[135][136], On January 7, 2021, after Trump supporters violently broke into the U.S. Capitol, Gaetz falsely blamed anarchist movement Antifa for the attack, suggesting that rioters were "masquerading as Trump supporters".[142][143]. He represents Florida's 1st District, located in the state's northwest. On July 23, 2022, he gave a speech at a Student Action Summit gathering in Tampa, Florida, in which he said that overweight or unattractive women were unlikely to become pregnant and mocked them for supporting abortion rights, saying, "They're like 5'2", 350 pounds, and they're like, 'Give me my abortions or I'll get up and march and protest. Meet Ginger Luckey, a 26-year-old Harvard business student and the congressman's 'travel buddy', "Matt Gaetz, Republican in sex-trafficking investigation, marries in California", United States representatives by seniority, Members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida, Current members of the United States House of Representatives, List of acts of the 118th United States Congress, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Matt_Gaetz&oldid=1134306949, Far-right politicians in the United States, Republican Party members of the Florida House of Representatives, Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Florida, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia pages semi-protected against vandalism, Pages using Sister project links with hidden wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 18 January 2023, at 01:07. "[261], On April 1, 2021, CNN reported that Gaetz had shown pictures of naked women to colleagues on the House floor. Gaetz grew up near Fort Walton Beach and . Speaker 3: I just want to make comment that-Matt Gaetz: I've asked the question to the Secretary Austin. [172], When Gaetz served in the Florida House of Representatives, he led an unsuccessful effort to allow Floridians with concealed-weapons permits to carry those weapons openly in public. Though Florida law requires a year's suspension when a driver refuses a breathalyzer test, Gaetz's suspension was less than a year long. He was driving home from a nightclub and was pulled over for driving 48 in a 35 mile-per-hour zone, according . Bill clears first hurdle in state House", "Gaetz: Open carrying of guns is a right granted by God", "Rep. Gaetz: Second Amendment not negotiable", "Matt Gaetz: Second Amendment Exists for 'Armed Rebellion Against the Government', "Video shows Rep. Gaetz blasting Silicon Valley and blustering about gun rights in the next breath", "Ted Lieu comes after Matt Gaetz following rally remarks about Silicon Valley", "No evidence to prove Medicaid expansion fueled opioid crisis", "Matt Gaetz Brings Out the Digital Health Pass Prevention Act", "Matt Gaetz Wore Gas Mask To Mock Coronavirus Concerns. phasmophobia nightmare ghost / hotwired 12v heated jacket liner evo / was matt gaetz in the military green beret. [223], In January 2020, the U.S. Secret Service reportedly received a tip that, in April 2018, Gaetz had accompanied Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg to a government office where Greenberg was producing fake IDs. Ex-commander of US forces in Europe challenges Matt Gaetz for smirking at military chief The congressman claims military members 'loathe' critical race theory, but provided no evidence to. Matt Gaetz is a dad, apparently. Master Sgt. Gaetz made two speeches for the organization while in Congress, and Pirozzolo gave two separate donations of $1,000 to Gaetz's campaign arm "Friends of Matt Gaetz", in March 2016 and May 2017. [50], In April 2019, Gaetz hired Darren Beattie as a speechwriter. Lawmakers Put 'People in Jeopardy' After Jan. 6", "Matt Gaetz Calls Arizona Audit 'Launchpad' for Audits Across America, Says Georgia's Next", "Did Matt Gaetz Call for Use of 'Second Amendment' Against Silicon Valley? The New Civil Rights Movement June 23, 2021 Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley blasted U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz for mocking and opposing critical race theory during what was. News Matt Gaetz Lloyd Austin U.S. military. Gaetz and other GOP members mocked Democrats and their COVID-19 regulations on social media. [83], In August 2022, Gaetz criticized President Joe Biden for forgiving up to $10,000 of student loan debt for eligible borrowers. [69] During the hearing, U.S. Virgin Islands delegate Stacey Plaskett, a member of the Oversight Committee, recommended that Gaetz be referred to both the House Ethics Committee and criminal prosecutors for witness intimidation and tampering. During a House military budget hearing, Gaetz and his Republican colleagues wanted to make the teaching of "critical race . [104], In November 2019, Gaetz was one of only two Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee to vote for the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, which among other reforms would remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act. [56] During the tour, Gaetz and Greene repeated debunked claims of fraud in the 2020 election, attacked Big Tech and, at one event, claimed that the Second Amendment was for "maintaining, within the citizenry, the ability to maintain an armed rebellion against the government, if that becomes necessary. "Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, who did not serve in the military but did smirk while General Milley was testifying," Williams said, noting that Gaetz trashed the general later in the day. [266] On April 8, it was revealed that Trump had reportedly wanted to defend Gaetz but was told to stand down due to the seriousness of the allegations. Yet new House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has elevated fringe figures like Reps. Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene . Congressman Matt Gaetz joined Mike Emanuel on "Fox News Live" to discuss how last week's battle over the House Speakership created a rules package that democratizes power among members of Congress, making it easier to deliver results that the American people want from their representatives. [163], In April 2019, after the House passed a resolution withdrawing American support for the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen, Gaetz was one of nine lawmakers to sign a letter to Trump requesting a meeting with him and urging him to sign Senate Joint Resolution 7, which invokes the War Powers Act of 1973, to end unauthorized US military participation in the Saudi-led coalition's armed conflict against Houthi forces in Yemen. He was reelected unopposed in 2012[26] and 2014. Time was the GOP would sing . [229] The same day, The New York Times reported the Justice Department's investigation of Gaetz. Protesters forced Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Matt Gaetz, Louie Gohmert, and Paul Gosar to cut a press conference short on Tuesday. Anglin later reported that Gaetz fumbled for his license and . [224] In late 2020, the Justice Department opened its investigation of Gaetz for allegedly sex trafficking the same 17-year-old girl in 2017 and whether he had violated federal sex trafficking laws by paying her to travel with him across state lines. [109] Gaetz arrived 30 minutes late to the meeting, where at least 500 constituents crowded into a bowling alley. [225][243] This allegedly began on March 16, with a text message to his father demanding money in exchange for making sex trafficking allegations "go away". [23] In the special general election, Gaetz defeated Democratic nominee Jan Fernald with 66 percent of the vote. fierywoman: Jun 2021 #1: . The move was seen as a way to elevate the needs of America's elite special operations forces Navy SEALs, Army Green Berets, Marine Raiders which have borne the brunt of the fighting in. Gaetz, who is being investigated by federal authorities for potential child sex trafficking charges and could reportedly be indicted as soon as next month, launched a Twitter attack on Milley. Gaetz's grandfather, Jerry Gaetz, was the mayor of Rugby, North Dakota, and a candidate for lieutenant governor of North Dakota at the 1964 North Dakota Republican Party state convention, where he died of a heart attack. Certain members of the Freedom Caucus, including Gaetz, could contribute the required margin. [270] A public-relations firm hired by Gaetz issued a denial statement regarding The Daily Beast's reporting on Greenberg's correspondence implicating him and Gaetz. [20] In October 2021, the Florida bar suspended Gaetz from practicing law due to unpaid fees. Nestor Galban was 12 and had just arrived from Cuba, where he'd grown up and where his . After graduating from the William & Mary Law School, he briefly worked in private practice before running for state representative. Jose J. Gonzalez, 35, were killed on Aug. 21, during combat operations in Faryab Province in northern Afghanistan. In 2005, the military decided to locate the training program for the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program at Eglin. Leer en Espaol. [119] The White House reportedly never seriously considered the request, because it was decided that issuing preemptive pardons would set a bad precedent. On March 10, he said his test was negative, but that he would stay under self-quarantine until the 14-day period ended on March 12. [267] That evening, Representative Adam Kinzinger tweeted that Gaetz should resign, becoming the first congressional Republican to make such a call. "To be fair, Gaetzthe same Matt Gaetz who faces potential sex trafficking charges, which he deniesdid also tweet today to free Britney Spears, which kind of makes him a freedom fighter." . Milley fired back against