Matt Gaetz's Soft Landing

He's the newest pol to be a TV anchor.

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Now, onto today’s column…

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The House Ethics Committee found evidence that former Rep. Matt Gaetz paid tens of thousands of dollars to women for sex or drugs on at least 20 occasions, including paying a 17-year-old girl for sex in 2017, according to a final draft of the panel’s report on the Florida Republican, obtained by CNN.

So Matt Gaetz, the former congressman and former nominee for attorney general, has a new gig. No, Donald Trump didn’t name him Czar in charge of Drones. Starting in a few days, he’ll host a political talk show airing weeknights on One America News Network (OANN) — a channel that makes Fox News look downright liberal.

I figured Gaetz would wind up either there or at Newsmax. Maybe the people who run OANN and Newsmax flipped a coin to see who would get him — and OANN lost.

But when you think about it, OANN and Gaetz are practically a match made in MAGA heaven — both are provocative and know how to rile up their respective bases.

Let’s not forget, this isn’t the first time Gaetz has been linked to the cable news world. Back in 2021, there were whispers he might ditch Congress early for a media gig. He was reportedly in talks with Newsmax back then, though nothing came of it.

But now, with his political career in the rearview mirror (at least for now) — thanks to that ethics investigation and his habit of alienating people on both sides of the aisle — jumping to a platform like OANN might seem like a soft landing. After all, it’s a lot easier to lob rhetorical grenades from a news desk than to actually govern.

What are the implications? For OANN, bringing Gaetz on board could give the small cable news channel a ratings boost. Love him or hate him, the guy knows how to grab attention, and OANN — like the other partisan cable news outfits — thrives on serving up red meat to its audience.

In today’s fragmented media landscape, a high-profile figure like Gaetz could draw eyeballs — and let’s face it, OANN is looking for ways to chip away at Fox News’s dominance on the right. (Good luck with that.)

But here’s the flip side: Hiring someone as polarizing as Matt Gaetz doesn’t exactly scream journalistic credibility. Then again, is that even the goal anymore? (Hint: No.)

For Gaetz, it’s a smart move if he wants to stay in the spotlight without the hassle of, you know, governing. A media role lets him opine, grandstand, and fire off soundbites without having to face actual consequences. No votes to cast, no ethics rules to follow — just a camera, a microphone, and an endless stream of outrage to capitalize on. It’s the perfect gig for someone who thrives on attention.

But there’s a bigger picture here. This is just the latest example of the revolving door between politics and the media. Politicians aren’t just running for office anymore, they’re auditioning for prime-time jobs. It blurs the line between governance and entertainment, and in the long run, it cheapens both.

Too bad just about nobody cares anymore.