‘Saturday Night Live’ targets Gaetz in wake of sex trafficking investigation

“Saturday Night Live” targeted Rep. Matt Gaetz (Fla.) during its latest episode after news broke that the Republican is under federal investigation for an alleged inappropriate relationship with a minor and a possible violation of sex trafficking laws.

The show opened with a sketch depicting Britney Spears, played by cast member Chloe Fineman, hosting a talk show titled “Oops, You Did It Again” during which the pop star shines “a light on the social pariahs of the week.”

Gaetz was portrayed by cast member Pete Davidson, who introduced himself as “Matt Gaetz, like Bill Gates but with a Z at the end, like a cool version for teens.” 

“Speaking of teens — ” Fineman began. 

Gaetz last week said he has no plans of stepping down following reports that he is under investigation by the Department of Justice.

The New York Times first reported the investigation and in a second report detailed accusations that Gaetz and a former Florida county tax collector paid multiple women who were recruited for sex online.

Gaetz has vehemently denied that he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl and claimed that he and his family are targets of an extortion scheme from a former Justice Department official seeking millions of dollars to back down from the accusations. The official has also reportedly denied that he has attempted to extort the lawmaker or members of his family.

Fineman as Spears said during the “Saturday Night Live” sketch that the “whole story is so bizarre, so incredibly Florida, that I need to get it straight.”

“You were dating a 17-year-old and brought her on trips across state lines,” she said. “Prostitutes say you took ecstasy and had sex with them in Florida hotel rooms,” she added. 

“And your Republican colleagues in Congress say you’ve shown them nude photos of women you were sleeping with,” she added, to which Davidson’s Gaetz responded, “Which is not a crime, just horrifying.”

Multiple sources told CNN last week that Gaetz showed photos to other lawmakers of nude women and claimed he had sex with them.

Davidson as Gaetz claimed that people “are just targeting me because I defended Donald Trump.”

“And what has Trump said in your defense?” Fineman’s Spears asked, to which Davidson responded, “Giggity squat.”

The show also jabbed Gaetz during its “Weekend Update” segment.

“Rep. Matt Gaetz, who looks like a caricature artist drawing of me, is reportedly under investigation for an alleged sexual relationship with an underage girl,” Colin Jost, the mock news segment’s host, told the audience.

“Because Gaetz believes only voters should have to show ID,” Jost joked.

“If I could get back to Matt Gaetz for a minute,” Jost later added. “Here’s the craziest part of the story to me: A sitting congressman is being accused of child trafficking, and the QAnon people are suddenly like, ‘Nah, I need more evidence.’ That was your whole thing!” 

The QAnon conspiracy theory baselessly claims that former President Trump was working to expose elites in Democratic politics and institutions running underground child trafficking rings. 

The Hill has reached out to Gaetz’s office for comment.