>>> REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN MATT
GAETZ BATTLING ALLEGATIONS OF
SEX TRAFFICKING AND SEX WITH A
MINOR.
HE HAS DENIED IT ALL, SOMETIMES
ON FRIENDLY TURF.
>> THERE IS NO 17-YEAR-OLD THAT
I HAD ANY SEXUAL CONTACT WITH AS
AN ADULT MAN, ABSOLUTELY NOT.
DOES NOT EXIST, DID NOT HAPPEN.
THERE ARE A TON OF THINGS IN MY
LIFE LOOKING BACK THAT I WISH I
WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY, BUT
NONE OF THEM ARE CRIMINAL.
NONE OF THIS CONSTITUTES A
CRIME.
>> GAETZ CONTINUING TO MAKE HIS
OWN DEFENSE THERE ON AIR AND IN
PERSON.
THAT WAS WITH NEWSMAX.
IF SO, THEN OF COURSE EVERYONE
HAS A RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL.
AS WE HAVE EMPHASIZED, GAETZ
HASN’T BEEN CHARGED YET AND HE
DENIED ALL THESE ALLEGATIONS.
ALTHOUGH, HE’S FACING A LOT OF
PROBLEMS WITH HIS INDICTED ALLY.
THE NEXT PART OF HIS DEFENSE IS
HE’S JUST LIKE TRUMP.
>> BUT THEY ALWAYS COME FOR THE
FIGHTERS, GRANT.
DONALD TRUMP, DONALD TRUMP JR.,
RUDY GIULIANI, STEVE BANNON,
MATT GAETZ.
IT’S NEVER THE MEEK THEY COME
FOR.
IT IS ALWAYS THOSE FIGHTING HARD
FOR THE AMERICA FIRST AGENDA,
AND I’VE GOT A LOT OF FIGHT LEFT
IN ME.
>> GAETZ IS CERTAINLY FIGHTING,
THAT’S TRUE, POLITICALLY AS WELL
AS IN THIS TYPE OF
LEGAL-ADJACENT DEFENSE.
HE BRINGS THE FIGHT IN PUBLIC
TOMORROW BECAUSE HE’S DOING
RALLIES WITH MARJORIE TAYLOR
GREENE.
>> THE AMERICA FIRST MOVEMENT
ISN’T GOING ANYWHERE.
IN FACT, WE’RE GOING ON TOUR.
AND WE WILL CALL OUT THE
ESTABLISHMENT IN BOTH POLITICAL
PARTIES.
I’M EXCITED ON FRIDAY MARY
TAYLOR GREEN AND I ARE HOSTING
AN AMERICA FIRST RALLY.
>> IT WILL BE IN FLORIDA, THE
STATE WHERE HE’S FROM AND WHERE
JOEL GREENBERG IS NOW IN JAIL
AND DISCUSSING, REPORTEDLY, SOME
TYPE OF COOPERATION.
WE MENTIONED THAT BLOCKBLOSER
DAILY BEAST REPORT WHERE
GREENBERG WROTE DOWN HIS
CONFESSION AND SAID GAETZ PAID
FOR MENTION WITH MULTIPLE WOMEN
AS WELL AS A GIRL WHO WAS 17 AT
THE TIME.
SINCE THIS STORY BROKE, NBC HAS
NOT BEEN ABLE TO OBTAIN THAT
LETTER, SO WE CAN’T PERSONALLY VERIFY THROUGH OUR REPORTING.
VERIFY THROUGH OUR REPORTING.
GAETZ HAS NOT BEEN CHARGED AT
THIS TIME.
IS THAT FAIR?
>> GOD.
I GUESS I HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT.
IT’S NOT WHAT I EVER WISH TO BE
MY EP TAT, BUT GO AHEAD, ARI.
STUDENT OF THE MAGA MOVEMENT.
>> WELL, I HEAR YOU.
IT’S PART OF WHERE YOU ENDED UP
IN THIS POLITICAL ERA.
IT MAY NOT BE EVERYTHING YOU
HAVE DONE OR WILL DO, BILL.
BUT I TEE THAT UP BECAUSE THIS
IS QUITE A SET OF SALACIOUS
STORIES.
