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Congressman spars with CNN after network claims it had trouble booking GOP reps after shootings

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CNN and Rep. Matt Gaetz sparred on Twitter over the congressman’s claim that the network canceled his appearance on “Anderson Cooper 360” before the weekend mass shootings but then called out republicans for not wanting to come on air after the tragedies.

  • At issue is a potential Monday, Aug. 5, 2019, appearance on CNN.
  • Gaetz, meanwhile, was responding to the network’s claim that it had trouble booking republican members of Congress Monday after the double mass shootings.
  • Electronic discussions between CNN and Gaetz’s staff — and tweeted out by Gaetz — show the network tentatively suggested they “move forward” with the interview Friday around 2:11 p.m.
  • However, the same message notes that the changing nature of the news could mean his interview would be scrapped.
  • Gaetz’s team acknowledged the “penciled in” interview, according to a screenshot of a text message conversation.
  • However, Gaetz left off the part of the conversation where CNN responded around 4 p.m. that day that they would not need him Monday.
  • All of this took place before the mass shootings.
  • Gaetz, however, seems to take issue with the fact that CNN didn’t circle back to him on Monday after the shootings for an interview, claiming they knew he was available and in New York.
  • Because of the timing, Gaetz was obviously not booked to discuss the shootings (they hadn’t happened yet) so by the time Monday rolled around, CNN bookers had no way of knowing if he would be willing to come on air to discuss that — or if his schedule had changed in the interim.
  • That said, it’s not immediately clear if CNN reached out to Gaetz’s team specifically about the shootings, though Gaetz didn’t appear to make that claim in his tweets.

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