The Matt Gaetz Soap Opera

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 7:31 pm

The Matt Gaetz rollercoaster gets even more bizarre - WaPo.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican known for his fierce allegiance to former president Donald Trump, had been under Justice Department investigation for months for a possible sex crime when two men approached his father with a proposal, people familiar with the matter said.

The men had learned of the investigation, they wrote to Don Gaetz, and wanted to offer an opportunity to help his son, the people said. He could give a huge sum of money to fund their effort to locate Robert A. Levinson — the longest held American hostage in Iran whose family has said they were told he is dead. If the operation was a success, he would win public favor and help alleviate Matt Gaetz’s legal woes.

But Don Gaetz, a prominent Florida Republican who once led the state Senate, viewed the communication suspiciously, the people said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe a continuing and politically sensitive probe. The investigation into Matt Gaetz’s alleged crime — he is suspected of having sex with a 17-year-old girl, as well as funding her travel — was not public knowledge. Fearing his family was being extorted, Don Gaetz contacted the FBI.

...

The men who approached Gaetz’s father, people familiar with the matter said, had no apparent connection to the sex crimes investigation of his son, other than having somehow learned about it before it was publicly reported. But when news of law enforcement’s interest in Gaetz surfaced Tuesday, the congressman asserted that the allegation was “rooted in an extortion effort against my family for $25 million,” and he identified by name a former federal prosecutor who he said was part of the effort.

While the Justice Department investigates possible sex crimes, the FBI is separately examining whether the request to his father about Levinson might constitute extortion, with Gaetz and his family as possible victims. A Justice Department spokesman declined to comment.

The Washington Examiner on Wednesday published a text message and a document that purports to outline the proposal to Don Gaetz.

The materials show that Bob Kent, a former Air Force intelligence analyst, told the former Florida lawmaker in a mid-March text he had a plan that could make Gaetz’s “future legal and political problems go away,” and claimed that Levinson was still alive.

The next day, according to the Examiner, the analyst met with Don Gaetz and gave him a proposal, titled “Project Homecoming,” which made specific claims about the sex-crimes investigation and other lurid allegations against Matt Gaetz, and proposed a plan to make the case go away.

“Our strategy for Congressman Gaetz to mitigate his legal, and political, troubles would be for him, or someone else, to arrange for the funds required to obtain the immediate release of Robert Levinson from captivity in Iran,” the proposal said. “In exchange for the funds being arranged, and upon release of Robert Levinson, Congressman Gaetz shall be given credit for facilitating the release of Mr. Levinson.”

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 8:13 pm

And we all thought the story of Nestor was crazy.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 8:45 pm

Don’t make him whip out another kid.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 8:58 pm

Don't make him whip out anything.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 9:01 pm

I'm still trying to process that he announced yesterday morning that he was considering not running again and/or leaving the House early to join a "news" agency. In the history of modern politics, has any member of Congress ended their appointment early to take up a broadcasting job? Any job?

That alone should tell you this is absolutely bonkers.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 9:09 pm

How Gaetz is able to look at his reflection in a mirror each morning and resist punching himself silly is beyond me. He must have a strong will. Or he just avoids mirrors.

Jaymann · Post by **Jaymann** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 9:20 pm

Here is a candid photo of Don Gaetz:

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 10:28 pm

hepcat wrote: ↑Wed Mar 31, 2021 9:09 pm How Gaetz is able to look at his reflection in a mirror each morning and resist punching himself silly is beyond me.

He tried. Where do you think all the bad luck came from?

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 11:18 pm

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Wed Mar 31, 2021 9:01 pm I'm still trying to process that he announced yesterday morning that he was considering not running again and/or leaving the House early to join a "news" agency. In the history of modern politics, has any member of Congress ended their appointment early to take up a broadcasting job? Any job?

That alone should tell you this is absolutely bonkers.

Wait - it gets better. None of these nutso networks are even legitimately talking to him about a job. The closest is Newsmax and the insiders there are saying it ain't happening.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 8:15 am

Did they purposely try to find a photo that made him look like a Bond villain?

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 8:16 am

No photos exist of him NOT looking like a Bond villain.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 8:19 am

Fair point. Though in some pictures he looks more like elderly Elvis from Bubba Ho Tep.

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:06 am

Wow. I couldn’t disagree more.
He looks -nothing- like a Bond villain to me.

He looks 100% Frat Boy, and ‘Bond villain’ has never once looked ‘frat boy’ to me.

Bond villains are supposed to look like there is some intelligence behind the screen.

Gaetz looks like the kind of guy who’s full of shit and couldn’t find his way to the airport.

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:07 am

Unagi wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:06 am Wow. I couldn’t disagree more.
He looks -nothing- like a Bond villain to me.

He looks 100% Frat Boy, and ‘Bond villain’ has never once looked ‘frat boy’ to me.

Bond villains are supposed to look like there is some intelligence behind the screen.

Gaetz looks like the kind of guy who’s full of shit and couldn’t find his way to the airport.

Frat boy playing a Bond villain.

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:11 am

Zaxxon wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:07 am
Unagi wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:06 am Wow. I couldn’t disagree more.
He looks -nothing- like a Bond villain to me.

He looks 100% Frat Boy, and ‘Bond villain’ has never once looked ‘frat boy’ to me.

Bond villains are supposed to look like there is some intelligence behind the screen.

Gaetz looks like the kind of guy who’s full of shit and couldn’t find his way to the airport.
Frat boy playing a Bond villain.

That’s more accurate.

Carpet_pissr · Post by **Carpet_pissr** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:37 am

hepcat wrote:How Gaetz is able to look at his reflection in a mirror each morning and resist punching himself silly is beyond me. He must have a strong will. Or he just avoids mirrors.

It’s the eyes. He’s got those DeSantis eyes that make a person look like a total douchebag AND 100% untrustworthy at the same time.

Perhaps there’s an online course for future Florida pols thats teaching “squint your eyes JUST SO to unlock the Very Serious but Wannabe Bad Boy achievement that Floridians love to vote for!”

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 10:26 am

He doesn't look like a Bond villain.

He looks like Bond villain's lead henchman.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:03 am

Unagi wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:06 am Wow. I couldn’t disagree more.
He looks -nothing- like a Bond villain to me.

He looks 100% Frat Boy, and ‘Bond villain’ has never once looked ‘frat boy’ to me.

Bond villains are supposed to look like there is some intelligence behind the screen.

Gaetz looks like the kind of guy who’s full of shit and couldn’t find his way to the airport.

How about a pudgy greasy bad guy clone of Jason Bourne?

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:05 am

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:22 am

Heh heh. Insurrection RULES!

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:51 am

Unagi wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:06 am Wow. I couldn’t disagree more.
He looks -nothing- like a Bond villain to me.

He looks 100% Frat Boy, and ‘Bond villain’ has never once looked ‘frat boy’ to me.

Bond villains are supposed to look like there is some intelligence behind the screen.

Gaetz looks like the kind of guy who’s full of shit and couldn’t find his way to the airport.

It's the lighting in that picture.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 12:01 pm

Is he standing over a Palantir?

Jag · Post by **Jag** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 12:25 pm

Gaetz grew up in a town called Niceville and his parents own the house that The Truman Show was filmed in. Maybe he is still living in a simulation.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 4:12 pm

Reporters are hearing from Gaetz's colleagues, and it kind of seems like everyone thinks he's a creep. (See linked article.)

In addition to the stories about his (apparently weirdly public) sex life, it's being said that he's devoted to booze and illegal drugs.

I'm going to guess cocaine.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 4:21 pm

Using campaign money for travel seems rather pedestrian in comparison to what's been floated so far.

The Justice Department is investigating whether Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz misused campaign funds to pay for travel and other expenses, CNN's Evan Perez reported on Thursday.

The scrutiny is part of a broader investigation into if Gaetz had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old in 2019 and paid for her travel, which would violate federal sex trafficking laws.

News of the inquiry first broke on Tuesday, when The New York Times reported that the Justice Department has been looking into Gaetz for months.

$iljanus · Post by **$iljanus** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 6:45 pm

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 4:21 pm Using campaign money for travel seems rather pedestrian in comparison to what's been floated so far.
The Justice Department is investigating whether Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz misused campaign funds to pay for travel and other expenses, CNN's Evan Perez reported on Thursday.

The scrutiny is part of a broader investigation into if Gaetz had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old in 2019 and paid for her travel, which would violate federal sex trafficking laws.

News of the inquiry first broke on Tuesday, when The New York Times reported that the Justice Department has been looking into Gaetz for months.

What did you want her to do, hitchhike? Who knows what pervs she would meet on the road?

pr0ner · Post by **pr0ner** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 7:24 pm

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 7:59 pm

hitbyambulance · Post by **hitbyambulance** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 8:07 pm

"it's what they _don't_ say you have to listen for"

Jaymann · Post by **Jaymann** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:23 pm

pr0ner wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 7:24 pm

The way that's worded, you can't tell if he was showing videos or abusing women on the House floor. Or both.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 10:42 pm

I can remember just a few years ago that the Fox News on the news room side was surprisingly solid. That's over now.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 10:46 pm

Gaetz is cooked.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:04 pm

Thoughts and prayers.

Anyone betting he’ll still be in Congress three weeks from now?

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:18 pm

Holman wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:04 pm Thoughts and prayers.

Anyone betting he’ll still be in Congress three weeks from now?

It's a toss up. Our country is deeply unserious after all. He may very well get re-elected for all we know post conviction.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:54 pm

Holman wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:04 pm Thoughts and prayers.

Anyone betting he’ll still be in Congress three weeks from now?

Wasn't he already talking about bailing? I don't follow scandals closely because they all blur together, so I might be conflating him with some other scalawag, but I thought he'd already been frozen out of committee assignments and generally shunned. Congressman might be the worst job he's ever had.

IDK where he's from, but if his district elected him, I'm sure they're replace him with another deplorable.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:56 pm

Florida 1st district, on the panhandle including Pensacola, iirc.

Skinypupy · Post by **Skinypupy** » Fri Apr 02, 2021 9:03 am

Gaetz is getting memoryhold by Fox.

Andrew Cuomo has been mentioned at least 17 times on Fox News and Fox Business just this morning. Matt Gaetz hasn't been mentioned a single time on either network for almost two full days.

Ralph-Wiggum · Post by **Ralph-Wiggum** » Fri Apr 02, 2021 9:14 am

Holman wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:04 pm Thoughts and prayers.

Anyone betting he’ll still be in Congress three weeks from now?

It's the GOP: he'll probably now be the front runner candidate for 2024.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Fri Apr 02, 2021 9:16 am

It's part memory hole and partly shunning since Gaetz seemingly implicated Tucker Carlson as a witness. He is Fox's chief propaganda officer after all.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Fri Apr 02, 2021 9:53 am

malchior wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:18 pm
Holman wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:04 pm Thoughts and prayers.

Anyone betting he’ll still be in Congress three weeks from now?
It's a toss up. Our country is deeply unserious after all. He may very well get re-elected for all we know post conviction.

In a pre Trump world, I would have doubted that. In a post Trump world, it's almost a certainty he would.