Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) says after Kevin Spacey shadowed him to research his role on the Netflix political thriller “House of Cards,” the actor “stole” a line he had said to him and repeated it on the show.
According to the House majority whip, who is poised to become the House majority leader on Friday, when Spacey asked how much he twists arms: “I told him I say to members, ‘You vote your district, you vote your conscience, you just don’t surprise me.’ And he stole that line for the show.”
{mosads}In an interview with People magazine for its Aug. 1 issue, McCarthy said he hasn’t put to practice any of the conniving, vengeful plans that Spacey’s politician character, Frank Underwood, employs in the show. When the glossy mag inquired whether he learned anything from “House of Cards,” he replied, “Things not to do.”
The 49-year-old lawmaker also offers a few personal tidbits, including a love of (perhaps purloined) presidential memorabilia. McCarthy admits to swiping the VIP blankets at the 2013 presidential inauguration, saying, “On Air Force One I took everything!” His 18-year-old daughter, Meghan, appears to agree, saying, “He’ll need a museum someday.”