Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) described Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) as a guy that supported al Qaeda.

Gohmert’s description came Friday during a panel discussion of Republican lawmakers at the Values Voter Summit. Gohmert mentioned McCain as he discussed the government shutdown.

“I heard just before I came, some senator from Arizona, a guy that liked Gaddafi before he wanted to bomb him,” Gohmert said. “A guy that’s been to Syria and supported al Qaeda and the rebels. But he was saying today the shutdown has been a fools’ errand. And I agree with him, the president and Harry Reid should not have shut this government down.”

Earlier in the day McCain, during an appearance on Fox News, stressed that the government shutdown was a result of a conservative effort to defund Obamacare.

Gohmert’s comment is likely a reference to McCain’s visit to northern Syria where he was escorted by rebels there. According to McClatchy, the rebels escorting McCain were fighting fighters that supported al Qaeda.

McCain’s office said it would not dignify Gohmert’s comment with a response.