Actor Alan Ritchson has revealed he and Matt Gaetz are ‘adversaries’ dating back to their days in school together.
Ritchson opened up about his tense relationship with the former Congressman in an interview with GQ.
‘That motherf***er,’ he said of his former classmate in Niceville, Florida. ‘We are adversaries.
‘He’s just not a good dude. It’s shocking to me that the panhandle of Florida continues to vote for somebody – knowing everything we know about him.’
Ritchson is starring in action series Reacher, based on the Jack Reacher book series.
He criticized Gaetz for ‘promises that he’s made behind closed doors about pardoning certain criminals.’
Gaetz was a member of Congress but stepped down after President Donald Trump announced him as his pick for Attorney General.
But the 42-year-old withdrew his name from contention just a week later following allegations he had a threesome involving a minor.
Ritchson opened up about his tense relationship with the former Congressman
Gaetz has maintained his innocence. His wife, Ginger (pictured together), has also stood by his side through it all
Ritchson is starring in action series Reacher, based on the Jack Reacher book series
It also came a day after the House Ethics Committee deadlocked on releasing a report into allegations of sexual misconduct and illegal drug use by the embattled Republican.
In December, the report was finally released, revealing that Gaetz paid over $90,000 for sex, including with a minor, and handed out illicit drug ‘party favors.’
Ritchson said Gaetz’ conduct made him ‘want to get into politics to outdo somebody like him for good.’
But he said the other part of him knows he’s ‘not duplicitous enough to succeed in politics.’
The Hollywood actor heaped praise on Bernie Sanders, but accepted that ‘good’ guys aren’t necessarily the changemakers that the world needs.
‘There are certain people that do a good job of staying true to who they are, but they’re ineffective,’ he said.
‘I think Bernie Sanders is a hero. But it’s like, what has he accomplished?’
The House ethics report stated: ‘From 2017 to 2020, Representative Gaetz made tens of thousands of dollars in payments to women that the Committee determined were likely in connection with sexual activity and/or drug use.’
Gaetz was a member of Congress but stepped down after President Donald Trump announced him as his pick for Attorney General
The 42-year-old withdrew his name from contention just a week later following allegations the embattled Republican had a threesome involving a minor
Gaetz spent more than $90,000 given to 12 different women, the report said.
In a failed bid to prevent the report’s release Gaetz filed a last-minute lawsuit against the Ethics panel saying damage to his reputation and professional standing would be ‘severe and irreversible.’
His lawyers said the report included ‘untruthful and defamatory information’ and the committee no longer had jurisdiction over a former member of Congress.
The report notes that all the women who testified before the committee called their sexual encounters with Gaetz ‘consensual.’
Gaetz has maintained his innocence. His wife, Ginger, has also stood by his side through the controversy.
After withdrawing from contention as AG, Ginger said: ‘Nobody loves America more than you.’
DailyMail.com has reached out to Gaetz for comment.
