Watch Matt Gaetz keep trying to drag Tucker Carlson into his DOJ investigation
 
 
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) tried multiple times on Tuesday night to pull Tucker Carlson into the web of allegations reportedly made against him involving a possible relationship with an underage girl, but was rebuffed each time.
Gaetz appeared on Carlson's Fox News show shortly after The New York Times reported the Department of Justice had launched an investigation into whether Gaetz had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl and paid for her to travel with him out of state. Gaetz told Carlson this was "verifiably false" and claimed it was part of an elaborate extortion scheme targeting his wealthy family.
Gaetz alleged that the person blackmailing him claimed to have "specific connections inside the Biden White House. I don't know if that's true. They were promising that Joe Biden would pardon me. Obviously I don't need a pardon." Then, Gaetz quickly pivoted, and mentioned something that likely got many viewers at home firing up Google. "I'm not the only person on screen right now who has been falsely accused of a terrible sex act. You were accused of something that you did not do, and so you know what this feels like."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
 
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Carlson replied that Gaetz was referring to "a mentally-ill viewer who accused me of a sex crime 20 years ago, it was not true and I'd never met the person." He tried to get the spotlight back on Gaetz, but the congressman wasn't done with Carlson just yet.
"I can say that 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, and she was actually threatened by the FBI and told if she wouldn't cop to the fact that somehow I was involved in some pay-for-play scheme that she could face trouble," Gaetz said. "So I do believe there are people at the Department of Justice who are trying to smear me." Carlson pushed back at this attempt to make him a witness, saying, "I don't remember the woman you're speaking of or the context at all, honestly."
When it was over, Carlson called the interview one of the "weirdest" ones he's "ever conducted," and said while he doesn't "quite understand" the case, "we'll bring you more when we find out." Catherine Garcia
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
- 
 The 5 best political thriller series of the 21st century The 5 best political thriller series of the 21st centuryThe Week Recommends Viewers can binge on most anything, including espionage and the formation of parliamentary coalitions 
- 
 Sudan stands on the brink of another national schism Sudan stands on the brink of another national schismThe Explainer With tens of thousands dead and millions displaced, one of Africa’s most severe outbreaks of sectarian violence is poised to take a dramatic turn for the worse 
- 
 ‘Not every social scourge is an act of war’ ‘Not every social scourge is an act of war’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day 
- 
 Senate votes to kill Trump’s Brazil tariff Senate votes to kill Trump’s Brazil tariffSpeed Read Five Senate Republicans joined the Democrats in rebuking Trump’s import tax 
- 
 Border Patrol gets scrutiny in court, gains power in ICE Border Patrol gets scrutiny in court, gains power in ICESpeed Read Half of the new ICE directors are reportedly from DHS’s more aggressive Customs and Border Protection branch 
- 
 Shutdown stalemate nears key pain points Shutdown stalemate nears key pain pointsSpeed Read A federal employee union called for the Democrats to to stand down four weeks into the government standoff 
- 
 Trump vows new tariffs on Canada over Reagan ad Trump vows new tariffs on Canada over Reagan adspeed read The ad that offended the president has Ronald Reagan explaining why import taxes hurt the economy 
- 
 NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footage NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges 
- 
 Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East Wing Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction 
- 
 Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 more Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 moreSpeed Read The US military destroyed two more alleged drug smuggling boats in international waters 
- 
 Trump demands millions from his administration Trump demands millions from his administrationSpeed Read The president has requested $230 million in compensation from the Justice Department for previous federal investigations 
 
