Once upon a time, a political scandal — especially one involving allegations of sexual predation — could end a lawmaker's career. But in the Trump era, shame and accountability are for losers. Per the president's lead, the go-to move for a real MAGA man (or woman) now is to wave off accusations of criminality or personal vileness as a political "witch hunt." The grosser the scandal, the harder they wave the persecuted-patriot flag. And so, in an Opinion essay checking in on former Representative Matt Gaetz, whose nomination to be Trump's attorney general got derailed by a House ethics report concluding he had done some nasty stuff — including with an underage teenager — we find him busting his butt to parlay his disgrace into political gain. Since resigning from the House in November, Gaetz has scored himself an eponymous political chat show and become the chairman of a new political action committee. In his spare time, he has stirred up trouble by making common cause on social media with Andrew and Tristan Tate, the far-right influencers and global exemplars of personal decency accused of sex crimes in Britain and Romania. All of which has Florida Republicans buzzing about whether Gaetz will run for state office next year, a possibility that recent polling suggests many in the G.O.P. base would support. As I write in the essay, it just goes to show: "So long as one obeys the first commandment of Trumpism — Thou shalt not betray the movement's leader — political resurrection remains a possibility, no matter how low you go." Read more: Here's what we're focusing on today:
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