Ron DeSantis dodges questions about pal Matt Gaetz’s legal troubles

Gov. Ron DeSantis doesn't want anything to do with the expanding problems of Florida Republicans like Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and former tax collector Joel Greenberg.

According to Florida Politics, DeSantis dodged questions about Gaetz on Monday when asked. The two men seemed attached at the hip during the 2018 election, appearing at several events together. There don't appear to be any photos of the two men anywhere on DeSantis' campaign page, but there certainly are on Gaetz's page.

"I don't have anything to say, anything else?" DeSantis said when a Capitol reporter probed him on the issue.

DeSantis was also spotted on the tarmac with a Gaetz travel buddy who is now also under investigation for sex trafficking. The two were the only men at the Orlando airport to greet former President Donald Trump ahead of his campaign reelection launch.

In early April, CBS News revealed that Rep. Gaetz went to the Bahamas in late 2018 or early 2019 with a marijuana entrepreneur and hand surgeon Jason Pirozzolo. The trip ultimately triggered the sex trafficking investigation because Pirozzolo "allegedly paid for the travel expenses, accommodations, and female escorts."

"Gaetz has long since become a political liability," said Florida Politics. "And DeSantis clearly will cut off any questions about his former running buddy, unless or until he wants to answer them in a forum and to an interviewer of his choosing."

Read the full report from Florida Politics.