* According to Axios, Matt Gaetz is seriously considering leaving Congress—perhaps pre-empting a boot—for an on-air gig with “Newsmax,” the conservative cable channel owned by longtime Trump ally and confidant Chris Ruddy. Newsmax TV is available in 70 million homes. Its hosts include former Trump press secretary Sean Spicer and political consultant Dick Morris. Among its contributors: attorney Alan Dershowitz, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Michael Reagan, son of Ronald Reagan. Not exactly must-see TV.
* “A wake-up call for a return to Republican sanity.” That was how former House Speaker John Boehner described the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection in his memoir, “On the House.” He also characterized Sen. Ted Cruz as the “head lunatic.” He also acknowledged that he voted for Trump in 2020 because he, uh, liked his judicial appointees.
* Lest we forget, GOP hijacker Donald Trump was a Democrat until 2009.
“Champion for Freedom.” That was the award presented to Trump by Rick Scott at MAGA-a-Elba recently. Not familiar with it? It was a prize created for the cult-figure-fawning occasion.
* Trump spin-off: Former Trump cabinet members and other officials from the Trump Administration have formed a think tank: the America First Policy Institute. It creates, in effect, a policy platform out of Trump priorities. Among former Team Trumpsters: Economic Adviser Larry Kudlow, Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe.