[22], While serving in the state house, Gaetz and state senator Joe Negron proposed legislation that would hasten the execution of many inmates on Florida's death row by requiring the governor to sign a death warrant for those who had exhausted their appeals. [138] The disruption delayed Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary Laura Cooper's testimony by many hours. Gabrielle Fonrouge. 77: Opposing the decision to end certain United States efforts to prevent Turkish military operations against Syrian Kurdish forces in Northeast Syria", "Bernie Sanders, Rand Paul, Ro Khanna, and a bipartisan group of lawmakers sent a letter to Trump imploring him to end US support for Saudi Arabia in Yemen", "Twitter Places Warning on Congressman's Tweet for Glorifying Violence", "Rep. Matt Gaetz on Twitter: "The mob wants to destroy America. READ BIOGRAPHY HOW CAN I HELP YOU? [26], Gaetz was one of two members to vote against a Florida bill against revenge porn in 2015, after having successfully blocked the bill previously. Luis F. Deleon-Figueroa, 31, and Master Sgt. Tour Request Flag Request Internship Application Casework Request Military Academies Veterans History Project 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. [136][137], 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".[143][144]. Congressman Mike Waltz represents North Central Florida, is a Colonel in the National Guard, a combat-decorated Green Beret, former White House and Pentagon policy advisor, a small business owner, an author, and a proud father. Matthew Louis Gaetz II was born on May 7, 1982, in Hollywood, Florida, to Victoria (ne Quertermous) and Don Gaetz, who later became a prominent local politician. [3] In 2016, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, and was reelected in 2018, 2020, and 2022. [275], 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. [80] A statement from Gaetz's office said the arrangement complied with House rules, and that during the setup process, his office consulted with the House Ethics Committee and the House Administration Committee. "[62][115], In May 2018, Gaetz was one of 18 House Republicans to vote to nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in peace talks with North Korea. [190] but the EcoHealth Alliance later admitted that under the grant it had enhanced a bat coronavirus so it became potentially more infectious to humans, which the NIH said was an "unexpected result" of the research it had funded that was carried out in partnership with the Wuhan Institute of Virology. [226] Gaetz initially denied that he had drunk alcohol, but later admitted to drinking two beers. Prosecutors alleged that Alford claimed he had contacts in the Justice Department who could arrange for a presidential pardon for Gaetz and directed Don Gaetz to wire the money to a trust account managed by McGee. The son of prominent Florida politician Don Gaetz and grandson of North Dakota politician Jerry Gaetz, Gaetz was raised in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. It passed, 38825. Anglin later reported that Gaetz fumbled for his license and. 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. 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. Just some time with our familyand our dignity. Rep. Matt Gaetz. 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? [252][253] The sender was later identified as Florida developer Stephen Alford, who was arrested on August 31. ", "Fear distracts, divides and dehumanizes us. [217][218] The week before, he claimed without evidence that "FBI operatives organized and participated in the January 6th Capitol riot. matt gaetz military green beret. Their withholding of votes prevented McCarthy earning a majority of votes needed for the speakership. Matt Gaetz's Colleagues Drop the Dirt on Him. [222], In 2022, Gaetz voted against the Respect for Marriage Act. [284][285] In January 2022, an ex-girlfriend of Gaetz's testified before a grand jury after being granted immunity;[286] she reportedly had information relevant to two of three criminal charges being considered for Gaetz: sex trafficking a minor and obstruction of justice. [110] Gaetz arrived 30 minutes late to the meeting, where at least 500 constituents crowded into a bowling alley. 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. [229] Gaetz was reportedly joined by marijuana entrepreneur and hand surgeon Jason Pirozzolo, who allegedly paid trip accommodations, traveling expenses, and escort services. This isn't the first time Gaetz has exercised poor judgement in the sorts of photographs he poses for. He said he had no symptoms and was not sure when he had contracted the disease. "[294], In June 2020, following an argument with then-Representative Cedric Richmond, Gaetz said he had been living with a 19-year-old immigrant from Cuba, Nestor Galbn, since Galbn was 12, and considered Galbn his son. [280][281] According to Greenberg, he made the arrangements for Gaetz. [128][129], After Ohio congressman Jim Jordan denied that he was aware of the sexual abuse of Ohio State University wrestlers during the period when Jordan was a coach there,[130] Gaetz said that the allegations came from people in the "deep state" and were intended to reduce the credibility of Jordan's criticism of Mueller's investigation of the Trump campaign and Russia. [29] 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. [273][274], On April 9, 2021, the House Ethics Committee opened an investigation into allegations that Gaetz "may have engaged in sexual misconduct and/or illicit drug use, shared inappropriate images or videos on the House floor, misused state identification records, converted campaign funds to personal use, and/or accepted a bribe, improper gratuity, or impermissible gift". The district includes portions of Walton County and all of Escambia, Okaloosa, and Santa Rosa counties. [166], On August 26, 2020, Gaetz tweeted "The mob wants to destroy America. [235] By April 2, the Justice Department was examining whether Gaetz asked women to recruit others for sex. After Rep. Matt Gaetz accused a Florida lawyer of a $25 million extortion scheme to make sex trafficking allegations disappear, . [89] 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. [109], On February 23, 2017, worried about protesters disrupting his appearance at his town hall in Pace, Florida, Gaetz prepared what his staffers called a nonverbal town hall. [181] 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."