Rep. Matt Gaetz/Flickr
By Ronald J. Hansen | Arizona Republic
While some members of Congress have taken steps to distance themselves from embattled Rep. Matt Gaetz, Arizona’s Republican contingent have been silent.
The campaigns of Reps. Debbie Lesko and David Schweikert did not comment when asked if they planned to keep the $2,000 each received last year from the campaign of Gaetz, R-Fla.
Similarly, Reps. Andy Biggs and Paul Gosar have not raised the issue about Gaetz, who is facing a federal criminal investigation into allegations he had sexual relations with a 17-year-old girl and paid other women for sexual favors. Beyond that, he reportedly shared nude photos of his sex partners with members of Congress.
The relative silence about Gaetz from the GOP members is part of a broader pattern of Republicans distancing themselves from him.
Gaetz is not a stranger to any of Arizona’s House Republicans. Gaetz and all four Arizona’s Republican members are part of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, which Biggs leads as chair.
