Twitter Users Mock Matt Gaetz's 1st Tweet After His Pardon Request Is Made Public
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Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) became a victim of “pardon bombing” Thursday on Twitter.
It happened after the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol revealed that the lawmaker was one of at least five members of Congress who attempted to get pardons from then-President Donald Trump for their roles in helping Trump attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
But Gaetz wanted his pardon to be a lot broader than his role in Trump’s election fraud, according to Cassidy Hutchinson, a former aide to White House chief of staff Mark Meadows.
She told the committee that Gaetz had been pushing for a pardon since early December, according to Business Insider.
Former White House senior adviser Eric Herschmann told the committee that the “general tone” of the pardon request revolved around the idea that “We may get prosecuted because we were defensive of, you know, the president’s positions on these things.”
However, Herschmann noted that the pardon Gaetz was angling for may have been intended to also protect him from the sex trafficking investigation swirling around him.
“The pardon that he was discussing, requesting, was as broad as you could describe, from... the beginning of time up until today, for any and all things,” Herschmann told the committee.
After the revelation, Gaetz posted on Twitter to accuse the committee of being “an unconstitutional political sideshow” that is “rapidly losing the interest of the American people and now resorts to siccing federal law enforcement on political opponents.”
The January 6 Committee is an unconstitutional political sideshow. It is rapidly losing the interest of the American people and now resorts to siccing federal law enforcement on political opponents.
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) June 23, 2022
Many Twitter users responded with variations on the same joke.
I beg your pardon?
— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) June 23, 2022
Pardon me?
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) June 23, 2022
Beg your pardon?@RepAndyBiggsAZ@Jim_Jordan@RepMTG@RepMoBrooks@RepMattGaetz@RepGosar@replouiegohmert@RepScottPerry
— Peter Lorber Путин хуйло (@PMLorber) June 23, 2022
Pardon me? Traitor says what?
— Luke Zaleski (@ZaleskiLuke) June 23, 2022
Others pointed out that innocent people rarely request pardons.
Wow. Congressmen helping Trump on & before 1/6 & then demanding pardons.
Makes me think of 18 USC 201:
A public official who corruptly seeks anything of value in return for an official act or colluding in fraud shall be imprisoned for up to 15 years & disqualified from office— Norm Eisen (@NormEisen) June 23, 2022
Hi Matt.
Why did you ask for a pardon?
Cheers 🍻— Brian Ray (@brianrayguitar) June 23, 2022
You sought a pardon because you knew you committed a crime, helping Trump try to overturn the election.
Sit down. https://t.co/jNzth4P0m2— Zac Petkanas 🇺🇦🌻🇺🇸 (@Zac_Petkanas) June 23, 2022
You asked for a pardon, and now the DOJ will impolitely ask you to head to your cell, Matt.
— Jack Cocchiarella (@JDCocchiarella) June 23, 2022
One person had a pertinent question for the congressman.
Beg your pardon, Matt, do you take Venmo? pic.twitter.com/WyeVsMR92d
— Jolie-EXPAND SCOTUS NOW-Lucas (@Mooney4me) June 23, 2022
This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
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