Contents:
- REP. MATT GAETZ SISTS HE’S “NOT GAY” AFTER REVEALG HIS 19-YEAR-OLD “SON” WHO HE “LOV VERY MUCH”
- “PEOPLE MISCHARACTERIZE MY PERSONAL LIFE”: MATT GAETZ’S LOVE AFFAIR WH THE PUBLIC EYE COM CRASHG DOWN, FOR NOW THE FLORIDA NGRSMAN RO TMP’S ATTAILS STRAIGHT TO AMERI’S NSCNS. NOW THAT HE’S BEEN STRICKEN BY SNDAL, WHERE ARE HIS FENRS?BY ABIGAIL TRACY APRIL 13, 2021MATT GAETZ DURG THE SAVE AMERI SUMM DORAL, FLA., ON APRIL 9, 2021. BY EVA MARIE UZTEGUI/BLOOMBERG/GETTY IMAG.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEWHEN I FIRST MET MATT GAETZ HIS LONGWORTH HOE OFFICE MARCH OF LAST YEAR, HE REFLECTED ON HIS HMAN ORIENTATN. AFTER RATTLG OFF A STRG OF NOTABLE RUM OF REPUBLIN MEMBERS OF HIS CLASS, HE SAID, “I FELT A LTLE LIKE, HOW DO YOU PARE MY EXPERIENCE LIGATG S OKALOOSA COUNTY, FLORIDA, TO WHAT THE OTHER VERY IMPRSIVE PEOPLE HAVE DONE WH THEIR LIV? SO AT THE TIME, I WAS PERHAPS FEELG LIKE I WASN’T TOO TERTG.” THEN WH A GR, HE ADD, “BUT WE HAVE MANAGED TO GET RIGHT SCE THEN.” WHETHER GAETZ WAS TERTG OR NOTOR AT THE TIME PEND UPON WHO YOU ASKED. BUT HE CERTALY HAD ACHIEVED SOMETHG. AFTER ALL, I WAS THERE FOR A REASON. THE PLAN FOR THE DAY WAS TO S DOWN WH THE NGRSMAN FOR A FORMAL TERVIEW AND THEN BE HIS SHADOW AT THE ANNUAL CONSERVATIVE POLIL ACTN CONFERENCE. MY PCH TO GAETZ’S TEAM WAS THAT I WAS TERTED HIS POLICY VIEWS. NOT, AS GAETZ CHARACTERIZED PAST PROFIL OF HIMSELF, “OKAY, WELL, HOW DO YOU GO OM BEG A BORG HMAN MEMBER OF CONGRS, NORTH FLORIDA LAWYER TO BEG ON TELEVISN ALL THE TIME AND BEG A VOICE FOR THE PARTY?” HE HAD RECENTLY BROKEN WH DONALD TMP ON ONE ISSUE, VOTG “Y” ON A HOE ROLUTN TO PREVENT FUTURE ARY ACTN AGAST IRAN WHOUT NGRSNAL APPROVAL. AND ON A NUMBER OF OTHER ISSU—SUCH AS MARIJUANA LEGALIZATN AND CLIMATE CHANGE—GAETZ DON’T TOE THE PARTY LE. BUT A MORE NUANCED PCH FOR MY PIECE WOULD HAVE BEEN HOW BEG ON TELEVISN ALL THE TIME AND HIS EMERGENCE AS ONE OF TMP’S MOST PROMENT AND VOCIFERO FENRS GAVE GAETZ THE LICENSE TO LOR OUTSI THE TRADNAL GOP POLICY L. AFTER YEARS OF GAETZ’S OMNIPRENCE ON FOX NEWS AS A TMP LOYALIST, TAK SOME MENTAL GYMNASTICS TO WRAP ONE’S HEAD AROUND THE MEMORY THAT HE IALLY SUPPORTED JEB BH THE 2016 REPUBLIN PRINTIAL PRIMARY. BUT WH ERSTWHILE LAWMAKERS LIKE JEFF FLAKE RELEGATED TO POLIL PURGATORY, SERVG AS OBJECT LSONS THE DANGERS OF BREAKG WH TMP, GAETZ SHOWED THE POWER OF HCHG ONE’S POLIL ASPIRATNS TO THE MAN WHO HAD BEE THE NEW FACE OF THE REPUBLIN PARTY. “I’M A DIFFERENT KD OF REPUBLIN, AND I THK WE ARE A TIME OF POLIL REALIGNMENT MA POSSIBLE BY THE TMP PRINCY,” HE TOLD ME. “I AM SPIRED BY THAT MOVEMENT AND RMED BY , AND I VIEW THE TMP PRINCY NOT AS A NDN TO BE MANAGED, BUT AS AN OPPORTUNY TO BE SEIZED.” GAETZ WAS NOT THE ONLY REPUBLIN PLAYG THIS GAME. HE WAS JT THE BT AT . BUT THE QUTN NOW FOR GAETZ, AS A BALLOONG SEX SNDAL SWIRLS AROUND HIM AND WH TMP OUT OF OFFICE, IS WHETHER THE L OF THE GAME HAVE CHANGED. AND NOT JT FOR GAETZ, BUT FOR ALL THE TMP ALYT. THE SNDAL SURROUNDG THE FLORIDA NGRSMAN—DUBBED GAETZGATE, THANKS TO THE MAN HIMSELF—HAS