We’ve noted how CNSNews.com loved to quote Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz until last year, when he had to lay low after allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old girl surfaced as well as questions about whether that constituted sex trafficking. After a brief article when the allegations first went public, CNS has almost completely censored news of the scandal, even though a close Gaetz friend pleaded guilty to charges in the case and his ex-girlfriend was granted immunity so she could tell her story to a grand jury. (And they certainly weren’t going to mention Gaetz’s abysmal book sales.)
Now, it appears both Gaetz and CNS are tired of laying low — and CNS is back to giving Gaetz free publicity. It eased into giving Gaetz the headline-stenography treatment it gave him before his scandal went public at the start of this year for spouting conservatively correct things:
- Rep. Gaetz Quits Capitol Hill Club Over D.C. Vaccine Passport Mandate, Sen. Rand Paul Follows Suit
- Rep. Gaetz: ‘I Successfully Entered the Hard Drive of Hunter Biden’s Laptop into the Congressional Record’
- ‘The Biden Administration Is Trying to Destroy Our Military by Force-Feeding It Wokeism,’ Rep. Gaetz Tells Defense Secretary
There was an interlude where it didn’t go well for Gaetz; when CNS sent an intern out in April to pester senators about whether they use marijuana after the House voted to decriminalize it, it noted that Gaetz was one of the few Republicans who voted for that bill.
Then, starting with an April 27 article, CNS resumed the headline treatment with four more articles:
- Rep. Gaetz: McCarthy and Scalise Criticized Trump and Me on ‘Sniveling Calls With Liz Cheney’
- Rep. Gaetz: ‘We Are Sleepwalking into a War,’ ‘Regime Change in Russia’ is the Goal
- Rep. Gaetz: ‘Your Gun Rights Are Being Dithered Away by Fools’ Who Want to Virtue-Signal
- Gaetz: If Democrats Cared About Children, They Wouldn’t Leave Them as ‘Sitting Ducks in Gun-Free Zones’ at School
The one about Russia, of course, is a reflection of CNS’ editorial policy of appeasing Russian leader Vladimir Putin because he spouts conservatively correct things and bashes President Biden.
You will not be surprised to learn that none of these articles mention the fact that Gaetz remains under federal investigation for his scandals.