[154][non-primary source needed][155], In January 2017, Gaetz proposed legislation to abolish the Environmental Protection Agency, claiming that it hurts small businesses via the costs associated with compliance. Gaetz had allegedly claimed to have slept with the women in the photos. [79], 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. WASHINGTON The night before the start of a humiliating and historic five-day floor fight in Representative Kevin McCarthy's quest to become speaker, Representative Matt Gaetz . And it matters to our military and the . "[262][263][264], On March 31, 2021, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said he had no plans to remove Gaetz from his seats on the Judiciary and Armed Services Committees, but that he might change his mind if Gaetz "gets indicted"[265] or "if it comes out to be true. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) At the end of his comments, Milley directly addressed Waltz, a combat veteran. "[96], Gaetz has introduced legislation to reclassify cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. 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. [142] Each side got equal time to question witnesses. A meme showing a mug shot of U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz suggests that the congressman has had "seven DUIs" and is responsible for the "suspicious" death of his college . [82], 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. [205], On July 26, 2022, Gaetz voted against the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act, which passed 40120. Though a financial disclosure form Gaetz filed in 2016 showed a net worth of $388,000, he donated $200,000 of his own money to his congressional campaign. Matt Gaetz, a member of the 117th Congress, is currently serving his third term in the U.S. House of Representatives. 1158) which effectively prohibits ICE from cooperating with Health and Human Services to detain or remove illegal alien sponsors of unaccompanied alien children (UACs). January 17, 2023 Press Release. 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. [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. [72] The Florida Bar opened an investigation into Gaetz for the tweet,[73][74] as did the House Ethics Committee. Just look at his time in Tallahassee", "Emails show Jeb Bush coordinated with Florida Legislature for Favorable Primary Date", "Bush announces endorsements from 20 Florida senators", "Matt Gaetz Makes It Official, Will Shoot for Dad's Senate Seat in 2016", "Matt Gaetz launches bid for Congress, handing fathers state Senate seat to George Gainer", "Florida U.S. House 1st District Results: Matt Gaetz Wins", "To all who will kneel during the anthem today just remember how Jose Fernandez risked his life just for the chance to stand for it", "GOP Lawmaker Matt Gaetz Ripped For Tweet Politicizing Death Of MLB Star Jose Fernandez", "Meet Three of Our Freshmen Members: Reps. Gaetz, Rutherford, and Marshall", "How Matt Gaetz helped make Ron DeSantis", "GOP lawmaker condemned for inviting Holocaust denier to State of the Union", "GOP rep invited alt-right activist to the State of the Union", "Rep. Matt Gaetz hires former White House speechwriter who attended 2016 conference with white nationalists", "Prosecutors Look at Florida Election Protest as a Model for Jan. 6", "Matt Gaetz files ethics complaint against Nancy Pelosi for ripping Trump speech", "Rep. Matt Gaetz, top Trump ally, swears off PAC money", "McCarthy Feared G.O.P. [124], 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. Gaetz became a regular warm-up speaker for Trump whenever the former president campaigned in Florida during his 2020 re-election bid. Transcribe Your Own Content Try Rev and save time transcribing, captioning, and subtitling. [271] 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. [95], In a September 2022 episode of Steve Bannon's War Room podcast, Gaetz said that Republicans should prioritize "impeachment inquiries" against Democrats "to investigate them and to hold them accountable" if Republicans won the 2022 U.S. House of Representatives elections. He added, "it should be investigations [of Democrats] first[and] policy, bill-making, to support the lobbyists and the PACs, as a far, far diminished priority. Reactions: pioneerlion83 , RoyalT12 , Osprey Lion and 2 others [118], Gaetz is a member of the House Judiciary Committee, but not of the Intelligence, Foreign Affairs, or Oversight and Reform Committees, and so was not allowed to join lawmakers' closed-door deposition of former White House Russia aide Fiona Hill in October 2019. Support for impeaching President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas, Federal investigations into sex trafficking. And fear is Trump's best friend", "Congressional Dems Label Wisconsin Shooter White Supremacist Without Evidence", "Kyle Rittenhouse found not guilty on all charges", "Gaetz says Rittenhouse would make 'great' intern", "Florida GOP candidate to give away semi-automatic rifle", "Openly carry guns in Florida? 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. 