Madison Cawthorn offers up shockingly bad explanation for cocaine, orgy remarks
If you thought Madison Cawthorn's (R-N.C.) orgy and cocaine allegations were too outlandish to be true ... it's probably because, well, they were. Womp, womp.
Apparently, when Cawthorn met with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Wednesday (as McCarthy had promised his members he'd do), Cawthorn admitted some of the shocking allegations were exaggerated and incorrect. In return, McCarthy told the freshman lawmaker "he's lost my trust" and "laid out everything I find is unbecoming," per Axios. Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) was also present at the meeting.
Let's rewind for a quick refresher on what happened —
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
During a recent conversation with Jon Lovell of the Warrior Poet Society podcast, Cawthorn was asked whether life in Congress mirrors the political drama House of Cards, to which Cawthorn replied by claiming he had been invited to orgies at the homes of DC insiders and watched leaders in the anti-drug movement do key bumps of cocaine.
Obviously, Cawthorn's fellow Republicans weren't too happy with his claims, and demanded McCarthy speak to the lawmaker to find out who he was referring to.
On Wednesday, all the clarity McCarthy could offer after the sit-down was that Cawthorn "thinks he saw maybe a staffer" doing cocaine "in a parking garage from 100 yards away," per Axios and Politico.
Not a very strong explanation, Cawthorn. To start, how do you know what anyone's doing from 100 yards away? And what about the orgies? Were those in the parking garage too? Please, make it make sense!
The response was seemingly good enough for McCarthy, however, because the leader said he'll wait and see how Cawthorn decides to better himself before taking any official action against him, per Axios.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
How worried should we be about asteroids?
Today's Big Question Odds of asteroid 2024 YR4 hitting Earth have fluctuated wildly this week
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Why does Elon Musk take his son everywhere?
Talking Point With his four-year-old 'emotional support human' by his side, what message is the world's richest man sending?
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
The Week Unwrapped: Why are sinkholes becoming more common?
Podcast Plus, will Saudi investment help create the "Netflix of sport"? And why has New Zealand's new tourism campaign met with a savage reception?
By The Week UK Published
-
Trump's Ukraine about-face puts GOP hawks in the hot seat
IN THE SPOTLIGHT The president's pro-Russia pivot has alienated allies, emboldened adversaries, and placed members of his party in an uncomfortable position
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump seeks to end New York's congestion pricing
Speed Read The MTA quickly filed a lawsuit to stop the move
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump officials try to reverse DOGE-led firings
Speed Read Mass firings by Elon Musk's team have included employees working on the H5N1 bird flu epidemic and US nuclear weapons programs
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump blames Ukraine for war after US-Russia talks
Speed Read The US and Russia have agreed to work together on ending the Ukraine war — but President Trump has flipped America's approach
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Musk's DOGE seeks access to IRS, Social Security files
Speed Read If cleared, the Department of Government Efficiency would have access to tax returns, bank records and other highly personal information about most Americans
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Senate confirms RFK Jr. as health secretary
Speed Read The noted vaccine skeptic is now in charge of America's massive public health system
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump lays out plans for broad 'reciprocal' tariffs
Speed Read Tariffs imposed on countries that are deemed to be treating the US unfairly could ignite a global trade war and worsen American inflation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Top US prosecutors resign rather than drop Adams case
speed read The interim US attorney for the Southern District and five senior Justice Department officials quit following an order to drop the charges against Mayor Eric Adams
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published