Well, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) wanted a “Gaetzgate,” and he got one, alright. Even Fox News has come out in response to Gaetz suggesting that he might work with him with a big fat nope, and this happened after Tucker Carlson declared that he was astounded after talking with Gaetz while calling it “one of the weirdest interviews I’ve ever conducted.” And apparently, Tucker was also seriously angry with Gaetz too.
The subject in question, of course, was the New York Times report that detailed allegations of Gaetz having a relationship with a 17-year-old girl. There’s a federal Department of Justice investigation because Gaetz may have violated sex trafficking laws (he reportedly paid the girl to travel with him), and Gaetz was wildly claiming that he was being extorted by an ex-DOJ official for $25 million. And in the middle of the bizarre interview, Gaetz tried to drag Tucker under the bus by suggesting that Tucker had met Gaetz’s “friend” at a dinner. Tucker denied Gaetz’s attempt to link him to the scandal:
Gaetz: “You and I went to dinner about two years ago. Your wife was there, and I brought a friend of mine, you’ll remember her.”
Carlson: “I don’t remember the woman you are speaking of or the context at all, honestly.”
CNN is now reporting word from a source has revealed Tucker’s behind-the-scenes reaction: “It pissed him off.”
It’s a more than reasonable reaction for Carlson to have. Gaetz was attempting to legitimize whatever has happened and also suggested that Tucker had knowledge of something, and Tucker wasn’t about to get dragged into this hot mess. Rep. Ted Lieu has pointed out that this could eventually make Tucker a witness in the investigation, so yep, not wise, Gaetz. Of course, it’s hard to expect much at all from the lone lawmaker who voted against an anti-sex-trafficking bill in 2017.
You can re-watch the full Carlson-Gaetz interview below: