On Sunday night, John Oliver opened the latest edition of Last Week Tonight by addressing #GaetzGate, the disturbing allegations that Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) engaged in a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old and may have violated sex-trafficking laws by paying for the teenager to travel across state lines. (Gaetz has denied the allegations.)
“Lil Nas X twerking on Satan seems positively wholesome compared to the news this week concerning Matt Gaetz,” cracked Oliver. “Gaetz is being investigated for potentially violating sex-trafficking laws involving a minor—something he denies, claiming there is actually a multimillion-dollar extortion plot behind the investigation.”
Yes, Gaetz claims that he’s been embroiled in a $25 million extortion plot involving a friend of his who’s under investigation for sex-trafficking. Gaetz, an ardent defender of former President Donald Trump, was also the only representative in Congress to vote against a 2017 human trafficking bill, and he reportedly showed nude photos of women he claimed to have slept with to members of Congress on the House floor.
Gaetz’s attempts to defend himself—including a statement of denial issued in the third person—haven’t gone so well, epitomized by a disastrous appearance on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News program where he somehow roped Carlson into his mess.
“I can say that, actually, 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,” Gaetz told Carlson. “And she was actually threatened by the FBI [and] told that if she wouldn’t cop to the fact that somehow I was involved in some pay-for-play scheme, that she could face trouble.”
“I don’t remember the woman you’re speaking of or the context at all, honestly,” shot back a perplexed and seemingly offended Carlson.
“Wow. Imagine being the one white man on Earth that Tucker Carlson won’t defend,” offered Oliver. “Tucker was so clearly trying to nope his way out of that whole interview. He looks like he wants to walk out of his own show. The problem is if he did that, it wouldn’t be Tucker Carlson Tonight anymore, it would be the Matt Gaetz Digs His Own Grave Adventure Hour.”
Olive concluded, “Look, I am sure that there will be more to discuss about this story later—probably during Matt Gaetz’s sentencing phase.”
