Freshman GOPer Is Building A National Profile By Smearing Russia Probe

By Allegra Kirkland | January 26, 2018 6:00 am

Last week, Rep. Matt Gaetz warned on Fox News—where he has recently appeared almost nightly—that Justice Department officials could “go to jail” over the contents of a much-hyped memo pushed by Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA). Gaetz said the Nunes memo contains “jaw-dropping” revelations about the FBI’s abuse of its surveillance powers to spy on Trump campaign officials.

A few days later, Gaetz turned up on CNN, highlighting a text message exchange between two FBI staffers that he and many other Republicans see as proof of a conspiracy at the bureau to take down President Donald Trump. A reference in the exchange to a “secret society” was, he said, further proof of a deep-state plot.

The performances were vintage Gaetz.

A year ago, few outside Gaetz’s native Florida knew his name. The freshman Republican and Freedom Caucus member has since risen above a crowded field to become one of Congress’ most vocal and visible critics of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Gaetz in November became the first Republican to introduce a resolution calling for Mueller to resign, on the grounds that Mueller ran the FBI at the time the Obama administration approved the sale to Russia’s government of a company that exports uranium. The “Uranium One” deal has recently returned as a touchstone among the far-right, who say it benefited a donor to the Clinton Foundation. No evidence of a quid pro quo ever emerged.

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