criticism from GOP lawmakers on the teaching of critical race theory at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. [278][279] In January 2022, an ex-girlfriend of Gaetz's testified before a grand jury after being granted immunity;[280] she reportedly had information relevant to two of three criminal charges being considered for Gaetz: sex trafficking a minor and obstruction of justice. Waltz is a Green Beret in the U.S. Army. Gaetz was criticized for hypocrisy because he had $476,000 of debt from his PPP loan forgiven. They reached a boiling point and these guys marched in and said we want to know what's going on. The anti-McCarthy members withheld more than four votes through 14 ballots. [34] After the hearings, he authored legislation to allow defendants who successfully used a stand-your-ground defense during trial to be able to expunge relevant information from their criminal records. Milley, who was testifying alongside Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the hearing, was responding to Florida representatives Michael Waltz, a former Army Green Beret, and Matt Gaetz. [225] Evidence including mobile payment receipts reportedly suggesting Gaetz had illegally exchanged money for sex, such as May 2018 Venmo transaction records showing Gaetz sending $900 (with a memo referring to a woman) to Greenberg, who then relayed the money (with the memos "tuition" and "school") to three women, one of whom was 18. "[213], As a Florida state representative in 2015, Gaetz and Representative David Richardson sponsored an amendment to repeal Florida's ban on same-sex adoptions. [38] Don Gaetz, then the president of the Florida Senate, also endorsed Bush, along with several other members of Florida's state legislature. Hamlette: Jun 2021 #5: now I get it, Milley was addressing Sec of Def Austin who appears in the clip. [25] In 2012, following the reconfiguration of Florida House of Representatives districts, Gaetz's district no longer contained any of Santa Rosa County. The congressmens' cell phones and other devices put the secure facility, and U.S. national security, at risk. His work in Congress focuses on national security, tax reform, regulatory reform, and adherence to constitutional principles. [123], In November 2017, Gaetz introduced a congressional resolution calling for Robert Mueller to recuse himself as special counsel because of what were said to be conflicts of interest. [53], In February 2020, Gaetz announced that he would no longer accept campaign contributions from federal political action committees. Matthew Louis Gaetz II (/ e t s / GAYTS; born May 7, 1982) is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the U.S. representative for Florida's 1st congressional district since 2017. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Newscom) On Tuesday night, The New York Times alleged that Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) is "under investigation over possible sex trafficking" of a minor. [165], On August 26, 2020, Gaetz tweeted "The mob wants to destroy America. As a result, Gaetz was placed under self-quarantine for 14 days. Although sitting Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy sought the speakership and had the support of 213 members, he needed five more votes to reach a majority to be elected. Minute after it went online career in the department is ' [46][47][48], Gaetz served as a top campaign adviser to Ron DeSantis during his 2018 gubernatorial campaign. [28] He also joined state senator Greg Evers in proposing legislation to eliminate the federal ethanol content mandate that 10 percent of gasoline sold in Florida contain ethanol;[29][30] Governor Rick Scott signed the legislation in May 2013. "If Democrats want to defund the police, they should start with the FBI," wrote . His refusal also did not lead to a criminal prosecution, during which it could have been used against him. 56K views, 139 likes, 25 loves, 33 comments, 12 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from The Damage Report: Matt Gaetz Visibly SQUIRMS As Top Military General Speaks Things to know about congressman accused of threatening Michael Cohen", "Member Profile Matthew Louis Gaetz II", "GOP lawmaker Don Gaetz is rising fast as a state Senate leader", "Law School Alums Looking To Distance Themselves As Much As Humanly Possible From Matt Gaetz", "How Matt Gaetz used daddy's money to become Trump's favorite congressman", "Matt Gaetz labelled 'delinquent' for failing to pay Florida bar association fees", "Florida House Speaker Ray Sansom resigns", "April 13, 2010 Special General Congressional 19 & House 4", "Florida House approves speeding up executions", "Ethanol Fuels To Evaporate Under House Bill", "Florida Congressman Drafts Bill To 'Completely Abolish' The EPA", "Rick Scott Signs Ethanol Bill Repealing Required Percentage