Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) fist-bumped podcaster Joe Rogan after mentioning U.S. House members were “getting in trouble” in an oddly light exchange on Thursday’s episode.
The congressman was telling the host about “honeypot” operations to ensnare lawmakers with beautiful women. He said he once discussed such schemes with right-wing host Benny Johnson (but said they aren’t as common now).
The Tennessee Republican described a scenario of how a lawmaker could be seduced by someone at a bar, ending up in a hotel room. “And then you think, man, I pulled this off with this smoke show and my wife and kids don’t know about it ... and this is between me and the Lord.”
But then, before a critical vote, Burchett said, that compromised politician is approached by a lobbyist who happens to know about that “motel room in Istanbul with a pretty redhead” and basically blackmails the lawmaker into voting against their intentions.
When he revealed that in his interview with Johnson, it riled up colleagues, Burchett recalled.