RAPIDLY UNFURLED SCE THE NEW YORK TIM REPORTED THE EXISTENCE OF AN ONGOG JTICE DEPARTMENT VTIGATN, WHICH BEGAN UNR TMP AND FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL WILLIAM BARR, TO WHETHER GAETZ HAD A SEXUAL RELATNSHIP WH A 17-YEAR-OLD AND PAID FOR HER TO CROSS STATE L. THE QUIRY REPORTEDLY STEMMED OM A BROAR PROBE TO THE ACTNS OF A GAETZ ASSOCIATE, JOEL GREENBERG, WHO WAS DICTED ON 33 UNTS AND IS EXPECTED TO STRIKE A PLEA AL WH THE DOJ. A NUMBER OF THREADS HAVE SPUN OUT SCE THE FIRST TIM REPORT: ACCATNS ON HIS CHARACTER AND BEHAVR, CLUDG ALLEGATNS THAT GAETZ SHOWED OTHER LAWMAKERS NU PHOTOS ON THE HOE FLOOR OF WOMEN HE SAID HE SLEPT WH, AND THAT GAETZ ED WEBS SUCH AS SEEKG ARRANGEMENT TO NNECT WH YOUNG WOMEN, ORDATED BY GREENBERG. GAETZ FOR HIS PART HAS NIED THAT HE SLEPT WH ANYONE UNRAGE AND HAS SISTED THAT HE NEVER PAID FOR SEX. HE HAS SAID THAT HE AND HIS FAY ARE THE VICTIMS OF AN EXTORTN PLOT TO PURPORTEDLY RCUE AN AMERIN WHO WENT MISSG IRAN 2007. “MY PERSONAL LIFE IS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN NDUCTED ON MY OWN TIME AND MY OWN DIME. CONSENSUAL ADULT RELATNSHIPS ARE NOT ILLEGAL. ALTHOUGH I’M SURE SOME PARTISAN CROOKS MERRICK GARLAND’S JTICE DEPARTMENT WANT TO PERVERT THE TTH AND THE LAW TO GO AFTER ME, I WILL NOT BE TIMIDATED OR EXTORTED,” GAETZ WROTE AN OP-ED FOR THE WASHGTON EXAMER. “YOU’LL SEE MORE ‘DRIP, DRIP, DRIP’ OF LEAKS TO THE MEDIA OM THE RPT JTICE DEPARTMENT AND OTHERS. WHEN YOU DO, ASK YOURSELF WHY. THEY AREN’T G FOR ME—THEY ARE G FOR YOU. I’M JT THE WAY.” LIKE TMP, GAETZ’S I IS THE MEDIA. A REGULAR REA OM HIM IS “STAGECRAFT IS STATECRAFT.” AND HIS BOOK FIREBRAND LAYS OUT A VIEW THAT A PROMENT PROFILE IS MORE POWERFUL THAN A LEARSHIP POSN. “IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO GET NCELED IF YOU’RE ON EVERY CHANNEL,” HE WROTE, DISMISSG CRICISM OM FORMER SPEAKER OF THE HOE PL RYAN THAT HE APPEARED ON TELEVISN TOO MUCH. “POLICS, THEY SAY, IS SHOW BS FOR UGLY PEOPLE. THE REAL QUTN IS WHO WR THE SCRIPTS AND PRODUC THE ACTS. YOU ARE ERNED BY THE THEATER GEEKS OM HIGH SCHOOL, WHO WENT ON TO MAKE BIG BOOKG GUTS ON THE TALK SHOWS,” GAETZ WR. “IGNORE THEM AND THEY’LL IGNORE YOU, AND YOU’LL GO NOWHERE FAST. THE HAIRDRSERS AND MAKP LADI AND MERAMEN PICK OUR PRINTS. AS WELL THEY SHOULD. THEY ARE CLOSER TO THE VIEWERS AND THEREFORE THE VOTERS.” GAETZ IS A NATURAL SHOWMAN. AND WH A REALY-TELEVISN STAR THE OVAL OFFICE, THE TMP-ERA—FED BY PERFORMATIVE POLICS—WAS MA FOR HIM. HIS FOC ON APPEARANCE WAS PRENT THROUGHOUT THE DAY I SPENT WH HIM. MY FIRST -PERSON GLIMPSE OF THE NGRSMAN WAS HIM APPLYG NCEALER ONT OF A LARGE MIRROR HIS OFFICE. LATER, A GREENROOM AT CPAC, HE WOULD EXPRS GLEE AT A DYSON HAIRDRYER, WHICH HE TOLD HIS CHIEF OF STAFF, JILLIAN LANE WYANT, “CHANGED MY LIFE.” HE ALSO SHARED THAT HE ORIGALLY PLANNED TO SPORT A BRIGHT GREEN TIE FOR HIS SPEECH AT THE NFERENCE, BUT AT THE BEHT OF WYANT, OPTED FOR A SUBTLER OPTN. AS WE STROLLED THROUGHOUT THE GAYLORD NATNAL RORT & CONVENTN CENTER FORT WASHGTON, MARYLAND, GAETZ WAS NSTANTLY