Matt Gaetz in fiery ‘holy’ debate with CNN’s Chris Cuomo over secret memo

Florida congressman Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, is not a shrinking violet. He's one of the fiery, young Republican voices populating cable TV these days, frequently FOX News.

Wednesday night, Gaetz was a guest of CNN's Chris Cuomo and the 12-minute segment is truly must-watch TV.

The topic? How Republican House members are calling for the public release of a secret memo that alleges wrongdoing by the FBI and Justice Department in surveillance of the Trump campaign.

This week, more than 60 Republicans signed on to a letter to Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes this week  "to request the immediate release of this document to the public, as well as any relevant ancillary information. The audience of this document should not be limited to Members of Congress — the American people deserve to know the information it contains."

Cuomo and Gaetz go toe to toe over the secret memo, with both calling for its release, but do not miss the holy war in the interview's final minutes. Just after the 10-minute mark.

Fact-checking Matt Gaetz's interview with CNN's Chris Cuomo

Cuomo starts: "You say, that this is the biggest coincidence since the Immaculate Conception. What are you talking about?"

After Gaetz repeats his points about the conspiracy at the FBI, Cuomo presses him on what the Immaculate Conception is.

Gaetz: "Look, I was making a point that this is an absurd coincidence."

"But what do you think happened with the Immaculate Conception," Cuomo says.

Gaetz stumbles and says, "It's obviously a religious doctrine that deals with the Christian faith."

"Where is the analogy," Cuomo presses. What do you think happened?

Gaetz: "Look, did you really bring me on to discuss my religious views, Chris? … It's how Jesus was born."

Cuomo: "The Immaculate Conception is not how Jesus was born."

Gaetz: "It was the conception. That's the nature of the Immaculate Conception."

"No, it wasn't," Cuomo says. "It was Mary's conception. It was the mother's conception without original sin. It was not the conception of Jesus."

"Facts matter, congressman," he goes on. "If you're going to make an analogy, at least know what you're talking about, because you've got to have a basis for these things. you only know what you show. You've gotta release that memo and it's gotta to have the facts and you better figure out what this secret society is before you say that there's a shadow organization within the FBI. "

"We intend to. We intend to," Gaetz answers.