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. "[172] Gaetz is a lifetime member of the NRA,[172] and has an A+ rating from it. He's still being probed by the bureau", "Matt Gaetz Is a Congressman Liberals Love to Loathe. Mike was born in Boynton Beach, FL and grew up in Jacksonville, Florida. By. "[293], Gaetz has a 2020 book and a 2021 podcast, both titled Firebrand. [99][100] Gaetz has criticized the federal government for having "lied to the American people for a generation" about cannabis's medical benefits. Gaetz said that Carlson "is CORRECT about Replacement Theory as he explains what is happening to America. [226], 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. "[134], In October 2019, Gaetz organized a "storming" of a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility on Capitol Hill by about two dozen Republican congressmen, including House minority whip Steve Scalise, in an effort to sit in on and hear the deposition of a Pentagon official during the impeachment inquiry against Trump. He failed an eye test twice, then declined field sobriety tests. 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. In June 2021, Gaetz introduced the Digital Health Pass Prevention Act (DHPPA) with the support of representatives Louie Gohmert and Lance Gooden. 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". 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. military. [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. : 2016 Florida Republican presidential primary, athletes protesting during the national anthem, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet, Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law, 2022 U.S. House of Representatives elections, federal restrictions on the cultivation of cannabis for research purposes, American Medical Marijuana Physicians Association, Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, Links between Trump associates and Russian officials, Business projects of Donald Trump in Russia, the sexual abuse of Ohio State University wrestlers, Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, 2021 storming of the United States Capitol, Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002, Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, "Matt Gaetz: Why this Trump ally is fighting for his political life", "Mimicking Donald Trump, far-right lawmakers use personal celebrity to draw in donors", "Factbox: Power of Trump's endorsements faces test in 12 U.S. midterm primaries", "3rd venue cancels Matt Gaetz, Marjorie Taylor Greene rally", "Gaetz says he's talked to Trump about making him House speaker", "Congressman Madison Cawthorn under fire over claims of DC drugs and orgies", "Meet the Uncompromising Ideologue Chairing Florida's "Stand Your Ground" Hearings", Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, "Who is Matt Gaetz? American communities like Yuma, Arizona are completely overwhelmed because of illegal immigration. [239] A woman on the Bahamas tripa Capitol Hill intern who did not work in Gaetz's office but who was dating Gaetzreportedly agreed in May 2021 to cooperate with investigators, who believe she has information about Gaetz's financial transactions on the trip. Greene has been publicly harassing people she opposes for years. A press release stated, "These short-lived climate pollutants, also called super pollutants, are significantly more potent than carbon dioxide. In the November 8 general election, Gaetz defeated Democratic nominee Steven Specht with 69 percent of the vote. [25][156], In November 2017, Gaetz joined the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus. [195], On July 31, Gaetz said of COVID-19 variants that "next it'll be the Chi Omega variant or the Pi Kappa Psi variant. [35] On March 21, 2016, Gaetz withdrew from the race, choosing instead to run for the U.S. House seat representing Florida's 1st congressional district; the incumbent, Jeff Miller, had announced 11 days earlier that he would not seek reelection.[36]. Gaetz, who represents a large swath of Florida's panhandle, has tried to distance himself from Greenberg, despite an avalanche of evidence that the pair were close. General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testifies during a House Armed Services Committee hearing, at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, June 23, 2021. We need PATRIOTS who will defend her. [85][86], In the 2022 midterm elections, Republicans regained a narrow House majority. I couldnt tell you who put them there, Futerman told the jury, but they werent Brown! [28] 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. He is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the House Judiciary Committee. The event opened with Rep. Jody Hice, who is . 5. [106] He was also the only Republican cosponsor of the bill (of 55 cosponsors) at the time of its passage. ", "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. Beattie had previously been fired as a speechwriter for the Trump administration after attending a conference associated with white nationalists. A political ally of U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz who in May pleaded guilty to child sex-trafficking and wire fraud won a three-month delay to his sentencing because he is still cooperating with . [33] Don Gaetz, then the president of the Florida Senate, also endorsed Bush, along with several other members of Florida's state legislature. 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. [97][98] He has also introduced legislation to loosen federal restrictions on the cultivation of cannabis for research purposes. [153] In April 2017, the Center for American Progress and Vice Media said Gaetz was a climate change denier, citing his 2016 statements. Democrats held 212 votes, with one seat unfilled due to the November death of a holdover incumbent. "[183] It was sent to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. In several commercials during his 2016 congressional campaign, Gaetz promised to "kill Muslim terrorists and build the wall". The scandal engulfing Matt Gaetz, one of Donald Trump's brashest supporters in Congress, deepened on Friday after an associate admitted sex trafficking involving a minor and agreed to cooperate. [32] Bush emailed Gaetz about introducing a bill to change the 2016 Florida Republican presidential primary to an earlier date in order to benefit Bush, Florida's former governor. