We think it’s safe to say Rep. Matt Gaetz has not been having a great week. In fact, it’s been a pretty terrible one for the antigay lawmaker from Florida.
On Tuesday, the New York Times reported that the Department of Justice is currently investigating whether he “had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old and paid for her to travel with him.”
Gaetz, of course, denies everything and says he’s the victim of a $25 million extortion scheme possibly being led by someone inside the Biden White House. Or something.
Over the past several weeks my family and I have been victims of an organized criminal extortion involving a former DOJ official seeking $25 million while threatening to smear my name.
We have been cooperating with federal authorities in this matter…
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) March 30, 2021
…and my father has even been wearing a wire at the FBI’s direction to catch these criminals. The planted leak to the FBI tonight was intended to thwart that investigation.
No part of the allegations against me are true, and the people pushing these lies are targets…
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) March 30, 2021
…of the ongoing extortion investigation.
I demand the DOJ immediately release the tapes, made at their direction, which implicate their former colleague in crimes against me based on false allegations.
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) March 30, 2021
Hours before to the scandal broke, Axios reported that Gaetz had privately told confidantes that he was thinking about retiring before his term ends in 2023 to take a job at the right-wing propaganda network Newsmax.
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The Daily Beast followed up with a second report saying Gaetz has been in talks with not only Newsmax, but also Fox News and One America News Network.
Related: Of course Matt Gaetz is considering quitting Congress for a career in television
Since Gaetz has been accused of sleeping with a teenager, however, Fox has rushed out a statement basically saying it’s not interested in touching him with a ten foot pole.
“No one with any level of authority has had conversations with Matt Gaetz for any of our platforms, and we have no interest in hiring him,” the network said in a statement.
Related: Madison Cawthorn is being dragged into Matt Gaetz’s teen sex scandal
Meanwhile, neither OAN nor Newsmax are commenting on the rumors, other than a spokesman for the latter telling The Hill that the network does not disclose “talent discussions or future programming plans.”
But sources now say Gaetz is unlikely to land a gig at Newsmax. And OAN’s founder and CEO, Robert Herring, doesn’t seem interested in working with the guy either.
“Right now, I’m not really hiring anybody for talk shows,” he said. “I think he is a great congressman, and I told [that ‘somebody’] to tell him to stay there. That’s what I want Congressman Gaetz to do.”
Now, here’s what folx on Twitter have been saying about Gaetz’s teen sex scandal…
Who thinks Matt Gaetz is putrid, sleazy shit ball?
— ?4fuxake!? (@blueheartedly) April 1, 2021
Odd Matt Gaetz Facebook post I just found from 2016. pic.twitter.com/GSEKn376kx
— John Aravosis ???????? (@aravosis) April 1, 2021
You would have thought QAnon would've caught Matt Gaetz for trafficking in underage women. After all isn't that what they claim to be about?!
— (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) April 1, 2021
Republicans came down harder on Joe Biden for tripping while walking up stairs than they did on Matt Gaetz for trafficking underage girls for sex.
— Grande Capo (@VoLinxx) April 1, 2021
Yes, Matt Gaetz can be the target of an extortion plot and guilty of sex-trafficking.
In fact, there’d be nothing to extort him about if there was no there there.
So don’t pay attention to his clouding the issue.
He’s under investigation for a sex crime involving a minor.
— Michelangelo Signorile (@MSignorile) April 1, 2021
It's time for @mattgaetz to resign from Congress #ResignMattGaetz
— ??Aunt Crabby Calls Bullshit ?? (@DearAuntCrabby) April 1, 2021
Matt Gaetz is an April fool…and a May fool, a June fool, etc.
— Annie C ? (@anet2111) April 1, 2021
I don’t get it. If @mattgaetz is NOT guilty of child sex trafficking, why would his family pay blackmail to keep that quiet? If anything, Gaetz’s so-called “defense” makes him look even more guilty!
— Jon Cooper ?? (@joncoopertweets) April 1, 2021
#MattGaetz is probably really sorry right now that he refuted all those stories about him being drunk a lot.