Statute", "Act of revenge? '"[196][197] A Texas teenager tweeted a post mocking Gaetz, who responded with a photo of her that, according to NPR, implied his comments had touched a nerve; she used the incident to raise over $2 million for abortion funds. This weapon has been used for years by the Green Berets and the U.S. military as a whole. [61] Other members of Congress saw the tweet as an attempt to intimidate a witness. [175], During a May 2021 "America First" rally with Marjorie Taylor Greene, Gaetz told an audience: "We have a Second Amendment in this country, and I think we have an obligation to use it!" The Florida Republican deleted a post about the agency investigating him on possible sex trafficking charges less than a minute after it went online. [7], In late April, Gaetz fundraised to run his own political ads, claiming that he was under attack by powerful interests such as "big government, big tech, big business, big media" that perceived him as a political threat. It passed, 38825. [239][240] In late 2020, Greenberg apparently attempted to secure a pardon from the Trump administration via a confession letter (first reported by The Daily Beast in April 2021), writing that he and Gaetz had had sex with a 17-year-old girl they believed was 19, and that payments had been made on behalf of Gaetz to her and other women in exchange for sex. 143 The M4A1 is a tried and true weapon that has served as the workhorse for the Special Forces. [122] On April 8, it was revealed that Trump had reportedly wanted to defend Gaetz, but that his advisors talked him out of it due to the seriousness of the allegations. But he and the other members were actually attending the Conservative Political Action Conference, which was held at the same time as their absences. [241] Greenberg attempted to bribe Roger Stone with a $250,000 Bitcoin payment to secure a presidential pardon, texting Stone, "They know [Gaetz] paid me to pay the girls and that he and I both had sex with the girl who was underage. Gaetz comes from a political family; Waltz is a high-ranking military officer. Special forces veteran Joe Kent added to several early announcements of political candidacy when he shared his plans on Wednesday to run for Washington's 3rd congressional district in 2024. [225][226] The investigation of Greenberg led federal officials to look into some of Gaetz's related activities. [156][157] He said he advocated technological innovation and economic incentives that address climate change, and increased federal funds for global warming research by NASA, NOAA and universities, but remained opposed to increased environmental regulation. Despite Republican Claims, No", "Text H.R.1865 116th Congress (20192020): Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020", "Roll Call 689 Roll Call 689, Bill Number: H. R. 1865, 116th Congress, 1st Session", "H.R. [60], On February 26, 2019, the night before the scheduled public hearing of Michael Cohen, Trump's former personal attorney, before the House Oversight Committee, Gaetz directed a tweet to Cohen that implied without evidence that Cohen had had multiple extramarital affairs and also suggested his wife might be unfaithful while he was imprisoned due to new information disclosed to her. In several commercials during his 2016 congressional campaign, Gaetz promised to "kill Muslim terrorists and build the wall". Matt Prigge Contributing Writer Twitter. Matt Gaetz is NOT a Green Beret or a Freedom Fighter Michele Dotson 54 subscribers 71K views 1 year ago Brian Williams claps back HARD at Matt Gaetz for trolling General Mark Milley on. [235][236], Investigators believe that Greenberg met women through a website for sex and introduced them to Gaetz, who also had sex with them. [240] The next day, Trump publicly denied that Gaetz had asked him for a pardon. Matt Gaetz, a member of the 116th Congress, is currently serving his second term. "[182] It was sent to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. [276] Greenberg's sentencing hearing was originally scheduled for August 2021,[277] but due to his cooperation in related investigations, had been repeatedly delayed. [88] After midnight, January 7, on the 15th and last ballot, Gaetz switched his vote to "present", lowering the number of votes McCarthy needed and allowing him to win the speakership. [273] In August, ABC News reported that Greenberg had "provided investigators with years of Venmo and Cash App transactions and thousands of photos and videos, as well as access to personal social media accounts." [81], In late February 2021, Gaetz and a dozen other Republican House members skipped votes and enlisted others to vote for them, citing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. [212], On June 23, 2021, Gaetz tweeted that the FBI should be defunded while it is investigating him for