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) announced Thursday, on the first anniversary of the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol, that he was "ashamed of nothing" and that he and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) planned to retrace the steps of the rioters as if leading the faithful through the Holy Land. He also said his father agreed to wear a "wire" to help the FBI record the alleged extortionists. [233], By June, the federal investigation had reportedly broadened to include obstruction of justice, relating to a phone conversation Gaetz had with a witness. [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. [53] 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. Watch: Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz Get Heckled off the Stage While Defending Capitol Rioters. 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. [252][253] The sender was later identified as Florida developer Stephen Alford, who was arrested on August 31. This isn't the first time Gaetz has exercised poor judgement in the sorts of photographs he poses for. JIM BANKS: I am looking forward to this discussion and affording our members the opportunity to ask their questions on DOD's response to COVID-19. Matt Gaetz is NOT a Green Beret or a Freedom Fighter Michele Dotson 54 subscribers Subscribe 650 Share 71K views 1 year ago Brian Williams claps back HARD at Matt Gaetz for trolling. His refusal also did not lead to a criminal prosecution, during which it could have been used against him. [77] On July 1, 2020, the Office of Congressional Ethics notified Gaetz it had terminated its review of the lease arrangements. [75] In August 2019, the Florida Bar announced it had found no probable cause that Gaetz had violated its rules. The first Green Beret to serve in Congress, Mike Waltz is a Florida native, a combat-decorated veteran, former White House and Pentagon advisor, small business owner, and proud father. He is the first Green Beret to be elected to Congress. [18] In a crowded Republican primary that included Craig Barker, Kabe Woods, Jerry G. Melvin, and Bill Garvie, Gaetz won with 43 percent of the vote. [249] Gaetz and his father purportedly received communications claiming that the FBI had photographs of Gaetz engaged in a "sexual orgy with underage prostitutes". 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.' Washington, D.C. This evening, Congressman Matt Gaetz (FL-01) announced his 2023 service academy nominations for Florida's First Congressional District at Navarre High School on the last stop of his Open Gaetz Day tour. 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? A former member of the Florida House of Representatives and the son of a powerful figure in Republican state politics, Gaetz cultivated a tight-knit circle of politically connected friends who . Rep. Matt Gaetz, the Florida Republican being investigated by the Justice Department over sex trafficking allegations, made a name for himself when he arrived on Capitol Hill as a conservative . 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! [65][66] After sharp criticism from other members of Congress and an implicit rebuke by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi,[67][68] Gaetz deleted the tweet and posted a tweet in which he apologized. [190] He also claimed that the National Institutes of Health had given the Institute a $3.7 million grant. [251], Also on March 30, Tucker Carlson interviewed Gaetz on Fox News. [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. Jan. 29, 2023. His work in Congress focuses on national security, veterans' affairs, and adherence to constitutional principles. Now he's attacking the accusers", "Representative Jim Jordan returns to Washington as scrutiny over alleged sexual abuse at Ohio State intensifies", "GOP lawmaker: Accusations against Jim Jordan come from 'deep state', "Tapper presses lawmaker: Who is the deep state? On Tuesday night, The New York Times alleged that Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) is "under investigation over possible sex trafficking" of a minor. [299][300] They married in August 2021.[301]. Rep. Matt Gaetz's ex-girlfriend testified before a . Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.), a former Army Green Beret, raised the incorporation of critical race theory at West Point, including a course that includes the theory in its syllabus. Asked to clarify, he said his "tweet speaks for itself". [199][200], 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. [219] He also persuaded his father, in the Florida State Senate, to support the repeal. [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. He met his fiance, 26-year-old Ginger Luckey, while. "[54][55] As a consequence of the controversy the speakers had generated, their appearance at a conference site at Laguna Hills, in Orange County, California, was canceled. Meet Ginger Luckey, Matt Gaetz's fiance amid sex trafficking probe. Crowd laughs as Gaetz is called out for his OWN DUI after hitting Hunter Biden for substance abuse Brian Tyler Cohen 3.6M views 3 years ago Room erupts in laughter as Watergate witness humiliates. The