[181]. At the same time, Florida has been one of the states slammed hardest by the novel Coronavirus. It's tempting to see the Gaetz affair as the last shudder of the era of Donald Trump, but the political culture that the two men represent won't easily be . [111][112][113], In April 2018, Politico called Gaetz "one of the most enthusiastic defenders of President Trump on cable news" and a "proud Trump protg". [164], 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 seen posing for photos in a crowd of unmasked attendees, prompting New Jersey governor Phil Murphy and Jersey City mayor Steven Fulop to publicly condemn him. The Florida Bar is now investigating", "Florida Bar investigating Rep. Matt Gaetz for Cohen tweet", "Ethics Committee investigating Rep. Gaetz for tweet threatening Michael Cohen", "Matt Gaetz rents office space from longtime friend and donor at taxpayer expense", "Common Cause files complaint against Matt Gaetz, Collier Merrill about full disclosure", "Ethics watchdog ends review of Gaetz's office lease", "Matt Gaetz appears to run afoul of House ethics rules", "Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz may have broken House rules by sending nearly $30,000 in taxpayer funds to an LLC linked to a former Trump aide", "U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz denies wrongdoing in payments to ex-White House speechwriter", "More than a dozen Republicans tell House they can't attend votes due to 'public health emergency.' 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? [30], When his subcommittee was considering legislation that would keep suspects' mugshots off the Internet until their convictions, Gaetz brought up his 2008 arrest and non-conviction, arguing that his mistakes made him who he is and that publicly available mugshots "could be a problem for those unaccustomed to publicity". '"[197][198] 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. A field officer for the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles declared there was no evidence that Gaetz refused a breathalyzer test, despite the arresting police officer having documented it in an affidavit and the arrest report and Gaetz's own attorney also having documented it. He later clarified that Galbn is the brother of an ex-girlfriend of Gaetz's and that Galbn spends time with his sister, with Gaetz's family, and with Gaetz. The Pentagon has identified the two U.S. Army Green Berets killed on Wednesday during combat operations in northern Afghanistan. The sender demanded millions of dollars to help secure the release of U.S. federal agent Robert Levinson (who had disappeared in Iran in 2007 and had already been presumed and declared dead),[250][251] proposing that President Joe Biden would pardon Gaetz as a reward for freeing Levinson. [11], Gaetz's father represented parts of Northwest Florida as a member of the Florida State Senate from 2006 to 2016, and was Senate president from 2012 to 2014. . [213], Gaetz has endorsed the white nationalist Great Replacement theory. [107] Gaetz has introduced the STATES Act to prevent federal interference in states that have legalized cannabis for medical or recreational purposes. [201][202][203] Gaetz later explained that his vote was due to his small government principles and his belief that existing federal agencies could adequately combat human trafficking. [19] During his campaign, Gaetz received almost $480,000 in contributions, about five times more than anyone else in the field, and almost 50 times more than Fernald, including $100,000 of his own money. [186][187][188] A few days later, on March 9, Gaetz's office reported that he had been in contact with a Conservative Political Action Conference attendee who tested positive for COVID-19. "[246] By the end of the Trump administration, Greenberg was under indictment, investigators had been questioning some Gaetz associates, and federal agents had seized the phone of one of Gaetz's former girlfriends. [287] (A year later, her attorney said that Justice Department prosecutors made the right decision not to charge Gaetz because "they didnt have evidence to prove a crime". He met his fiance, 26-year-old Ginger Luckey, while. [33] Don Gaetz, then the president of the Florida Senate, also endorsed Bush, along with several other members of Florida's state legislature. [227] Greenberg was indicted in August 2020 on an array of charges, including sex trafficking a 17-year-old girl in 2017 and creating fake IDs to facilitate sex trafficking. [62] Other members of Congress saw the tweet as an attempt to intimidate a witness. Feb 24. Representative Matt Gaetz called out Google for censoring conservative news sites like the Gateway Pundit, Daily Caller, Breitbart, Western Journal and the American Spectator. His work in Congress focuses on national security, veterans' affairs, and adherence to constitutional principles. On Tuesday, the tables were . One Of His Constituents Just Died From It", "Matt Gaetz, Who Mocked Coronavirus by Wearing Gas Mask on House Floor, Is Now in Quarantine", "Rep. Matt Gaetz wore a gas mask on House floor during vote on coronavirus response package", "Matt Gaetz gets called out on Fox News for his coronavirus gas mask stunt", "Matt Gaetz's Coronavirus Gas Mask Stunt Comes Back To Haunt Him On Fox News", "GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz says he tested negative for coronavirus, will stay quarantined after contact with Trump", "Trump administration cuts funding for coronavirus researcher, jeopardizing possible COVID-19 cure", "NIH says grantee failed to report experiment in Wuhan that created a bat virus that made mice sicker", "In Major Shift, NIH Admits Funding Risky Virus Research in Wuhan", "Gaetz tests positive for coronavirus antibodies", "Democratic NJ governor tells Matt Gaetz he's 'not welcome' in state", "Matt Gaetz 'Deeply Concerned' FBI Had Intel on COVID Origins and Didn't Act", "Rep. Matt Gaetz Tells Crowd His Brain Is Affected by 'the Florida Variant', "A Texas teen raises over $700,000 for abortions after Rep. Matt Gaetz mocked her", "Teen Has Raised $1.5 Million for Abortion Funds in the Week Since Matt Gaetz Mocked Her", "Abortion activist raises more than $2 million after being mocked by Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz", "Roll Call 695 Roll Call 695, Bill Number: S. 1536, 115th Congress, 1st Session", "Matt Gaetz defends lone no vote on anti-human trafficking bill", "Matt Gaetz is under investigation on suspicion of violating federal sex-trafficking laws. [23] 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;[24][25] Governor Rick Scott signed the legislation in May 2013. "[140][137] Ohio representative Jim Jordan said, "The members have just had it, and they want to be able to see and represent their constituents and find out what's going on. [83] 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. 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