>>> FLORIDA REPUBLICAN MATT >>> FLORIDA REPUBLICAN MATT GAETZ, I HAVE TO SAY, I WAS ON VACATION LAST WEEK, BUT I DID MAKE A LITTLE TIME FOR THIS STORY. IN THE MIDST OF SWIRLING REPORTS OF INVESTIGATION AND ALLEGATIONS OF POSSIBLE SEX WITH A 17-YEAR-OLD AND PAYING FOR SEX WITH OTHER WOMEN SAYS THE SWAMP IS OUT TO GET ME. HE’S REFUSING TO RESIGN, BUT OTHER REPUBLICANS ARE TAKING POTSHOTS AT GAETZ IN THE SAFETY OF OFF THE RECORD ANONYMITY. REPUBLICANS WILL ABSOLUTELY CALL FOR HIM TO RESIGN PUBLICLY IF HE’S INDICTED ON THE CHARGES THAT INCLUDE SEX WITH A TEENAGER. MELANIE HAS BEEN HELPING COVER THIS STORY. IT’S GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON. THERE’S THIS INVESTIGATION OF GAETZ, HIS OP-ED TODAY, I WON’T RESIGN, AND HIS REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES. LET’S JUST TALK ABOUT THE OP-ED FIRST, WHICH WAS A SORT OF BIZARRE DOCUMENT. WHAT IS YOUR READ ON WHAT HE’S DOING IN THIS OP-ED? >> TO ME, IT LOOKS LIKE HE’S FOLLOWING THE DONALD TRUMP PLAYBOOK. HE’S ABSOLUTELY DEFIANT, HE’S TRYING TO MUDDY THE WATERS BY SAYING HE’S THE VICTIM OF AN EXTORTION SCHEME, AND HE BROUGHT UP THE FBI PROBE, WHICH IS SEPARATE TO THE DOJ PROBE. HE’S BRINGING UP THE MEDIA, THE SWAMP, THE MERRICK GARLAND DEPARTMENT, WHILE THE INVESTIGATION STARTED UNDER BUILTBILL BARR. AND HE’S BRINGING HIMSELF UP, COMPAREING HIMSELF TO JUSTICE KAVANAUGH. BUT IF HE’S INDICTED, HE WILL HAVE A LOT BIGGER PROBLEMS TO DEAL WITH. >> AND THIS LINE CAUGHT OUR EYE. HE SAYS, YOU’LL SEE MORE DRIP, DRIP, DRIP OF LEAKS INTO THE MEDIA. WHEN YOU SEE THEM, ASK YOURSELF WHY. THEY’RE NOT COMING FOR ME, THEY’RE COMING FOR YOU. I’M JUST IN THE WAY. SO PREPPING US FOR MORE STUFF COMING OUT SEEMS TO ME LIKE A PERSON THAT IS NOT CONFIDENT THAT WE’VE PASSED OVER THIS PORTION OF THE STORY. >> HE SAID, LISTEN, I’M NOT A MONK. I’M NOT PERFECT. SOME OTHER STATEMENTS THINGS LIKE, WHILE I’VE CHERISHED MY PAST RELATIONSHIPS, BUT I’M READY TO GET MARRIED TO THE LOVE OF MY LIFE NOW. HE’S BEING VERY PARTICULAR WITH HIS WORDING, AND I ASSUME HIS LAWYER IS TELLING HIM TO SHUT UP, BUT WHO KNOWS. BUT I THINK THIS WILL ONLY CONTINUE TO BE A HUGE PROBLEM FOR HIM. AND HE’S UNDER A HUGE MICROSCOP RIGHT NOW. >> AND REPORTS OF THE INVESTIGATION OF A POSSIBILITY OF HIM HAVING A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH A 17-YEAR-OLD, SAYING I’VE NEVER HAD SEX WITH A 17-YEAR-OLD, THE DENIAL IS A LITTLE ALARM BELL-Y IN MY HEAD. >> I THINK IT’S A MIX OF THINGS. YOU’RE RIGHT, HE DOES NOT HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS IN CONGRESS. THEY VIEW HIM AS A SHOWBOATER, THEY DON’T TAKE HIM SERIOUSLY. HE HAS THIS FRAT BOY REPUTATION. AND HIS DISTRICT IS VERY CONSERVATIVE, THERE’S NO CONCERN ABOUT LOSING THAT SEAT IF HE STEPS DOWN. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, CONGRESS IS ON RECESS RIGHT NOW. I DON’T THINK ANYONE WANTS TO BE THE FIRST ONE IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TO CALL ON HIM TO RESIGN. BUT, YOU KNOW, I AGREE IF THERE IS AN INDICTMENT THAT COMES DOWN, LIKE, THE FLOODGATES, NO PUN INTENDED, WILL OPEN. >> YOU CAN’T PREDICT THE FUTURE, BUT DOES THAT SEEM LIKELY TO YOU? WHAT IS YOUR SENSE -- I’M HAVING A HARD TIME PARSING THE LEVEL OF SERIOUSNESS THAT WE’RE LOOKING AT HERE FROM A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION STANDPOINT. >> I CAN’T SPEAK TO THE INVESTIGATION. CLEARLY, THEY’RE STILL KNOCKING ON DOORS. GAETZ’S FORMER STAFFER SAID TODAY THEY WERE APPROACHED BY THE FBI LAST WEEK. THE STAFFER SAID, I DON’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE ALLEGATIONS, AND THEY’RE BASELESS. WE DON’T KNOW WHAT HIS EXPOSURE IS, BUT I CONFIRMED WITH TWO SOURCES THAT HE HAS BEEN SHOWING OFF NUDE PICTURES AND VIDEOS ON HIS PHONE TO COLLEAGUES IN CONGRESS. ANOTHER SOURCE SHOWED ME A BOX OF EMPTY CONDOMS IN THE TRASH BIN OUTSIDE OF HIS OFFICE. ALL OF HIS BEHAVIOR AS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS IS COMING UNDER GREATER SCRUTINY. I THINK HE HAS A MAJOR PR
