So, Michael Cohen is set to testify tomorrow before the House Oversight Committee, but apparently GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz is trying to get the show started a little early:

Hey @MichaelCohen212 – Do your wife & father-in-law know about your girlfriends? Maybe tonight would be a good time for that chat. I wonder if she’ll remain faithful when you’re in prison. She’s about to learn a lot… — Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) February 26, 2019

He doesn’t seem capable of shame, so he probably won’t delete it, but here’s a screenshot just in case:

Matt Gaetz, ladies and gentlemen.

when the coke hits https://t.co/oTxaNqRQL6 — Owen Ellickson (@onlxn) February 26, 2019

We’re no congressional etiquette experts, but this sort of thing seems … less than professional. Or ethical.

Did you…did you just intimidate a congressional witness?? — ben (@brps311) February 26, 2019

Florida Man attempts to intimidate witness https://t.co/jeoZEInAfI — Paul Szoldra (@PaulSzoldra) February 26, 2019

lol just a member of congress threatening to blackmail a witness on the eve of his congressional testimony https://t.co/Jv6VKmkkP9 — Adrenochrome Harvester (@ClenchedFisk) February 26, 2019

This should not be legal. Intimidating a witness before Congress should be against the law. https://t.co/uVBZR3NzXf — Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) February 26, 2019

This is quite a stunning about-face from just a few days ago:

Bullying is never OK. Yesterday, I ate lunch with a girl who was cyberbullied by her classmates on social media. Here’s how I responded: #StopBullying pic.twitter.com/Yl5mYggGV7 — Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) February 22, 2019

So.

Hey dude did you know that you’re a sitting congressman — Orli Matlow (@HireMeImFunny) February 26, 2019

Maybe he should stand up and go take a walk.

This is a sitting Republican congressman talking like a mob enforcer. I hope things are going better on Earth 2, because things are kind of messed up on Earth 1. https://t.co/7o9qQeTlmX — Bryan S. Myrick (@BryanMyrick) February 26, 2019

Congresscritter threatens witness the day before he testifies. Rep. Gaetz is a disgrace. https://t.co/AUJxSoiAuA — Friendly Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) February 26, 2019

Seriously though, Gaetz is quite obviously a terrible person. — Esoteric Jeff (@EsotericCD) February 26, 2019

It kinda looks that way, yeah.

Editor’s note: This post has been updated with an additional tweet, text, and a screenshot.

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Update:

Well, for what it’s worth, Gaetz doesn’t seem nearly as concerned about his thuggish tweet as so many others are. He’s standing by his threat with the promise of “fireworks”:

My short text convo with @mattgaetz just now: Me: Congressman, Any chance you have a few minutes to discuss what you implied with your tweet to Michael Cohen? Perhaps a preview? Gaetz: Watch tomorrow. Me: Will do — anything I should be prepared for? Gaetz: Fireworks https://t.co/g1bwYcjvrg — Alex Ward (@AlexWardVox) February 26, 2019

Meanwhile:

NEW: From a source close to Cohen: “The Congressman’s comments are despicably false. … No amount of threats against Mr. Cohen and his family or baseless smears can change them, no matter how much Rep. Gaetz wishes the facts away or hopes the American people will ignore them.” pic.twitter.com/9nQHaOvJvf — Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) February 26, 2019

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Update:

Call off the hounds, guys. Gaetz was just “witness testing”:

Rep Gaetz just spoke to press asked if his Cohen tweet is a threat – “Absolutely not. We’re witness testing not witness tampering. And when witnesses come before Congress their truthfulness and voracity ought to be tested and we have the opportunity.” via @ABC @AllisonMPecorin — John Santucci (@Santucci) February 26, 2019

Sure, pal.

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Update:

Sweet mother of pearl …

what a ratio pic.twitter.com/z1PPhp1F6K — Pardes Seleh (@PardesSeleh) February 26, 2019

This one may be a record breaker, folks.