'He's not a team player': Republicans steer clear of Gaetz amid DOJ investigation

[riversedge]

'He's not a team player': Republicans steer clear of Gaetz amid DOJ investigation



By Manu Raju, Jeremy Herb and Annie Grayer, CNN

Updated 6:13 PM ET, Wed April 14, 2021


Sources say Gaetz was denied meeting with Trump 03:02

(CNN)House Republicans are doing their best to steer clear of embattled Rep. Matt Gaetz amid an FBI investigation into whether he broke sex trafficking laws and had sex with a 17-year-old girl.


The Republican efforts to keep their distance from Gaetz also offer him a lifeline within the GOP conference, as he appears safe at the moment from facing retribution within the party unless formal charges are filed.


House GOP leaders say they're waiting to see what comes of the Justice Department investigation before deciding on any action to take against Gaetz. And rank-and-file Republicans are trying to avoid answering questions or to change the subject when asked about their Florida colleague's possible legal troubles.

"Right now, it's hard to speculate on rumors, but if something really formal happens from Justice we would of course react and take action," House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, a Louisiana Republican, told reporters Wednesday when asked if he had confidence in Gaetz.

For Republicans, the allegations surrounding Gaetz amount to a major distraction as they try to push the Biden administration over the record number of unaccompanied minors at the border and the President's plans for a massive infrastructure package. As Gaetz has built up little goodwill with his colleagues, few are eager to rush to his defense even as he denies the allegations against him. CNN spoke with more than a dozen GOP lawmakers, who largely tried to avoid getting into the allegations, while noting that Gaetz has few friends in the conference willing to defend him....................

[onecaliberal]

1. You mean he's going to sing like a bird and take as many of you out as possible with him.

That's the best thing about it.