Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel didn’t hold back while criticizing Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general, Matt Gaetz, referring to him as “Caucasian Diddy” as the former representative faces sexual misconduct allegations.
Gatez, a soon-to-be former congressman from Florida with a controversial reputation, has been selected by Trump to serve as the nation’s chief law enforcement officer – despite having some very public unsavory investigations on his record.
While some Republican officials and members of the public have raised questions about Gatez’s suitability in the role, Kimmel got straight to the point connecting Gaetz to another high-profile sex crimes case.
“Matt Gaetz, also known as the Caucasian Diddy is in the hot seat right now,” Kimmel said during Tuesday night’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Gatez was subject to a Justice Department investigation for having ties to a sex trafficking scandal. Gaetz proclaimed his innocence and eventually, that investigation was closed with no charges brought against him.
He is also subject to a House Ethics Committee investigation regarding allegations of statutory rape and other sexual misconduct. That investigation is closed but the committee is meeting on Wednesday to determine if the findings should be released.
Information about the findings has been leaked to the public.
A lawyer representing two women who testified to the House said his clients were paid to cross state lines and have sex with Gaetz on at least two occasions. Gaetz has denied the allegations.
Though the allegations are not being pursued by the Justice Department, Kimmel’s joke insinuated there were similarities to the case against musician Sean “Diddy” Combs who is accused of sex trafficking as well as violently abusing and raping multiple people for many years.
Combs is also facing multiple civil lawsuits for allegations of physical, sexual, verbal and emotional abuse. He maintains he is innocent.
The allegations against Gaetz have only been brought by the two unnamed women. He is not facing criminal or civil charges.
Though the accusations may not be as detailed or public as the ones Combs is facing, Kimmel still implored leaders in the GOP, particularly Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, to release the ethics committee findings.
“Somebody needs to put Mike Johnson back in the tree he lives in and release that report because the spinelessness it is staggering,” Kimmel joked.