district includes portions of Walton County and all of Escambia, Okaloosa, and Santa Rosa counties. [176], 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!" [209], In October 2018, Gaetz falsely claimed that George Soros paid for a caravan of migrants from Central America to the United States. [151] He acknowledged that the bill's pass-through tax deduction would benefit Trump, but added, "so many Americans benefit when commercial real estate becomes easier and more accessible. Greene, a freshman representative from Georgia, has spent her tenure promoting conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, the COVID vaccine and more. #StopTheSteal". READ BIOGRAPHY HOW CAN I HELP YOU? [87] Thirteen months earlier, Gaetz had discussed with former President Trump the possibility of getting Trump elected to the speakership, for which House membership is not required. Referring to the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by extremist supporters of former President Donald Trump, Milley said: "I want to understand . Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) speaks during a news conference to announce the 'Green Real Deal' on April 3, 2019 in Washington, DC. [282] Greenberg's sentencing hearing was originally scheduled for August 2021,[283] but due to his cooperation in related investigations, had been repeatedly delayed. Gaetz's attorney also claimed that an unnamed witness who knew Gaetz "observed no indication of impairment". "[177][178] 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". On Tuesday, the tables were . [260] Alford, who has previously been federally convicted of fraud and is represented by McGee, was federally indicted in August 2021 for allegedly conducting the scheme. [194], After a contentious House committee hearing on June 10, 2021, Gaetz claimed a Chinese whistleblower possessed text messages and documents concerning COVID-19's origins that U.S government investigators had failed to pursue. [238] A spokeswoman for Gaetz denied the new allegations. "[137] A day later, Jordan appeared on Fox News to justify the intrusion, saying of the chair of the committee: "Adam Schiff is doing this unfair, partisan process in secret and our members finally said, 'Enough'. 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. [2] Gaetz was an early supporter of Donald Trump and his appeal to the Republican Party base, echoing his talking points. [280], Two top Washington prosecutorsa public corruption investigator with an expertise in child exploitation crimes and a leader of the public corruption unithave worked on Gaetz's case since at least mid-2021. [101] As a member of the Florida House, he sponsored a bill, eventually signed into law,[102] to expand the state's Right to Try Act to include the medical use of cannabis. 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 supposed to be a budget hearing. [235] By April 2, the Justice Department was examining whether Gaetz asked women to recruit others for sex. [77] Gaetz and Merrill separately told Politico that Gaetz paid below-market rent for the space, but Gaetz later said that the rent was "at or below market rate". [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. Both had begun working for Gaetz when he joined Congress in 2017. He managed debate preparations and "drafted early administration organizational charts, helped steer early policy decisions and played a huge role in DeSantis' appointments", according to Politico. "[208] In January 2018, Gaetz defended a statement by Trump that reportedly said Haiti and African nations were "shithole" countries, saying that Haiti was covered by "sheet metal and garbage" and in "disgusting" condition. "[133], During Mueller's testimony to two congressional committees on July 24, 2019, Gaetz told him, "if Russians were lying to Christopher Steele to undermine our confidence in our newly elected president, that would be precisely in your purview because you stated in your opening that the organizing principle was to fully and thoroughly investigate Russian interference. [289] Later in January 2022, Joseph Ellicott confessed that in 2017, he witnessed Greenberg telling Gaetz over the phone that the woman they had both had sex with was underage. [277][278] Later in June, ABC News reported that the investigation had engulfed many in the Central Florida political scene and that prosecutors could decide whether to bring charges against Gaetz as early as July. [228][248] This allegedly began on March 16, with a text message to his father demanding money in exchange for making sex trafficking allegations "go away". 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. [254][255], Gaetz said his attorneys contacted the FBI, which he said informed them that Gaetz was a subject, not a target, of an investigation. matt gaetz military green beret. McGee reportedly met with Don Gaetz before Alford did,[259][261] but apparently did not discuss a presidential pardon, which Alford later admitted to the FBI that he had lied about his ability to arrange. 2021. [ 301 ] August 2021. [ 301 ] for the administration. Women to recruit others for sex couldnt tell you who put them there, Futerman the! Joined Congress in 2017 to Congress 142 ] Each side got equal time question!, also on March 30, Tucker Carlson interviewed Gaetz on Fox News attending a conference associated white... 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Whether Gaetz asked women to recruit others for sex amid sex trafficking Gaetz is matt gaetz a former green beret exercised poor judgement in the midterm!