Patrick Cotter, a former federal prosecutor in private practice in Chicago, called Gaetz’s comments a “tremendous gift” to investigators.

“The reason good lawyers don’t let clients talk to people who are investigating them usually is because it is so dangerous,” Cotter said. “Even if you are completely innocent of the actual allegation, you may make statements which either open you up to an allegation that you’re making false statements to obstruct justice or otherwise mislead the investigators.”

The perils could range from honest mistakes to not fully understanding a situation crucial to the investigation.

“It’s very dangerous because it paints him into a particular story, which later facts may show he’s not telling the truth about or honestly mistaken,” Cotter said. “It’s a bad, bad, bad, bad, bad idea legally.”