[286] The sentencing judge, Gregory A. Presnell, said, "He has provided substantial cooperation to the governmentmore than I've seen in 22 years. The military's top officer on Wednesday volunteered a forceful defense to a congressional panel of the Defense Department's attempts to better understand social injustice within its ranks and. [225][226] The investigation of Greenberg led federal officials to look into some of Gaetz's related activities. [83], In August 2022, Gaetz criticized President Joe Biden for forgiving up to $10,000 of student loan debt for eligible borrowers. A spokesperson for Gaetz said, "not one woman has come forward to accuse Rep. Gaetz of wrongdoing" and that Gaetz had "addressed the debunked allegations against him" on his new podcast, Firebrand. [200][201][202] 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. A press release stated, "These short-lived climate pollutants, also called super pollutants, are significantly more potent than carbon dioxide. 2019 ) deleted a post about the agency investigating him on possible sex trafficking charges less than a minute it. Minute after it went online career in the department is ' Beattie had previously been fired as a speechwriter for the Trump administration after attending a conference associated with white nationalists. [225][5][6] As part of his plea bargain, Greenberg cooperated with the investigation of Gaetz and others. "[137][138] House Homeland Security Committee chairman Bennie Thompson of Mississippi wrote to the House sergeant-at-arms about Gaetz and others, requesting that he take action regarding their "unprecedented breach of security". Certain members of the Freedom Caucus, including Gaetz, could contribute the required margin. 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 claimed that the decision was an example of "judicial activism" that posed "a threat to our democracy". Retired Army Col. Johnnie R. Prichard described the Florida Republican's opinion as "just a bunch of bull about himself," in a Nov. 11 letter to the editor of the same newspaper.. Prichard began his letter by thanking veterans for their service to the country and then went on to repeatedly slam . In late 2020, the Department of Justice opened an investigation into allegations that Gaetz had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl in exchange for money in violation of federal sex trafficking laws, which Gaetz denied. He is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the Judiciary Committee. [54], On January 10, 2021, House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy complained on a phone call that Gaetz was unnecessarily "putting people in jeopardy", noting that the rioters at the U.S. Capitol on January 6 "came prepared with rope". Milley's impassioned retort came after Representatives Matt Gaetz and Michael Waltz, a Green Beret veteran, brought up concerns that critical race theory is detrimental to the U.S.. [43] He is only the seventh person to represent this district since 1933 (the district was numbered the 3rd before 1963). [76] On July 1, 2020, the Office of Congressional Ethics notified Gaetz it had terminated its review of the lease arrangements. Milley fired back against criticism from GOP lawmakers on the teaching of critical race theory at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. [109] Gaetz arrived 30 minutes late to the meeting, where at least 500 constituents crowded into a bowling alley. The theory emerged during the 1980s and argues that. In several commercials during his 2016 congressional campaign, Gaetz promised to "kill Muslim terrorists and build the wall". [23] In the special general election, Gaetz defeated Democratic nominee Jan Fernald with 66 percent of the vote. "I respect your. [188], On April 14, Gaetz said the Wuhan Institute of Virology "birthed a monster", a reference to the theory that COVID-19 was leaked out of a Chinese research lab. Master Sgt. [8], 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. [287][275] In the book, while discussing dating in Washington, he writes, "I knew going in how many people had been brought down by sexual missteps in this town, so I set some rules to help me err on the safe(r) side [including] no dating your staff members, [etc.]. His refusal also did not lead to a criminal prosecution, during which it could have been used against him. During Wednesday's House Armed Services Committee hearing on the Defense Department's proposed budget, an angrier-than-usual-looking Gen. Mark Milley, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,. [291], In December 2020, Gaetz announced his engagement to his girlfriend, Ginger Luckey, the sister of Oculus VR founder and major Republican donor Palmer Luckey. [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. [244] Gaetz and his father purportedly received communications claiming that the FBI had photographs of Gaetz engaged in a "sexual orgy with underage prostitutes". [160], In June 2021, Gaetz was one of 49 House Republicans to vote to repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002.[161][162]. [32], Florida House speaker Will Weatherford announced that he would order hearings on the stand-your-ground law. After graduating from the William & Mary Law School, he briefly worked in private practice before running for state representative. In 2019, Gaetz was one of 60 representatives to vote against condemning Trump's withdrawal from Syria. We need PATRIOTS who will defend her. A relatively amorphous term often. A Republican, he has been an ally of former president Donald Trump,[1] as well as a proponent of far-right politics.[2]. 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. [42] This virtually assured Gaetz of victory in the general election; with a Cook Partisan Voting Index of R+22, the 1st is Florida's most Republican district, and one of the most Republican in the nation. [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". Earlier in the hearing, Austin tangled with another Florida Republican, Rep. Matt Gaetz, who objected to Austin's order for a military-wide stand down, where units took a day out of their. The Pentagon has identified the two U.S. Army Green Berets killed on Wednesday during combat operations in northern Afghanistan. 