BOMBARD WH SELFIE REQUTS—NOT ONE OF WHICH I SAW HIM TURN DOWN. AND HE WAS UNR NO DISILLN AS TO WHERE HIS POPULARY STEMMED OM: HIS DIE-HARD SUPPORT FOR TMP. “I THK THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WATCH FOX NEWS DAILY WERE FAIAR WH ME LAST YEAR,” HE SAID. “I THK THIS YEAR, AS A NSEQUENCE OF IMPEACHMENT…A FEW MORE FOLKS SEEMED TO REGNIZE ME.” ONCE, AFTER MY DAY SPENT WH GAETZ, HE JOKED THAT WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT MY TELEVISN APPEARANC. HE HAD A FEW POTERS. AND HONTLY, I PROBABLY ULD HAVE BENEFED OM THEM HAD I TAKEN HIM UP ON THE OFFER. BY TABLISHG HIMSELF AS A NO-HOLDS-BARRED TMP ALLY—ONE WILLG TO FEND THE SEEMGLY FENSIBLE—THROUGH HIS TELEVISN APPEARANC, GAETZ WAS ABLE TO GRATIATE HIMSELF WH THE PRINT. “IT ED TO BE THE SE WASHGTON THAT ONLY YOUR LEARSHIP THE CONGRS ULD HELP YOU TABLISH YOUR RELATNSHIP WH THE PRINT, OR ULD GET YOU A FLIGHT ON AIR FORCE ONE, OR ULD GET YOU A MEETG THE OVAL OFFICE,” GAETZ TOLD ME. BUT TMP WAS DIFFERENT, AND THE PREMIUM HE PLACED ON LOYALTY ALLOWED GAETZ TO JUMP THE LE. “THE PRINT’S BIG TO BUDDY CHECKS,” SAID GAETZ. “HE LLS UP HIS BUDDI AND SEEKS THEIR FEEDBACK, REACTN, SIGHT ON A VARIETY OF ISSU.”IT WAS GAETZ’S RELATNSHIP WH TMP THAT, MANY WAYS, GAVE HIM THE VER TO BREAK WH HIS PARTY AND EVEN ATTACK MEMBERS ON HIS SI OF THE AISLE, WYOMG NGRSWOMAN LIZ CHENEY PERHAPS THE GREATT EXAMPLE OF THIS PROCLIVY. WHY NOT ATTACK A WARMONGER’S DGHTER WHEN YOU ARE TCHG RIS ON AIR FORCE ONE? IN HIS BOOK, GAETZ POSS THAT TMP—A THRICE-MARRIED, DOCUMENTED ADULTERER—MA ROOM FOR A BACHELOR LIKE GAETZ ON CAPOL HILL. “WE’VE GOT A PRINT NOW WHO DON’T RE FOR PURANIL GRANDSTANDG OR MORALISTIC PREENG. HE IS A LOT MORE DIRECT, EVEN VISCERAL, OPEN, AND REALISTIC ABOUT HIS LIK AND DISLIK, SO OVERALL, THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO BE A FUN-LOVG POLICIAN STEAD OF A STICK--THE-MUD,” GAETZ WR. “I HAVE AN ACTIVE SOCIAL LIFE, AND ’S PROBABLY EASIER THE ERA OF TMP. WE’VE HAD ‘PERFECT FAY MAN’ PRINTS BEFORE, AFTER ALL, AND MANY OF THOSE MEN SOLD OUT OUR UNTRY, EVEN IF THEIR WIV WERE HAPPY THE WHOLE TIME. IF POLICIANS’ FAY LIV AREN’T WHAT REALLY MATTER TO THE VOTERS, MAYBE THAT’S A GOOD THG. I’M A REPRENTATIVE, NOT A MONK.” MOST POPULARPRCE HARRY AND MEGAN MARKLE H BEYONCE SHOW IN LABY EVE BATEYKYLE DCHANEL, THE ROTHSCHILD WHO WASN’TBY NATE FREEMANJENNA ORTEGA REILS AT JOHNNY DEPP DATG RUMORS BY EVE BATEYBUT NOW, AS GAETZ’S PROBLEMS GROW AS THE ALLEGATNS—RANGG OM GROSS TO POTENTIALLY ILLEGAL—STACK UP AGAST HIM, THERE IS A QUTN AS TO WHETHER HE OVERPLAYED HIS HAND. AFTER ALL, THERE IS ACTG LIKE TMP AND THEN THERE IS BEG TMP. AS THE STANDARD-BEARER OF THE REPUBLIN PARTY, WH A VISE-LIKE GRIP ON THE RANK AND FILE, TMP WAS ABLE TO THROW OUT A FENSE OF HIS BEHAVR, AND NO MATTER HOW LUDICRO, THE VAST MAJORY OF THE PARTY WOULD FALL LE AND PARROT HIS TALKG POTS. BUT THE PROBLEM FOR GAETZ IS HE DON’T HAVE HIS OWN GAETZ. ASI OM A MEEK FENSE OM HIS BUDDY JIM JORDAN, WHO PREVLY FOUND HIMSELF EMBROILED A SEX-ASSLT SNDAL, AND HMAN MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE, WHO HAS NEVER HEARD A NSPIRACY THEORY SHE DIDN’T WANT TO TWEET ABOUT WHILE DOG CROSSF, THE SILENCE OM HIS PARTY HAS BEEN AFENG. AND PERHAPS THE EXHST PORT THE DEATH STAR GAETZ BUILT HAS ALWAYS BEEN TMP, A MAN LOYAL TO NO ONE BUT HIMSELF. MUCH LIKE HIS SUCCS WAS TIED TO TMP, SO TOO, ARGUABLY, IS HIS MISE. SCE GAETZGATE BROKE, THE PRINT HAS SHOWN LTLE PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR HIS BIGGT FAN. ASI OM NYG A REPORT THAT GAETZ HAD ASKED FOR A BLANKET PARDON AND, THROUGH AN ASSOCIATE, SHOOTG DOWN ANOTHER REPORT THAT HE REFED A MEETG WH GAETZ AT MAR-A-LAGO, THE 45TH PRINT HAS STAYED LARGELY MUM. EVEN DONALD TMP JR. HAS BEEN UNCHARACTERISTILLY QUIET. ALL THAT SAID, I WOULDN’T UNT GAETZ OUT JT YET. AMONG HIS NGRSNAL LLEAGU, THE ASSUMPTN HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT THE FLORIDA LAWMAKER’S NEXT ACT WOULD BE A TALKG HEAD ON A NSERVATIVE WORK. (FORMER NGRSWOMAN KATIE HILL SAYS GAETZ TOLD HER HE WASN’T SURE HE WANTED TO BE CONGRS IF TMP WASN’T PRINT.) EVEN BACK MARCH 2020, THIS MOR WAS PERVASIVE ENOUGH THAT I ASKED GAETZ IF HE HAD NSIRED LEAVG FOR FOX NEWS, BUT THE PRINT ASKED HIM TO STAY. AT THE TIME HE TOLD ME FLAT OUT, “THERE’S NO TTH TO THAT.” BUT JT HOURS BEFORE THE NEW YORK TIM FIRST REPORTED THAT GAETZ WAS UNR VTIGATN FOR THE ALLEGED SEX TRAFFICKG OF A 17-YEAR-OLD, AXS PUBLISHED A REPORT THAT HE WAS TALKS WH NEWSMAX. I WAS ASKED A RECENT TELEVISN APPEARANCE WHETHER FOX NEWS’ STATEMENT THAT HAD “NO TERT HIRG” GAETZ WAS A ATH KNELL HIS ASSUMED TELEVISN ASPIRATNS. I AM OF URSE NO POSN TO MAKE THIS JUDGMENT; I DO NOT WORK FOR HUMAN ROURC AT FOX NEWS. BUT I WOULD ARGUE THAT IF GAETZ IS NOT DICTED, HE WILL ONLY BE MORE APPEALG TO HIS SUPPORTERS AND THE DIENCE THE NSERVATIVE WORK HAS SPENT YEARS CULTIVATG. JT ASK CARTER PAGE. LAST YEAR, I ASKED GAETZ WHAT, IF ANYTHG, HE THOUGHT PEOPLE GOT WRONG ABOUT HIM. “PEOPLE MISCHARACTERIZE MY PERSONAL LIFE, THEY MISCHARACTERIZE MISTAK I’VE MA THE PAST, AND WE JT DON’T WORRY ABOUT , HONTLY,” HE TOLD ME. “IN THIS OFFICE WE TRY TO PLAY OFFENSE EVERY DAY.” MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR — INSI THE MSY BREAKUP OF AN ONLYFANS MOL AND HER ÜBER-WEALTHY BOYIEND— WYOMG TELLS DONALD TMP JR. TO S DOWN AND STFU— A WAVE OF DISPLACED NEW YORKERS IS UPENDG THE HAMPTONS SOCIAL ORR— HOW A GROUP OF RICH MEMPHIANS ACTED ON TMP’S BIG LIE DURG CAPOL ATTACK— PROSECUTORS ARE LG UP WNS TMP INVTIGATNS— REPUBLINS BRAVE PLAN TO STOP MASS SHOOTGS: DO NOTHG— NEXT-LEVEL HARASSMENT OF FEMALE JOURNALISTS PUTS NEWS OUTLETS TO THE TT— SIX PHOTOGRAPHERS SHARE IMAG FROM THEIR COVID YEAR— FROM THE ARCHIVE: AMERIN NIGHTMARE, THE BALLAD OF RICHARD JEWELL— SERENA WILLIAMS, MICHAEL B. JORDAN, GAL GADOT, AND MORE ARE G TO YOUR FAVORE SCREEN APRIL 13–15. GET YOUR TICKETS TO VANY FAIR’S COCKTAIL HOUR, LIVE! HERE.ABIGAIL TRACY
REP. MATT GAETZ SISTS HE’S “NOT GAY” AFTER REVEALG HIS 19-YEAR-OLD “SON” WHO HE “LOV VERY MUCH”
