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MSNBC journalist Ari Melber had Florida Republican Representative Matt Gaetz squirming on the air after presenting video evidence contradicting Gaetz's claim he did not ask former Republican President Donald Trump for a pardon over his involvement in Trump’s effort to overturn the 2020 election.
Melber noted multiple Trump insiders provided "under-oath testimony" before the House Select Committee tasked with investigating the January 6 insurrection that Gaetz "specifically requested a pardon."
After showing the footage, Melber added:
“So the question is, can you really say that all of them are committing perjury, lying on you?—A."
"And B, if a pardon was requested, why not just tell us what were you worried about?"
"What was it that you thought you or others might be indicted for?”
You can watch what happened in the videos below.
\u201c"Then why after that meeting did you seek a pardon for yourself and others who attended that meeting?" -- @AriMelber\u00a0to Matt Gaetz\u201d— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1675120421
\u201cDang. @AriMelber\u00a0presents a bunch of receipts after Gaetz denies seeking a pardon from Trump in the last days of the Trump presidency\u201d— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1675120421
A visibly uncomfortable Gaetz doubled down, insisting he had never requested a pardon from Trump.
At one point Gaetz specifically called out former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson whom he called "a known liar."
He continued:
“I do not remember it the same way Eric Herschmann does."
"I did have conversations with [senior adviser] Eric Herschmann about different groups of people that could potentially receive pardons―even including some of the people who may have committed a technical violation of federal law, but they weren’t engaged in violence on Jan. 6.”
"There were discussions about pardons for President Trump, his family members, his allies, and presumably members of Congress could have fallen in that group."
Many called out Gaetz for denying his own remarks in the face of incontrovertible evidence.
\u201cGaetz is a serial liar who should\u2019ve been prosecuted and serving time by now. I want to see him testify under oath that all those people that did swear under oath he asked for a pardon. What crime did you commit Matt that you had to ask for a pardon?\u201d— Zeke (@Zeke) 1675169117
\u201cMatt Gaetz denies asking Trump for a pardon & attacks Cassidy Hutchinson as a \u201cknown liar\u201d\n\nSecret Service vowed to refute her account about J6 under oath (they never did) & smeared Cassidy as a liar\n\nThey can\u2019t assassinate Cassidy\n\nSo they\u2019re trying to assassinate her character\u201d— Lindy Li (@Lindy Li) 1675165224
\u201c@atrupar @AriMelber When confronted with facts the demagogue attempts to shift the focus away from himself with an ad hominem attack. This is such a clear ad hominem that I might start using it in classes as an example.\u201d— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1675120421
\u201c@atrupar @AriMelber OMG Ari actually anticipated when he asked Matt whether or not he asked for a pardon that he would lie about it so he had all the receipts lined up.\nBravo Ari bravo\ud83d\udc4f\ud83d\udc4f\ud83d\udc4f\u201d— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1675120421
\u201c@atrupar @AriMelber He\u2019s the GOP \u201ccommit a crime or lie\u201d on TV whisperer. \n\nIt\u2019s a beautiful thing and I\u2019m here for it!\u201d— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1675120421
\u201c@atrupar @AriMelber When Republicans aren't shouting or trying to talk over someone, they are thinking of a way to lie their way out of it. And that oftentimes results in calling someone else a liar.\u201d— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1675120421
Hutchinson—a former aide to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows—testified Gaetz aimed for a pardon much broader than those requested by his cohorts and he had pushed for one since early December.
Former White House senior adviser Eric Herschmann told the committee Gaetz requested a pardon "for any and all things"—a sign Gaetz wanted a pardon in relation to a since-dropped federal child sex trafficking investigation against him.
Federal investigators were at one point investigating Gaetz on child sex trafficking charges after it emerged he allegedly paid a 17-year-old girl and took her across state lines for sexual purposes.
Gaetz denied allegations he violated sex trafficking laws and engaged in other sexual misconduct while in office by citing the age of consent. His supporters in Congress pushed back against the investigation even while they brand other politicians as "pro-pedophile."
In April 2021, Politico reported Trump and his allies had reportedly chosen to distance themselves from Gaetz after news of the DOJ's investigation emerged.
Trump also denied Gaetz directly asked him for a blanket pardon after The New York Timesreported Gaetz met with him and his associates.