Matt Gaetz ‘excommunicated’ from Fox News amid sex and corruption scandals: report

On Thursday, Business Insider reported that Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) is no longer welcome at Fox News as his legal scandals continued to mount.

"In March, Gaetz appeared on Fox shows at least 19 times, according to an Insider review of Fox News clips, including those the congressman posted to his YouTube channel," reported Robin Bravender and Tom LoBianco. "In April, May, and so far in June? Not once. Gaetz has been 'excommunicated within the Fox News circles,' said a former Gaetz staffer who spoke to Insider anonymously in order to protect professional relationships."

Gaetz is currently under federal investigation amid allegations he and a Florida county tax official, now cooperating with federal prosecutors, transported a teenage girl over state lines for sex, and that drugs and campaign cash were involved in transactions with prostitutes. He has denied all allegations and claimed he is being targeted by a "Deep State" plot.

"It's not worth it for the conservative network to risk putting Gaetz on its airwaves while the high-profile sex trafficking investigation is playing out, according to Republican insiders and media watchdogs," said the report. "Gaetz hurt his relationship with Carlson during the infamous March 30 interview, sources told Insider." During that interview, Gaetz noted that Carlson was also "falsely accused of a terrible sex act," leading to an exchange Carlson said on air was "one of the weirdest interviews I have ever conducted."

The news comes after reporting that Gaetz was considering stepping down early from his office to take a position with the far-right cable network Newsmax, but was not offered a job there.

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