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During an appearance on CNN, Marc Short—best known for serving as Chief of Staff to Republican Vice President Mike Pence—criticized Florida Republican Representative Matt Gaetz after Gaetz told the crowd at the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit in Tampa over the weekend that Pence "will never be president."
Gaetz's remarks prompted Short to predict that the Florida Congressman will be in prison by 2024 on charges related to an ongoing child sex trafficking investigation.
Short said that he is "actually surprised that Florida law enforcement still allows him to speak to teenage conferences like that."
You can hear what Short said in the video below.
\u201cShort: I don\u2019t think Matt Gaetz will have an impact\u2026 in fact, I\u2019d be surprised if he was still voting. It\u2019s more likely he\u2019ll be in prison for child sex trafficking\u2026 I\u2019m surprised law enforcement lets him speak to teenage conferences like that\u201d— Acyn (@Acyn) 1658791200
Short said:
“Well, I don’t know if Mike Pence will run for president in 2024. But I don’t think Matt Gaetz will have an impact on that. In fact, I’d be surprised if he was still voting.
"It’s more likely he’ll be in prison for child sex trafficking by 2024. And I’m actually surprised that Florida law enforcement still allows him to speak to teenage conferences like that."
"So I’m not too worried about Matt Gaetz, thanks.”
Gaetz has been the subject of an ongoing federal investigation regarding alleged sex crimes involving a minor.
Federal authorities are investigating Gaetz on child sex trafficking charges after it emerged the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched a probe into whether he 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, particularly Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, have pushed back against the investigation even while they brand other Republican politicians as "pro-pedophile."
In May 2021, Gaetz's associate Joel Greenberg, a former tax collector in Seminole County, Florida, formally pleaded guilty to six federal charges, including sex trafficking of a minor.
He also pleaded guilty to producing a false identification document, identity theft, wire fraud, stalking, and conspiracy.
Short's remarks quickly went viral and many echoed his criticisms of Gaetz.
\u201cBest be packing your bags @RepMattGaetz\u201d— MountPomfret (@MountPomfret) 1658871333
\u201cThe greater their consciousness of guilt, the louder they scream their self-righteousness.\u201d— Dr. Jack Brown (@Dr. Jack Brown) 1658808292
\u201cThis prediction hits differently when coming from a Republican\n\nClock is tickin\u2019 for Max Headroom\u201d— Lindy Li (@Lindy Li) 1658808907
\u201cStatutory #rape is a MAJOR crime, #MattGaetz. That\u2019s today\u2019s #GOP.\u201d— Oregon John - #StandWithUkraine (@Oregon John - #StandWithUkraine) 1658825953
\u201cGOOD DAY MISCREANTS!\n\ud83e\uddf51/5 This time next week you'll be able to listen to me read these:\n\nDishonorable\ud83e\udd21Mention: The memorial service for @mattgaetz will be tomorrow, if we can find anything left of the carcass after what Marc Short did to him on CNN last night:\u201d— Keith Olbermann (@Keith Olbermann) 1658834733
\u201c\ud83d\ude33 Whoa. Marc Short was Pence\u2019s chief of staff and the highest-ranking Trump White House official known to have appeared before the grand jury. \nI think Gaetz is about to go through some things. #GOP\u201d— \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\u271d\ufe0f\ud83d\udd4a\u262e\ufe0fLauraEm\u262e\ufe0f\u2764\ufe0f\ud83c\udf39\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\u271d\ufe0f\ud83d\udd4a\u262e\ufe0fLauraEm\u262e\ufe0f\u2764\ufe0f\ud83c\udf39\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1658858145
\u201c\ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02 @mattgaetz how\u2019s that sex trafficking investigation going there big guy?\u201d— Jarad \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 \ud83c\udff4\u200d\u2620\ufe0f\ud83e\udd96 (@Jarad \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 \ud83c\udff4\u200d\u2620\ufe0f\ud83e\udd96) 1658853601
\u201cI too am surprised he\u2019s allowed to speak\u201d— Sir Bryan Lee (@Sir Bryan Lee) 1658796625
\u201cHere I am agreeing with Marc Short. There\u2019s a first time for everything. \ud83d\ude00\u201d— I Stand With Ukraine \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@I Stand With Ukraine \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1658833528
Gaetz also made headlines during his appearance at the Turning Point USA conference after he claimed that women who "look like a thumb" shouldn't concern themselves with advocating for abortion rights.
Gaetz said "women with the least likelihood of getting pregnant are the ones most worried about having abortions" at "pro-abortion, pro-murder rallies."
He suggested instead of marching at rallies, unattractive women should "march for like an hour a day" and "get the blood pumpin'."