How Matt Gaetz Used Daddy's Money to Become Trump's Favorite Congressman

[orangecrush]

"What’s the benefit of being the president’s most sycophantic fanboy in Congress? If you ask the office of Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Republican from the Florida Panhandle, what the congressman’s unquestioning defense of Donald Trump has brought his district, you will receive a list titled “President Trump Wins for FL-01.” Among the 17 items:

“President Trump says Rep. Gaetz is ‘handsome, going places…fantastic’ in Fort Myers, Florida rally.”



“President Trump holds rally in Pensacola, FL with Matt Gaetz.”

“President Trump calls Rep. Gaetz ‘an absolute warrior’ in live Fox News interview.”

“President Trump endorses Gaetz in the Republican primary calling him ‘one of the finest and most talented people in Congress.’”






Flattery in Trumpworld is a two-way street, and Gaetz, 37, has earned a reputation for becoming one of the party’s highest-profile members by cheerleading for the president and emulating his public bullying and trolling. Gaetz seems to spend more time on Fox News than in congressional committee rooms, and when he does legislate, it’s sometimes for show. After Trump mocked the House Intelligence Committee chair, one of his chief antagonists, as “little pencil-­neck Adam Schiff,” Gaetz went on Tucker Carlson’s show to announce a resolution to boot the California Democrat off the committee. Gaetz called it the Preventing Extreme Negli­gence with Classified Information Licenses Act, or PENCIL Act.

The suck-up beat comes with risks for Gaetz: covering for Trump’s lies, contradicting himself, looking bad in history books, getting ratioed on Twitter. In June, a constituent pelted him with an unidentified red beverage. But there are upsides: free rides on Air Force One. Compliments from Melania. Invaluable campaign endorsements in Florida’s most Republican district. And, most important, TV appearances.

“Matt Gaetz is living proof that Veep was less parody and more prophecy,” says Steve Schmidt, a veteran Republican political strategist and a Trump critic. “To some degree, he’s a character in the grandest reality show of all. He exists at the hinge of reality and alternate reality.”


https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/07/how-matt-gaetz-used-daddys-money-to-become-trumps-favorite-congressman/

[blm]

1. And he probably murdered his college roommate.

[3Hotdogs]

2. Of all the benefits listed above, a compliment from Melania would be my most desired.

It would certainly cause my little soldier to come to attention.

[orangecrush]

5. I dated a model once

Unfortunately, in her case, the sterotypes were accurate.

[Celerity]

3. kick! a must read, and FUCK you Gaetz, you fucking git

[orangecrush]

4. ...