— Buddy Winston (@BuddyWinston) April 1, 2021
If no sex crime had occurred, there’d be no:
– FBI probe
– concern by Gaetz about catching the purported *blackmailer*
– willingness by allies to engage in catching the supposed perp.Also, Gaetz doesn’t understand the difference between bribery, extortion and blackmail. pic.twitter.com/DaiurQPx4p
— Monty 🇺🇸Lincoln’s Speeches🇺🇸 Boa (@MontyBoa99) April 1, 2021
Graham Gremore is the Features Editor and a Staff Writer at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.
Bosch
Hahaha 25 million dollar extortion scheme… Exposing sexual hypocrisy and predation doesn’t cost a dime.
I’ve noticed recently that a lot of homophobes are perfectly fine with humping children. That’s the orientation of their moral compass.
ggontarek
You must be speaking about yourself as I KNOW you AIN’T talking about me or many others on here. Take your bs elsewhere.
jeters
Secret playground for adults, where you can meet different people – xmeet.fun
Cam
Gaetz also messed up. The timeline doesn’t work, his claims about being extorted unfortunately for him supposedly took place MONTHS after the investigation into his child trafficking began.
So even if true, which is doubtful, it doesn’t change the fact that he is under investigation for child trafficking and statutory rape.
jcool
maybe it speaks poorly of my character, but i am SO enjoying this scandal
ggontarek
Not at all.
Max
you’d think with all that forehead that he’d be smarter. it’s just filled with bean bag beads…
Mr. Stadnick
He is the heir to the crown of insanity that Sarah Palin had previously worn. With that crown of insanity comes a weekend with Prince Andrew!
Mister P
If he is too much of a predator for Fox it must be bad.
Mandrake
According to the Washington Post today, Gaetz’z accusations of being victim of a $25 million blackmail scheme is correct. Who would have thunk it??
Cam
That also would indicate that there is something for him to be blackmailed about.
aaerobear
I don’t know, but I would think that if his dad was wearing a wire, that it would be pretty stupid to broadcast it all over the digital world. Wires are supposed to be SECRET>
fur_hunter
I want to see his FAT A SS being dragged off to prison. And while it’s happening, I will be doing the Snoopy Happy Dance!!! YeeeHaw!!!!
Essie
Gaetz needs to shut up and get a good lawyer. Also, these are TWO different/separate investigations months apart. He’s just blowing smoke to burn everybody’s eyes so they don’t see what’s really going on. He had sex with a 17 year old girl and took her across state lines. That is totally separate from the so-called extortion against his family. I read somewhere that the extortion thing is to buy video of him and others at an orgy with young girls and drugs.
GayVeteranOfcr
We are shocked when we are told there may be evidence of sexual deviation by our elected officials, even more shocked when they are GOP, Republican, who claim to be for “law and order” but appear to be for anything but law and order. Take #45, who broke so many laws, allegedly.
GOP are into controlling all things sexual and reproductive, such as women’s bodies, but don’t support families or children, not really. They claim they are, but the bills they pass are against families and children. This may be why they seek so actively for sex.
Mack
Hell, not only are they proclaiming to be the “law & order” Party, but the party of “family values”.
Al
See the wrinkles on Gaetz’ forehead? On ‘Tucker Carlson’, he could barely move his face
Fahd
Yesterday, I thought who’s his father that we are supposed to believe someone would try to get $25 million out of him. So, I read the Mother Jones article about him (and his family) yesterday. VEEP in real life. This guy seems to be as corrupt as they come, supported by a corrupt political machine in Northwest Florida that has his dad as its central figure. And of course those poor duped mostly veterans of his District could be persuaded to vote for this ne’er-do-well. Let’s see if dad can get him out of this one.
hayesj
Congrats on the most horrible picture of a person I’ve ever seen. You have totally captured his putrid, self hating soul. It’s brilliant!
scotty
the new greg stilson.
HMFan
Wait a minute. Does Gaetz’s “son” Nestor know about this open relationship set-up? Nestor, sweetie, you could do SO MUCH BETTER than Matt Gaetz.
Terrycloth
Every time he opens his pie.hole he makes it worse for himself..he should let his lawyers do the talking..stay away from.tv interviews and social media..ex tucker Carlson.