Rep. Tim Burchett ‘sure’ members of Congress are ‘honeypot’ victims

Tennessee Republican Rep. Tim Burchett claimed Thursday that “good conservative” lawmakers are falling victim to “honeypot” schemes and voting in ways to avoid being outed for their deviant behavior.

The “powerful people” entrapping members of Congress are “always either out on the tarmac or in the private room” with the president, Burchett right-wing podcast host Benny Johnson during a discussion that centered on the impending release of convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein’s client list.

“They’re the ones that write the big checks. They don’t care who’s in [office]. They hate this country. They hate what we’re about. But they love their portfolios and they love their money more than they do anything else,” the 59-year-old congressman said, adding that they gather disparaging information about lawmakers in order to “protect” their investments. 

“And by doing so, you know, the old honey pot — the Russians do that — and I’m sure members of Congress have been caught up,” Burchett suggested, without offering any specific evidence other than the voting patterns of some of his congressional colleagues. 

“Why in the world would good conservatives vote for crazy stuff like what we’ve been seeing out of Congress?” Burchett said. 

The lawmaker went on to assertively describe how he believes the honey trap schemes work. 

“You’re visiting, you’re out of the country or out of town or you’re in a motel or at a bar in DC and, whatever you’re into – women, men, whatever — comes up and they’re very attractive and they’re laughing at your jokes. And you’re buying them a drink. Next thing you know, you’re in the motel room with them naked,” he said. 

“And next thing you know, you know you’re about to make a key vote. And what happens? Some well-dressed person comes out and whispers in your ear, ‘Hey, man, there’s tapes out on you,’ or, ‘Were you in a motel room or whatever with whoever?’ And then you’re like, ‘Oh,’ and [they] said, ‘You really ought not be voting for this thing,’” Burchett went on.

The congressman argued that “it’s human nature” for lawmakers to vote in ways that would keep compromising personal information from getting out. 

“And, you know, no man or no woman actually is an island. And they know what to get at. You know, if it’s women, drugs, booze, it’ll find you,” Burchett said, claiming that this sort of blackmail happens in all levels of politics. 

“I’ve been in this game my whole life. I spent 16 years in the state legislature in Tennessee and eight years as county mayor. And now I’m in my fifth year in Congress. But it’s just — the stakes are higher. But the game is still the same,” he said. 

Burchett theorized earlier this week that Sen. Marsha Blackburn’s (R-Tenn.) effort to subpoena the flight logs for Epstein’s infamous private jet was “snubbed” by Senate Democrats because some are “compromised.” 

“Too many of my colleagues, I’m afraid, are compromised in this area. For whatever reason, somebody’s whispered in their ear, said, ‘Hey, you don’t want something to come out on something else. You better keep your mouth shut on this,’” Burchett said during a Monday appearance on Newsmax.