WE HAVE HEARD FROM VICTIM
ADVOCATES AND ATTORNEYS WITH
CONCERN, AS WELL AS OPEN
QUESTIONS WHICH CAN ONLY BE
RESOLVED THROUGH FACT GATHERINGS
AND DUE PROCESS ABOUT WHAT, IF
ANYTHING, MR. GAETZ HAS DONE.
THERE ARE
HOW DOES SOMEONE IN THIS MUCH
TROUBLE IS DOUBLING DOWN ON THIS
MAGA ATTACK, NOT ONLY ON
DEMOCRATS OR LIBERALS BUT THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF HIS OWN PARTY,
BILL.
>> HE’S TAKING A VICTORY LAP ON
TWITTER TODAY, AN ADDITIONAL
TWEET RELISHING THE FACT THAT
THREE MONTHS AGO HE WENT TO
WYOMING TO ATTACK LIZ CHENEY.
SHE ATTACKED THAT FIRST ASSAULT
AND THEY MAY LOSE NEXT WEEK.
HE WAS AHEAD OF THE CURVE ON
ATTACKING LIZ CHENEY, WHICH IS
ASTOUNDING.
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS NOW
DOING NOTHING TO PUNISH MATT
GAETZ AT THIS POINT, NOT EVEN DISTANCING THEMSELVES FROM HIM,
DISTANCING THEMSELVES FROM HIM,
NOT EVEN CRITICIZING HIM WARY OF
LIZ CHENEY WILL BE DEPOSED NEXT
WEEK.
WHY?
FOR TELLING THE TRUTH.
FOR TELLING THE TRUTH AND NOT
BOWING TO DONALD TRUMP.
THAT’S IT, RIGHT?
SO TO BE A PARTY THAT’S PRO
GAETZ AND ANTICHANEY, THAT’S
ASTOUNDING.
>> YEAH.
YEAH, THAT’S ONE WAY TO PUT IT.
I WANT TO PLAY A LITTLE MORE
FROM HIS SPEAKING OUT.
I SAY THIS TO VIEWERS BUT
SOMETIMES I HAVE TO KEEP SAYING
IT SO IT MAY NOT SOUND TRUE, BUT
IT IS.
>> IT IS UNUSUAL FOR PEOPLE
CAUGHT UP IN SERIOUS FEDERAL
PROBES TO DO SPONTANEOUS
REPEATED TV INTERVIEWS.
I KNOW WE HAVE GIULIANI.
NOW WE HAVE GAETZ.
THIS IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL, EVEN FOR
POLITICIANS.
BUT HERE IS MORE FROM THE GAETZ
INTERVIEW.
>> WHAT YOU SEE FROM THE
GOVERNMENT, I THINK, IS REALLY
POLLICIZATION OF THE DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE.
REALLY THAT STARTED UNDER BARACK
OBAMA AND ERIC HOLDER, AND THEN
IT CONTINUED OVER.
I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF SWAMP
LEFT TO BE DRAINED AT THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
BILL, IT SOUNDS ALMOST LAZY, BUT
IS THIS EFFECTIVE?
WHERE DOES THIS FIT INTO THE
PROBLEM FACING AT LEAST PART OF
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY?
>> I THINK IT MAY -- I DON’T
THINK THAT HE’S BEING FOOLISH
FROM HIS POINT OF VIEW.
HE’S NOT GIVING ANY INFORMATION
SO WHETHER HE CAN BE INDICTED OR
NOT AND ALL THE CASH
TRANSACTIONS OR WHATEVER THEY
ARE, APP TRANSACTIONS OF CASH TO
YOUNG WOMEN AND ALL THAT
DISGUSTING STUFF.
BUT WHAT HE’S DOING NOW IS
ATTACKING THE PROSECUTORS,
RIGHT?
IT WORKS POLITICALLY OFTEN.
WE KNOW THAT OVER THE YEARS,
RIGHT?
WHETHER IT WOULD ACTUALLY HELP
AT A TRIAL, WHO KNOWS?
BUT IT MAKES HIM A HERO.
HE’S PERSECUTED.
HE CAN’T TO MUCH IN TERMS OF
WHAT THE FEDS HAVE OR IN TERMS
OF THE ACTUAL EVIDENCE OR
CRIMINALITY.
BUT HE CAN DO A LOT TO HELP.
BEING PERSECUTED BY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, THAT’S GOOD.
THE BEST THING FOR HIM, IF HE
COULD GET TO TRIAL AND GET A
HUNG JURY, FANTASTIC.
HE’LL BE A HERO.
YOU KNOW?
IT TELLS YOU ABOUT THE MOVEMENT,
THE VICTIMS’ UNDERSTAND OF THE
MOVEMENT AS BEING VICTIMS OF THE
KEEP STATE AND THE BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION.
AND, SO, FROM HIS POINT OF VIEW,
HE’S PLAYING HIS HAND.
HE’S TRYING TO BENEFIT HIMSELF
POLITICALLY.
I WISH I COULD TELL YOU.
THE LAST FEW MONTHS I WOULD HAVE
SAID, MY GOD, HE’S IN DEEP
TROUBLE.
AFTER JANUARY 6th I THOUGHT
THINGS WOULD CHANGE.
THINGS HAVE GOTTEN WORSE IN THE
MAGA MOVEMENT.
CONSERVATIVES WHO A YEAR AGO
WERE LIKE, LET’S GET THROUGH
TRUMP.
NOW IT’S ALL EXCUSES FOR TRUMP.
EXCUSES FOR KEVIN McCARTHY.
THIS IS AMAZING.
JANUARY 6th SHE DID NOT VOTE TO
OVER TURN THE ELECTORS FROM
ARIZONA.
EVEN SHE THOUGHT THAT WAS NUTS.
NOW SHE’S ON STEVE BANNON’S
SHOW, A GUY WHO HIMSELF WAS
INDICTED IN PART BY DONALD TRUMP
AS A GRIFTER AND TOTAL SYCOPHANT
AND AUTHORITARIANS ALL OVER THE
WORLD AND SHE SUPPORTING THE
LUDICROUS ARIZONA RECOUNT.
I MEAN, THE GENERATION OF THE
PARTY IS REALLY ASTONISHING.
AND GAETZ FITS RIGHT IN.
>> YEAH.
AS YOU REMIND US, THERE IS
LARGER STAKES HERE THAN ANY
INDIVIDUAL CASE OR ONE’S VIEWS
ON DOJ REFORM OR ANY NUANCED
LEVEL.
I KNOW WHAT YOU CARE A LOT ABOUT
IS IS THIS GOING TO BE A
GOVERNING COMPACT THAT HOLDS
WHEN WE RESPECT THE OUTCOMES OF
ELECTIONS BECAUSE HAD IT BEEN
DOWN TO JUST ONE STATE OR
SOMETHING THAT WAS A POTENTIALLY
DEBATABLE THING IN COURT -- I
MEAN, THE SUPREME COURT DIDN’T
EVER EVEN HEAR IT.
IT WOULD HAVE IF THEY REJECTED
IT.
THEY DIDN’T EVEN HEAR IT.
BUT WHAT HAPPENS WITH A STRONG
MAN OR WOMAN TYPE OF
AUTHORITARIAN LEADER IF THEY ARE
EMBEDDED WITH THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY AND IT IS CLOSE AND THEY
SAY WE’RE NOT FOLLOWING THE
COURT AND WE ARE GOING TO SEIZE
THE MILITARY.
THIS WAS AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN GET
WITHOUT IT BEING WORSE.
AND WE KNOW HOW BAD IT WAS ON
JANUARY 6th.
SO I APPRECIATE THE LARGER
CONTEXT.
THAT’S WHAT WE EXPECT FROM YOU
BILL BECAUSE, AS I MENTIONED,
AND I SAY THIS BECAUSE I KNOW
BILL, AT THE END OF THE DAY, ALL
HE IS AND ALL HE EVER STOOD FOR
AND ALL HE’LL BE REMEMBERED BY
IS HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH DONALD
TRUMP.
I’M KIDDING, BILL.
>> THAT’S OKAY.
THAT’S OKAY.
I CAN TAKE IT.
THANKS, ARI.
>> ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE YOU.
BILL CRYSTAL, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
>> FAT JOE MEANS MORE TO ME THAN
DONALD TRUMP.
>> AT LEAST YOU HAVE THAT CARD