Matt Gaetz's 2020 book about life as 'a fun-loving politician' in DC seen in new light after sex-trafficking allegations
- Quotes from Rep. Matt Gaetz's book are taking on new meaning amid a sex-trafficking inquiry into him.
- "Firebrand: Dispatches from the Front Lines of the MAGA Revolution" was published in September 2020.
- Gaetz is currently being investigated over possible sex trafficking.
Excerpts from Rep. Matt Gaetz's book published last year are taking on new meaning after reports that the Florida lawmaker is under a sex trafficking investigation.
In his book "Firebrand: Dispatches from the Front Lines of the MAGA Revolution," which came out in September 2020, Gaetz writes about what it's like to date in Washington and how he is finding life as a politician.
"We've got a president now who doesn't care for puritanical grandstanding or moralistic preening. He is a lot more direct, even visceral, open, and realistic about his likes and dislikes, so overall, this is a good time to be a fun-loving politician instead of a stick-in-the-mud," Gaetz writes in the book, according to Vanity Fair.
"I have an active social life, and it's probably easier in the era of Trump," he continues. "We've had 'perfect family man' presidents before, after all, and many of those men sold out our country, even if their wives were happy the whole time."
"If politicians' family lives aren't what really matter to the voters, maybe that's a good thing. I'm a representative, not a monk," Gaetz adds.
Gaetz is a long-standing Trump ally, who was once was called one of Congress's "most controversial members" who has "unabashedly aligned himself with Trump on basically all things," according to the Washington Post.
According to Vanity Fair, the Florida Republican goes on into more detail about his dating life in the book, writing: "I knew going in how many people had been brought down by sexual missteps in this town, so I set some rules to help me err on the safe(r) side."
"In Washington, safe sex means in part: no dating lobbyists, no dating your staff members, and I should have added no dating reporters, but I didn't at first," he adds.
Gaetz is currently engaged to Ginger Luckey, a 26-year-old Harvard business student who once called herself his "travel buddy."
In another part of the book, Gaetz writes about his former Republican colleagues, Pat Meehan and Blake Farenthold, who both resigned while under investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and the use of taxpayer funds.
"It's risky to date in a town where there's potentially a thin line between love and blackmail, or at least love and bad PR," he wrote, according to Vanity Fair.
His book has come back under the spotlight after the New York Times reported this week that the Justice Department was investigating whether Gaetz had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl in 2019 and broke federal sex-trafficking laws.
The scandal - dubbed "Gaetzgate" - has taken on many turns in a short amount of time.
Among other allegations, Gaetz is accused of reportedly using campaign money to fund travel and other expenses for women, paying women for sex, and participating in a sex game that included a "Harry Potter" challenge and "extra points" for sleeping in sorority houses.
Gaetz has denied all the allegations against him and claims the investigation into him is part of an elaborate scheme to extort his family for $25 million.
He said on Friday that he has no intention of resigning anytime soon.