Gaetz’s sudn obssn wh this teenage Cuban boy who he lls his “son” and claims to “love very much” led to mors that he’s gay, promptg some people to wish him a “Happy Pri!
“PEOPLE MISCHARACTERIZE MY PERSONAL LIFE”: MATT GAETZ’S LOVE AFFAIR WH THE PUBLIC EYE COM CRASHG DOWN, FOR NOW THE FLORIDA NGRSMAN RO TMP’S ATTAILS STRAIGHT TO AMERI’S NSCNS. NOW THAT HE’S BEEN STRICKEN BY SNDAL, WHERE ARE HIS FENRS?BY ABIGAIL TRACY APRIL 13, 2021MATT GAETZ DURG THE SAVE AMERI SUMM DORAL, FLA., ON APRIL 9, 2021. BY EVA MARIE UZTEGUI/BLOOMBERG/GETTY IMAG.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEWHEN I FIRST MET MATT GAETZ HIS LONGWORTH HOE OFFICE MARCH OF LAST YEAR, HE REFLECTED ON HIS HMAN ORIENTATN. AFTER RATTLG OFF A STRG OF NOTABLE RUM OF REPUBLIN MEMBERS OF HIS CLASS, HE SAID, “I FELT A LTLE LIKE, HOW DO YOU PARE MY EXPERIENCE LIGATG S OKALOOSA COUNTY, FLORIDA, TO WHAT THE OTHER VERY IMPRSIVE PEOPLE HAVE DONE WH THEIR LIV? SO AT THE TIME, I WAS PERHAPS FEELG LIKE I WASN’T TOO TERTG.” THEN WH A GR, HE ADD, “BUT WE HAVE MANAGED TO GET RIGHT SCE THEN.” WHETHER GAETZ WAS TERTG OR NOTOR AT THE TIME PEND UPON WHO YOU ASKED. BUT HE CERTALY HAD ACHIEVED SOMETHG. AFTER ALL, I WAS THERE FOR A REASON. THE PLAN FOR THE DAY WAS TO S DOWN WH THE NGRSMAN FOR A FORMAL TERVIEW AND THEN BE HIS SHADOW AT THE ANNUAL CONSERVATIVE POLIL ACTN CONFERENCE. MY PCH TO GAETZ’S TEAM WAS THAT I WAS TERTED HIS POLICY VIEWS. NOT, AS GAETZ CHARACTERIZED PAST PROFIL OF HIMSELF, “OKAY, WELL, HOW DO YOU GO OM BEG A BORG HMAN MEMBER OF CONGRS, NORTH FLORIDA LAWYER TO BEG ON TELEVISN ALL THE TIME AND BEG A VOICE FOR THE PARTY?” HE HAD RECENTLY BROKEN WH DONALD TMP ON ONE ISSUE, VOTG “Y” ON A HOE ROLUTN TO PREVENT FUTURE ARY ACTN AGAST IRAN WHOUT NGRSNAL APPROVAL. AND ON A NUMBER OF OTHER ISSU—SUCH AS MARIJUANA LEGALIZATN AND CLIMATE CHANGE—GAETZ DON’T TOE THE PARTY LE. BUT A MORE NUANCED PCH FOR MY PIECE WOULD HAVE BEEN HOW BEG ON TELEVISN ALL THE TIME AND HIS EMERGENCE AS ONE OF TMP’S MOST PROMENT AND VOCIFERO FENRS GAVE GAETZ THE LICENSE TO LOR OUTSI THE TRADNAL GOP POLICY L. AFTER YEARS OF GAETZ’S OMNIPRENCE ON FOX NEWS AS A TMP LOYALIST, TAK SOME MENTAL GYMNASTICS TO WRAP ONE’S HEAD AROUND THE MEMORY THAT HE IALLY SUPPORTED JEB BH THE 2016 REPUBLIN PRINTIAL PRIMARY. BUT WH ERSTWHILE LAWMAKERS LIKE JEFF FLAKE RELEGATED TO POLIL PURGATORY, SERVG AS OBJECT LSONS THE DANGERS OF BREAKG WH TMP, GAETZ SHOWED THE POWER OF HCHG ONE’S POLIL ASPIRATNS TO THE MAN WHO HAD BEE THE NEW FACE OF THE REPUBLIN PARTY. “I’M A DIFFERENT KD OF REPUBLIN, AND I THK WE ARE A TIME OF POLIL REALIGNMENT MA POSSIBLE BY THE TMP PRINCY,” HE TOLD ME. “I AM SPIRED BY THAT MOVEMENT AND RMED BY , AND I VIEW THE TMP PRINCY NOT AS A NDN TO BE MANAGED, BUT AS AN OPPORTUNY TO BE SEIZED.” GAETZ WAS NOT THE ONLY REPUBLIN PLAYG THIS GAME. HE WAS JT THE BT AT . BUT THE QUTN NOW FOR GAETZ, AS A BALLOONG SEX SNDAL SWIRLS AROUND HIM AND WH TMP OUT OF OFFICE, IS WHETHER THE L OF THE GAME HAVE CHANGED. AND NOT JT FOR GAETZ, BUT FOR ALL THE TMP ALYT. THE SNDAL SURROUNDG THE FLORIDA NGRSMAN—DUBBED GAETZGATE, THANKS TO THE MAN HIMSELF—HAS