leganski. The longtime congressional aide managed the House floor for the man who was eventually elected speaker, Kevin McCarthy. Gaetz was the chief agitator among a group of six far-right Republicans intent on keeping McCarthy from the gavel. Over the course of four days , the holdouts forced vote after vote while demanding that McCarthy make various concessions. Earlier in the day on Jan. 6, Gaetz had demanded he be named chair of a subcommittee on the Armed Services Committee. Rogers was in line to chair the armed services panel. Rebuffed, Gaetz suggested allowing members to leave for the weekend and reconvene after that. Aware that passing time can allow new problems to arise, McCarthy's team refused. …