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. ", "Republicans confront Mueller with allegations of double standard in Russia probe", "House Republicans' national security-threatening impeachment stunt, explained by an expert", "Reps. Mo Brooks, Bradley Byrne at forefront of GOP charge into impeachment room", "Chaotic scene as Republicans disrupt impeachment deposition", "After Republicans storm hearing room, Defense official testifies in impeachment inquiry", "Total SCIF Show: The GOP's Raid Puts National Security at Risk", "Jim Jordan defends GOP lawmakers who stormed impeachment inquiry room", "Rep. Matt Gaetz and other GOP politicians baselessly suggest antifa is to blame for pro-Trump mob rioting into Capitol", "How Matt Gaetz spread a falsehood about antifa infiltrating the mob that attacked Congress", "Rep. Matt Gaetz Staffer Cheered On Capitol Rioters Via Parler as They Overran Police", "H.Res.582 - Impeaching Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, for high crimes and misdemeanors", "H.Res.597 - Impeaching Joseph R. Biden, President of the United States, for endangering the security of the United States and countering the will of Congress and other high crimes and misdemeanors", "Joe Biden Impeachment a 'Priority,' Says Matt Gaetz as GOP Set to Win House", "Matt Gaetz Admits 'Many' Republicans Don't Want to Try Impeaching Biden", "H.Res.8 - Impeaching Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, for high crimes and misdemeanors", "How Each House Member Voted on the Tax Bill", "Republican-led Congress passes sweeping tax bill", "Local political figures cautious about sea level rise", "The Climate Denier Caucus in Trump's Washington", "H.R.861 To terminate the Environmental Protection Agency", "90 Current Climate Solutions Caucus Members", "Matt Gaetz, the Climate Solutions Caucus and the bumpy road to bipartisan consensus", "After pushing bill to abolish EPA, Rep. Matt Gaetz joins Climate Solutions Caucus", "Reps. Gaetz, Peters Introduce Bill to Slow Climate Change, Reduce Super Pollutants", "14 House Republicans vote against a measure condemning military coup in Myanmar", "House votes to repeal 2002 Iraq War authorization", Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, "House Vote #560 in 2019: H.J.Res. "I. [147] He expressed the belief that many Republicans in Congress were hesitant to impeach Biden, but that Republican voters would feel "betrayed" if they did not. It's All Part of the Plan", "Local feelings on same-sex marriage ruling mixed", Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, "Roll Call 513 | Bill Number: H. R. 8404", "House passes antitrust bill that hikes M&A fees as larger efforts targeting tech have stalled", "H.R. [175] He also supports concealed carry reciprocity. [149], Gaetz voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The conversation was reported in April 2022. Matt Gaetz has been a lifelong advocate for Northwest Florida, having grown up in Okaloosa County. [198][199], On December 19, 2017, Gaetz was the only representative to vote against the Combating Human Trafficking in Commercial Vehicles Act, a bill allocating additional government resources to help combat human trafficking. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin put his foot down when asked by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) on Wednesday what the military and critical race theory - a loosely defined term used by many . [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. [263][264][265], On April 6, 2021, The New York Times reported that in the last weeks of the Trump administration, Gaetz privately requested a blanket presidential pardon for himself and others, which was reportedly denied because it would set a bad precedent. Matt Gaetz Insulted The General Who Called Out His Critical Race Theory Nonsense, And It Did Not Go Over Well. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., at Wednesday's hearing. This weapon has been used for years by the Green Berets and the U.S. military as a whole. 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. [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. Asked to clarify, he said his "tweet speaks for itself". In June 2021, Gaetz introduced the Digital Health Pass Prevention Act (DHPPA) with the support of representatives Louie Gohmert and Lance Gooden. Protesters forced Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Matt Gaetz, Louie Gohmert, and Paul Gosar to cut a press conference short on Tuesday. [202][203], On February 27, 2018, Gaetz voted against the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act, which had by then been combined with the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act. [251] Gaetz sent Axios screenshots of text messages, emails and documents outlining the alleged extortion scheme, which he asserted was being run by David McGee,[252] a former federal prosecutor who has been a private attorney since 2005[253] and has represented the Levinson family. Claiming on Wednesday that teaching trainees about critical race theory would be "divisive," Florida representatives Michael Waltz and alleged sex offender Matt Gaetz demanded General Mark. [102][103] In September 2017, Gaetz keynoted the American Medical Marijuana Physicians Association's annual conference. Requires extreme mental and physical toughness. Let us all endeavor to keep it that way." -Congressman Matt Gaetz Battling GOP extremism just helped Democrats stop a red wave in the 2022 midterms. In the November 8 general election, Gaetz defeated Democratic nominee Steven Specht with 69 percent of the vote. In both, he criticizes former House Speaker Paul Ryan for joining the board of Fox News's parent company and blames him for canceling Lou Dobbs Tonight. [78], In July 2020, Politico reported that its investigation had found expenditures by Gaetz that appeared to violate the House ethics rules: spending tens of thousands of dollars for a speech-writing consultant and having a private company install a television studio in his father's home in Niceville, Florida, which Gaetz uses when he appears on television. "[176][177] Immediately before his remarks on the Second Amendment, Gaetz criticized Big Tech companies for trying to "suppress us, discourage us", saying, "Silicon Valley can't cancel this movement, or this rally, or this congressman". [51] Gaetz defended Johnson in an interview, saying that Johnson was neither a Holocaust denier nor a white supremacist. [242] Gaetz's phone was also seized, and he changed his phone number in late December. He printed out part of his speech onto giant boards that he would hold up if he was unable to speak. Hugh_Lebowski: Jun 2021 #2: yeah, I didn't get that either, who was the Green Beret? . Matt Gaetz, even if Gaetz brought the topic up. [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. Joel Valdez, a senior communications aide to Gaetz, posted a video on Parler hours before the storming of the Capitol with the caption "From the top of the Capitol office buildings, WE HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR! 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.' Used matt gaetz military green beret him commercials during his 2016 congressional campaign, Gaetz defeated Democratic nominee Steven Specht with percent... 'S annual conference 2017, Gaetz defeated Democratic nominee Steven Specht with 69 percent of the vote and... 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