RAPIDLY UNFURLED SCE THE NEW YORK TIM REPORTED THE EXISTENCE OF AN ONGOG JTICE DEPARTMENT VTIGATN, WHICH BEGAN UNR TMP AND FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL WILLIAM BARR, TO WHETHER GAETZ HAD A SEXUAL RELATNSHIP WH A 17-YEAR-OLD AND PAID FOR HER TO CROSS STATE L. THE QUIRY REPORTEDLY STEMMED OM A BROAR PROBE TO THE ACTNS OF A GAETZ ASSOCIATE, JOEL GREENBERG, WHO WAS DICTED ON 33 UNTS AND IS EXPECTED TO STRIKE A PLEA AL WH THE DOJ. A NUMBER OF THREADS HAVE SPUN OUT SCE THE FIRST TIM REPORT: ACCATNS ON HIS CHARACTER AND BEHAVR, CLUDG ALLEGATNS THAT GAETZ SHOWED OTHER LAWMAKERS NU PHOTOS ON THE HOE FLOOR OF WOMEN HE SAID HE SLEPT WH, AND THAT GAETZ ED WEBS SUCH AS SEEKG ARRANGEMENT TO NNECT WH YOUNG WOMEN, ORDATED BY GREENBERG. GAETZ FOR HIS PART HAS NIED THAT HE SLEPT WH ANYONE UNRAGE AND HAS SISTED THAT HE NEVER PAID FOR SEX. HE HAS SAID THAT HE AND HIS FAY ARE THE VICTIMS OF AN EXTORTN PLOT TO PURPORTEDLY RCUE AN AMERIN WHO WENT MISSG IRAN 2007. “MY PERSONAL LIFE IS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN NDUCTED ON MY OWN TIME AND MY OWN DIME. CONSENSUAL ADULT RELATNSHIPS ARE NOT ILLEGAL. ALTHOUGH I’M SURE SOME PARTISAN CROOKS MERRICK GARLAND’S JTICE DEPARTMENT WANT TO PERVERT THE TTH AND THE LAW TO GO AFTER ME, I WILL NOT BE TIMIDATED OR EXTORTED,” GAETZ WROTE AN OP-ED FOR THE WASHGTON EXAMER. “YOU’LL SEE MORE ‘DRIP, DRIP, DRIP’ OF LEAKS TO THE MEDIA OM THE RPT JTICE DEPARTMENT AND OTHERS. WHEN YOU DO, ASK YOURSELF WHY. THEY AREN’T G FOR ME—THEY ARE G FOR YOU. I’M JT THE WAY.” LIKE TMP, GAETZ’S I IS THE MEDIA. A REGULAR REA OM HIM IS “STAGECRAFT IS STATECRAFT.” AND HIS BOOK FIREBRAND LAYS OUT A VIEW THAT A PROMENT PROFILE IS MORE POWERFUL THAN A LEARSHIP POSN. “IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO GET NCELED IF YOU’RE ON EVERY CHANNEL,” HE WROTE, DISMISSG CRICISM OM FORMER SPEAKER OF THE HOE PL RYAN THAT HE APPEARED ON TELEVISN TOO MUCH. “POLICS, THEY SAY, IS SHOW BS FOR UGLY PEOPLE. THE REAL QUTN IS WHO WR THE SCRIPTS AND PRODUC THE ACTS. YOU ARE ERNED BY THE THEATER GEEKS OM HIGH SCHOOL, WHO WENT ON TO MAKE BIG BOOKG GUTS ON THE TALK SHOWS,” GAETZ WR. “IGNORE THEM AND THEY’LL IGNORE YOU, AND YOU’LL GO NOWHERE FAST. THE HAIRDRSERS AND MAKP LADI AND MERAMEN PICK OUR PRINTS. AS WELL THEY SHOULD. THEY ARE CLOSER TO THE VIEWERS AND THEREFORE THE VOTERS.” GAETZ IS A NATURAL SHOWMAN. AND WH A REALY-TELEVISN STAR THE OVAL OFFICE, THE TMP-ERA—FED BY PERFORMATIVE POLICS—WAS MA FOR HIM. HIS FOC ON APPEARANCE WAS PRENT THROUGHOUT THE DAY I SPENT WH HIM. MY FIRST -PERSON GLIMPSE OF THE NGRSMAN WAS HIM APPLYG NCEALER ONT OF A LARGE MIRROR HIS OFFICE. LATER, A GREENROOM AT CPAC, HE WOULD EXPRS GLEE AT A DYSON HAIRDRYER, WHICH HE TOLD HIS CHIEF OF STAFF, JILLIAN LANE WYANT, “CHANGED MY LIFE.” HE ALSO SHARED THAT HE ORIGALLY PLANNED TO SPORT A BRIGHT GREEN TIE FOR HIS SPEECH AT THE NFERENCE, BUT AT THE BEHT OF WYANT, OPTED FOR A SUBTLER OPTN. AS WE STROLLED THROUGHOUT THE GAYLORD NATNAL RORT & CONVENTN CENTER FORT WASHGTON, MARYLAND, GAETZ WAS NSTANTLY