Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) claimed that he and Cassidy Hutchinson briefly dated, and Hutchinson stopped that story dead in its tracks.
Transcript via The Rachel Maddow Show of Hutchinson responding to Matt Gaetz’s claim that they dated:
I will give Matt credit in his — part of his statement, that we did have an amicable working relationship. And we were good friends at points.
Matt Gaetz, in my opinion, is somebody that I personally do not hold in high regard in terms of trust. And I do not think that Matt Gaetz has the best track record for relationships and condoning — condoning his relationships, how he thinks that they might be defined.
I will say, on behalf of myself, I never dated Matt Gaetz. I have much higher standards in men. And men — Matt, frankly, is a very unserious politician. We see that today with the ruckus that he is causing on Capitol Hill with the spending negotiations.
And I’m not — I don’t really have much else to say to somebody that is more concerned about a sound bite than actually passing legislation.
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It is difficult to say what is more devastating in Hutchinson’s response. Is it the way that she completely shuts down the idea of dating Matt Gaetz, or is it how she describes Gaetz as an unserious person and someone who is only interested in the fame that can be acquired and maintained as a member of Congress?
Hutchinson’s choices in her personal life are her own, but she was a high-level White House staffer who worked with Rep. Gaetz, so having her deem him unserious and not interested in governing carries a lot of weight.
How Cassidy Hutchinson described Gaetz helps to explain why the nation is heading for a government shutdown. A bunch of unserious people in the House are going to harm the country because they see a government shutdown as a publicity stunt that will get them attention and they think will help Donald Trump.
Hutchinson’s description of Gaetz illustrates why House Republicans are collectively unfit to govern.