alleged sex trafficking and having sex with a minor. Democrats held 212 votes, with one seat unfilled due to the November death of a holdover incumbent. [7] A September 2022 Washington Post article reported that career prosecutors have recommended not to charge Gaetz in the sex-trafficking investigation, telling Justice Department superiors that a conviction is unlikely in part because of credibility questions about the two central witnesses. In addition to denying the allegations about his relationship with a 17-year-old girl, Gaetz denied a previously unreported claim that he had been photographed "with child prostitutes", and said that a friend of his (whom Carlson had supposedly met) had been urged by the FBI to claim Gaetz was "involved in some pay-for-play scheme". Matt Gaetz Insulted The General Who Called Out His Critical Race Theory Nonsense, And It Did Not Go Over Well. [149], Gaetz voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Police recorded him driving 48mph (77km/h) in a 35mph (56km/h) zone and noted that he showed physical signs of intoxication. [9][10][11], Gaetz grew up near Fort Walton Beach, and graduated from Niceville High School. [242] Gaetz's phone was also seized, and he changed his phone number in late December. He wrote, "If Democrats want to defund the police, they should start with the FBI. "[174] Gaetz supports Florida's stand-your-ground law and supported legislation that strengthened it against legal challenges. He also argued that "Providing for flights and hotel rooms for people that you're dating who are of legal age is not a crime. [17], After graduating from William & Mary Law School,[18] Gaetz worked at the law firm Keefe, Anchors & Gordon (now AnchorsGordon)[19] in Fort Walton Beach. [180] PolitiFact rated the claim "mostly false", noting that "experts were universal in saying that the evidence that Medicaid expansion is somehow fueling the opioid crisis doesn't exist."[180]. [223] Gaetz initially denied that he had drunk alcohol, but later admitted to drinking two beers. Matt Gaetz shaking his head and smirking at a decorated General of the United States Army really shows you where his loyalty stands. [152] In April 2017, the Center for American Progress and Vice Media said Gaetz was a climate change denier, citing his 2016 statements. [87] Gaetz nominated him once and voted for Trump on the 7th, 8th and 11th ballots. McGee reportedly met with Don Gaetz before Alford did,[254][256] but apparently did not discuss a presidential pardon, which Alford later admitted to the FBI that he had lied about his ability to arrange. [62][63] Gaetz initially defended his tweet, saying it was part of "witness testing, not witness tampering" and "I don't threaten anybody." Representative Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican, accused Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin of promoting "wokeism . In December 2017, Gaetz supported Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, and said that the move would pressure Palestine to recognize Israel. Matt Gaetz, a member of the 117th Congress, is currently serving his third term in the U.S. House of Representatives. After graduating from the William & Mary Law School, he briefly worked in private practice before running for state representative. [33] Gaetz, the chairman of the Criminal Justice Subcommittee, was tasked with reviewing the legislation; he announced before hearings that he would not support changing "one damn comma", but said he would listen to both sides' testimony. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) tweeted about defunding the FBI on Wednesday, then appeared to think better of it. [82] In response, the Campaign for Accountability, an ethics watchdog group, filed a complaint with the House Committee on Ethics and requested an investigation into Gaetz and the other lawmakers. He currently represents Florida's 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. [118], On April 6, The New York Times reported that during the final weeks of Trump's presidency, Gaetz privately asked the White House for a blanket pardon for himself and some unknown congressional allies for any crimes they may have committed. In 2017, he cast the only vote against a human trafficking bill", "Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz was literally the only person to vote against an anti-human trafficking bill", "Roll Call 91 Roll Call 91, Bill Number: H. R. 1865, 115th Congress, 2nd Session", "Gaetz among 20 House Republicans who voted against anti-human trafficking bill", "Gaetz misleads in claim about immigrants, crime", "Matt Gaetz runs for U.S. Congress, blasts 'illegal immigrants' and 'Muslim terrorists', "GOP Lawmaker Matt Gaetz Slams Haiti: 'Sheet Metal And Garbage' Everywhere You Look", "Did Democrats, or George Soros, Fund Migrant Caravan?