BOMBARD WH SELFIE REQUTS—NOT ONE OF WHICH I SAW HIM TURN DOWN. AND HE WAS UNR NO DISILLN AS TO WHERE HIS POPULARY STEMMED OM: HIS DIE-HARD SUPPORT FOR TMP. “I THK THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WATCH FOX NEWS DAILY WERE FAIAR WH ME LAST YEAR,” HE SAID. “I THK THIS YEAR, AS A NSEQUENCE OF IMPEACHMENT…A FEW MORE FOLKS SEEMED TO REGNIZE ME.” ONCE, AFTER MY DAY SPENT WH GAETZ, HE JOKED THAT WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT MY TELEVISN APPEARANC. HE HAD A FEW POTERS. AND HONTLY, I PROBABLY ULD HAVE BENEFED OM THEM HAD I TAKEN HIM UP ON THE OFFER. BY TABLISHG HIMSELF AS A NO-HOLDS-BARRED TMP ALLY—ONE WILLG TO FEND THE SEEMGLY FENSIBLE—THROUGH HIS TELEVISN APPEARANC, GAETZ WAS ABLE TO GRATIATE HIMSELF WH THE PRINT. “IT ED TO BE THE SE WASHGTON THAT ONLY YOUR LEARSHIP THE CONGRS ULD HELP YOU TABLISH YOUR RELATNSHIP WH THE PRINT, OR ULD GET YOU A FLIGHT ON AIR FORCE ONE, OR ULD GET YOU A MEETG THE OVAL OFFICE,” GAETZ TOLD ME. BUT TMP WAS DIFFERENT, AND THE PREMIUM HE PLACED ON LOYALTY ALLOWED GAETZ TO JUMP THE LE. “THE PRINT’S BIG TO BUDDY CHECKS,” SAID GAETZ. “HE LLS UP HIS BUDDI AND SEEKS THEIR FEEDBACK, REACTN, SIGHT ON A VARIETY OF ISSU.”IT WAS GAETZ’S RELATNSHIP WH TMP THAT, MANY WAYS, GAVE HIM THE VER TO BREAK WH HIS PARTY AND EVEN ATTACK MEMBERS ON HIS SI OF THE AISLE, WYOMG NGRSWOMAN LIZ CHENEY PERHAPS THE GREATT EXAMPLE OF THIS PROCLIVY. WHY NOT ATTACK A WARMONGER’S DGHTER WHEN YOU ARE TCHG RIS ON AIR FORCE ONE? IN HIS BOOK, GAETZ POSS THAT TMP—A THRICE-MARRIED, DOCUMENTED ADULTERER—MA ROOM FOR A BACHELOR LIKE GAETZ ON CAPOL HILL. “WE’VE GOT A PRINT NOW WHO DON’T RE FOR PURANIL GRANDSTANDG OR MORALISTIC PREENG. HE IS A LOT MORE DIRECT, EVEN VISCERAL, OPEN, AND REALISTIC ABOUT HIS LIK AND DISLIK, SO OVERALL, THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO BE A FUN-LOVG POLICIAN STEAD OF A STICK--THE-MUD,” GAETZ WR. “I HAVE AN ACTIVE SOCIAL LIFE, AND ’S PROBABLY EASIER THE ERA OF TMP. WE’VE HAD ‘PERFECT FAY MAN’ PRINTS BEFORE, AFTER ALL, AND MANY OF THOSE MEN SOLD OUT OUR UNTRY, EVEN IF THEIR WIV WERE HAPPY THE WHOLE TIME. IF POLICIANS’ FAY LIV AREN’T WHAT REALLY MATTER TO THE VOTERS, MAYBE THAT’S A GOOD THG. I’M A REPRENTATIVE, NOT A MONK.” MOST POPULARPRCE HARRY AND MEGAN MARKLE H BEYONCE SHOW IN LABY EVE BATEYKYLE DCHANEL, THE ROTHSCHILD WHO WASN’TBY NATE FREEMANJENNA ORTEGA REILS AT JOHNNY DEPP DATG RUMORS BY EVE BATEYBUT NOW, AS GAETZ’S PROBLEMS GROW AS THE ALLEGATNS—RANGG OM GROSS TO POTENTIALLY ILLEGAL—STACK UP AGAST HIM, THERE IS A QUTN AS TO WHETHER HE OVERPLAYED HIS HAND. AFTER ALL, THERE IS ACTG LIKE TMP AND THEN THERE IS BEG TMP. AS THE STANDARD-BEARER OF THE REPUBLIN PARTY, WH A VISE-LIKE GRIP ON THE RANK AND FILE, TMP WAS ABLE TO THROW OUT A FENSE OF HIS BEHAVR, AND NO MATTER HOW LUDICRO, THE VAST MAJORY OF THE PARTY WOULD FALL LE AND PARROT HIS TALKG POTS. BUT THE PROBLEM FOR GAETZ IS HE DON’T HAVE HIS OWN GAETZ. ASI OM A MEEK FENSE OM HIS BUDDY JIM JORDAN, WHO PREVLY FOUND HIMSELF EMBROILED A SEX-ASSLT SNDAL, AND HMAN MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE, WHO HAS NEVER HEARD A NSPIRACY THEORY SHE DIDN’T WANT TO TWEET ABOUT WHILE DOG CROSSF, THE SILENCE OM HIS PARTY HAS BEEN AFENG. AND PERHAPS THE EXHST PORT THE DEATH STAR GAETZ BUILT HAS ALWAYS BEEN TMP, A MAN LOYAL TO NO ONE BUT HIMSELF. MUCH LIKE HIS SUCCS WAS TIED TO TMP, SO TOO, ARGUABLY, IS HIS MISE. SCE GAETZGATE BROKE, THE PRINT HAS SHOWN LTLE PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR HIS BIGGT FAN. ASI OM NYG A REPORT THAT GAETZ HAD ASKED FOR A BLANKET PARDON AND, THROUGH AN ASSOCIATE, SHOOTG DOWN ANOTHER REPORT THAT HE REFED A MEETG WH GAETZ AT MAR-A-LAGO, THE 45TH PRINT HAS STAYED LARGELY MUM. EVEN DONALD TMP JR. HAS BEEN UNCHARACTERISTILLY QUIET. ALL THAT SAID, I WOULDN’T UNT GAETZ OUT JT YET. AMONG HIS NGRSNAL LLEAGU, THE ASSUMPTN HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT THE FLORIDA LAWMAKER’S NEXT ACT WOULD BE A TALKG HEAD ON A NSERVATIVE WORK. (FORMER NGRSWOMAN KATIE HILL SAYS GAETZ TOLD HER HE WASN’T SURE HE WANTED TO BE CONGRS IF TMP WASN’T PRINT.) EVEN BACK MARCH 2020, THIS MOR WAS PERVASIVE ENOUGH THAT I ASKED GAETZ IF HE HAD NSIRED LEAVG FOR FOX NEWS, BUT THE PRINT ASKED HIM TO STAY. AT THE TIME HE TOLD ME FLAT OUT, “THERE’S NO TTH TO THAT.” BUT JT HOURS BEFORE THE NEW YORK TIM FIRST REPORTED THAT GAETZ WAS UNR VTIGATN FOR THE ALLEGED SEX TRAFFICKG OF A 17-YEAR-OLD, AXS PUBLISHED A REPORT THAT HE WAS TALKS WH NEWSMAX. I WAS ASKED A RECENT TELEVISN APPEARANCE WHETHER FOX NEWS’ STATEMENT THAT HAD “NO TERT HIRG” GAETZ WAS A ATH KNELL HIS ASSUMED TELEVISN ASPIRATNS. I AM OF URSE NO POSN TO MAKE THIS JUDGMENT; I DO NOT WORK FOR HUMAN ROURC AT FOX NEWS. BUT I WOULD ARGUE THAT IF GAETZ IS NOT DICTED, HE WILL ONLY BE MORE APPEALG TO HIS SUPPORTERS AND THE DIENCE THE NSERVATIVE WORK HAS SPENT YEARS CULTIVATG. JT ASK CARTER PAGE. LAST YEAR, I ASKED GAETZ WHAT, IF ANYTHG, HE THOUGHT PEOPLE GOT WRONG ABOUT HIM. “PEOPLE MISCHARACTERIZE MY PERSONAL LIFE, THEY MISCHARACTERIZE MISTAK I’VE MA THE PAST, AND WE JT DON’T WORRY ABOUT , HONTLY,” HE TOLD ME. “IN THIS OFFICE WE TRY TO PLAY OFFENSE EVERY DAY.” MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR — INSI THE MSY BREAKUP OF AN ONLYFANS MOL AND HER ÜBER-WEALTHY BOYIEND— WYOMG TELLS DONALD TMP JR. TO S DOWN AND STFU— A WAVE OF DISPLACED NEW YORKERS IS UPENDG THE HAMPTONS SOCIAL ORR— HOW A GROUP OF RICH MEMPHIANS ACTED ON TMP’S BIG LIE DURG CAPOL ATTACK— PROSECUTORS ARE LG UP WNS TMP INVTIGATNS— REPUBLINS BRAVE PLAN TO STOP MASS SHOOTGS: DO NOTHG— NEXT-LEVEL HARASSMENT OF FEMALE JOURNALISTS PUTS NEWS OUTLETS TO THE TT— SIX PHOTOGRAPHERS SHARE IMAG FROM THEIR COVID YEAR— FROM THE ARCHIVE: AMERIN NIGHTMARE, THE BALLAD OF RICHARD JEWELL— SERENA WILLIAMS, MICHAEL B. JORDAN, GAL GADOT, AND MORE ARE G TO YOUR FAVORE SCREEN APRIL 13–15. GET YOUR TICKETS TO VANY FAIR’S COCKTAIL HOUR, LIVE! HERE.ABIGAIL TRACY
“I’ve hontly never unrstood this gay shamg smear, ” he says. “Are you sayg beg gay is somethg to be ashamed of? I’m not gay, but I don’t thk would be if I were.