Some Republicans including some Trump administration alums could barely disguise their glee after the New York Times reports on Tuesday evening that Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz was being investigated by the Department of Justice for alleged sex trafficking.
A former White House staffer, told Business Insider that Gaetz is “the meanest person in politics,” adding other former Trump aides “feel a little vindicated” by the news.
“Good riddance,” another former Trump White House aide said. “It sounds like he let whatever BS power he thought he had go to his head and he thought himself above the law.”
A former congressional aide said now Republicans can get rid of him without getting their hands dirty.
“Republican leadership will likely watch him completely implode in a matter of days without having to do a thing,” the former aide told Business Insider. Though, stripping him of committee assigned would require more action from the DOJ.
“The congressman is one of those that came to Washington to make an impression for fame and fortune rather than accomplishing anything in Washington for his constituents,” a national Republican campaign consultant said. “Matt is going to have a popularity problem now, and may just fade into obscurity. No one will want to associate with him until there’s a resolution — which probably won’t be favorable.”
A Republican House staffer said Gaetz “is not in the legislative business. He’s just out there to blow sh*t up and get on TV.”
Gaetz has denied the allegations, claiming that he’s the victim of an extortion plot by a former Justice Department official.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy told Fox News that Gaetz would be removed from committee if the allegations are found to be true.
“Those are serious implications. If it comes out to be true, yes, we would remove him if that’s the case,” McCarthy said. “But right now Matt Gaetz says that it’s not true and we don’t have any information. So let’s get all the information.”
Before the news broke on Tuesday, Gaetz was reportedly considering retiring from Congress early for a job at Newsmax.
