Cenk Uygur Clashes With Matt Gaetz in Trainwreck Interview: ‘Why Did You Ask For A Pardon For Having Sex With a 17-Year-Old?!’

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) coasted to reelection in his deep-red Florida panhandle district on Tuesday night, but took some time off from celebrating to join The Young Turks election night broadcast.

The interview went as you’d expect.

During the discussion – if it can be called that – Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian repeatedly asked the congressman about a widely-circulated report that Gaetz sought a pardon from former President Donald Trump in the waning days of his presidency. It had previously been reported Gaetz was the subject of a federal investigation trying to determine whether he had sex with a 17-year-old girl and trafficked her.

“Why did you ask for the pardon?” Uygur asked Gaetz.

“Yeah, why did you ask Trump for a pardon if you didn’t break any laws?” queried Kasparian.

“I’ve been overwhelmingly reelected,” he replied. “You guys are in some sort of weird struggle session there. And I’m just glad – even though the internet hated you having me on, Cenk – you’re getting to see what a congressional victory party looks like. And that’s something that might be a novel experience for you.”

Uygur stayed on message.

“Why did you ask for a pardon for having sex with a 17-year-old?” he asked.

“That isn’t something that even happened,” Gaetz retorted. “You’re reading into an anonymous internet conspiracy and it’s really sad because in my district, the voters saw through that.”

“Did you ask for the pardon?” Uygur said.

“That has all been debunked,” said the congressman. And by the way, you should look at your own comments about women that caused Bernie Sanders to un-endorse you.”

Kasparian jumped in again.

“Well Matt, see, some people grow up and they change,” she said. “Others send their colleagues in Congress nude photos of women that they’ve slept with.”

Watch above via The Young Turks.