Before The New York Times revealed the Department of Justice was investigating him over a sexual relationship with an underage girl, Matt Gaetz had other big news: He was thinking of leaving Congress. What would he do? Become a TV pundit, obviously. He initially just floated Newsmax as a possible new home, but he later told The Daily Beast he had talked to other far right outlets, such as OANN, even Fox News. The latter, at least, shut that down, saying they’re just not that into him.
“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,” a Fox News spokesperson told publication, not mincing words.
Gaetz had suggested otherwise. “There is not a single conservative television station I haven’t had a passing conversation with about life after Congress,” he bragged to The Daily Beast. “I have neither received nor solicited offers from any of them. But yes, I’ve talked to either executives, producers or hosts at Newsmax, OAN, Fox, Fox Business, Real America’s Voice and probably others I’m forgetting in this moment as I focus intently on refuting false accusations against me.”
He might be busy with that for a while. On Tuesday night, a few hours after the New York Times piece broke the story, he went on Tucker Carlson Tonight to tell his side of the story — a side that involved a convoluted tale of extortion involving the FBI. Even Carlson didn’t seem to buy it, not the least because his guest, in the middle of one of his long monologues, suddenly brought up 20-year-old accusations he’d faced involving sexual misconduct — allegations Carlson was quick to shoot down as unfounded.
So maybe whatever happens, Gaetz will rebound at Newsmax or OANN — provided they aren’t sued out of existence by Dominion Voting Systems for spreading misinformation about the 2020 election.
(Via The Daily Beast)