[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, 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. Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., cited a letter he received from West Point's superintendent, Lt. Gen. Darryl. He said that he is being threatened in a $25 million "organized . [3] In 2016, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, and was reelected in 2018, 2020, and 2022. "[183] It was sent to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. [66][64][69] Despite not being a member of the House Oversight Committee,[66] Gaetz appeared at Cohen's hearing, saying that he wanted to observe and ask questions. They were thought to be holding out for substantial concessions regarding House rules and committee chair assignments. Support for impeaching President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas, Federal investigations into sex trafficking. [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. [135][136][137], One committee member said, "It was the closest thing I've seen around here to mass civil unrest as a member of Congress. He also said his father agreed to wear a "wire" to help the FBI record the alleged extortionists. [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. During the event, Rep. Gaetz nominated the following students to the U.S. 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. David Badash. The Villages in Florida - one of the biggest retirement communities in the world - is known as a place for fresh starts and new beginnings.. [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. [229], Denying any sexual relationships with minors, Gaetz said on March 30, 2021, that he did not plan to resign from the House. Testimony from a former White House aide is the first indication that he sought a pardon for his own exposure related to the investigation. [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". [62] Other members of Congress saw the tweet as an attempt to intimidate a witness. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) speaks during a news conference to announce the 'Green Real Deal' on April 3, 2019 in Washington, DC. 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. Investigators were reportedly exploring whether the escorts were sexually trafficked for Gaetz and whether Gaetz accepted paid escorts in exchange for political access or legislative favors for Pirozzolo, who at the time chaired the board of the Medical Marijuana Physicians Association. Gaetz claimed he heard those sentiments "most frequently from units that are majority minority." At this point, Army Gen. Mark Milley tried to offer his view, but was rudely cut-off by Gaetz. Gaetz has denied the allegations and spun some. The conversation was reported in April 2022. Gaetz's attorney also claimed that an unnamed witness who knew Gaetz "observed no indication of impairment". And both won re-election to their seats just days ago. 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. He is the first Green Beret to be elected to Congress. 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? [57], In February 2023, Gaetz invited Corey Ryan Beekman to lead the pledge of allegiance at a Judiciary Committee hearing. "[96], Gaetz has introduced legislation to reclassify cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. [106] He was also the only Republican cosponsor of the bill (of 55 cosponsors) at the time of its passage. [85][86], In the 2022 midterm elections, Republicans regained a narrow House majority. The . 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. [243], Gaetz had argued in a November 2020 Fox News appearance that Trump "should pardon Michael Flynn [and] everyone from himself to his administration officials to Joe Exotic". 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. [50], In February 2020, Gaetz announced that he would no longer accept campaign contributions from federal political action committees. Gaetz closed his town hall by shouting Trump's 2016 campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again". 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. [221], During the 116th Congress, Gaetz voted against the Equality Act. South Carolina's senior U.S. senator, Lindsey Graham, admonished the House members, calling them "nuts" for having made a "run on the SCIF. [295] The two are not related genetically or legally. [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. The U.S.-based EcoHealth Alliance that worked with the Institute under a grant the Trump administration approved eventually had that funding withdrawn. Camila DeChalus and Sonam Sheth. In 2021, he called the Anti-Defamation League a "racist organization" after it condemned Tucker Carlson's promotion of Great Replacement theory. Greene has been publicly harassing people she opposes for years. "[140] In the 116th Congress, Pelosi, who is a committee member ex officio, appointed Schiff and 12 Democratic members of the House Intelligence Committee. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who earlier in the hearing said Defense Department officials hired a critical race theorist to advise. [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. Michael George Glen Waltz (born January 31, 1974) is an American politician and United States Army officer serving as the U.S. representative for Florida's 6th congressional district.A member of the Republican Party, he was first elected in 2018 and succeeded Ron DeSantis, who went on to be elected the 46th governor of Florida in 2018. [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. [7][8] He graduated from Florida State University in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science in interdisciplinary sciences, and from the William & Mary Law School in 2007 with a Juris Doctor. Both are Republicans from Florida. I couldnt tell you who put them there, Futerman told the jury, but they werent Brown! And it matters to our military and the . I got the Florida variant. "[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". By. [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". [105], 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. Matt Gaetz, a member of the 117th Congress, is currently serving his third term in the U.S. House of Representatives. [124], On April 8, 2021, Gaetz's congressional office released a statement purportedly from his female employees vouching for his character, stating they "uniformly reject these allegations as false". "[138][139] 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". [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. We need PATRIOTS who will defend her. The son of prominent Florida politician Don Gaetz and grandson of North Dakota politician Jerry Gaetz, Gaetz was raised in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Inquiry Over Sex With an Underage Girl", "New details shed light on Gaetz's Bahamas trip", "DOJ Investigation Focusing on Matt Gaetz's Alleged Payments for Sex: Report", "Federal investigation into Rep. Matt Gaetz is focused on cash payments to women, report says", "Indicted Gaetz Associate Is Said to Be Cooperating With Justice Dept", "Joel Greenberg, the former confidant of Matt Gaetz, pleaded guilty to a range of crimes", "Rep. Matt Gaetz eyes early retirement from Congress to take job at Newsmax", "Investigation of Matt Gaetz includes whether campaign funds were used to pay for travel and expenses", "Justice Dept. "[216], As a Florida state representative in 2015, Gaetz and Representative David Richardson sponsored an amendment to repeal Florida's ban on same-sex adoptions. [47], Gaetz attended political rallies alongside members of the Proud Boys in 2018 and 2020. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) walks with his fiance Ginger Luckey on Jan. 28, 2021, in Cheyenne, Wyoming . "[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. Transcribe Your Own Content Try Rev and save time transcribing, captioning, and subtitling. [108] Gaetz has said he has had multiple conversations with President Trump about cannabis policy. [236][237], According to the 2021 reports, federal investigators were looking into Gaetz's September 2018 trip to the Bahamas. 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. January 17, 2023 Press Release. On Tuesday, the tables were . [31], In 2015, Gaetz supported the presidential campaign of Jeb Bush. [268][269][270], 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. "I respect your. Several years ago, I had the chance to pay this brave Green Beret, SFC Martin Acosta, a visit at Walter Reed Hospital after he was severely injured in Afghanistan. [52], In 2021, Gaetz and Georgia representative Marjorie Taylor Greene began a nationwide "America First Tour" on May 7, in The Villages, Florida. 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. Watch: Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz Get Heckled off the Stage While Defending Capitol Rioters. He was reelected unopposed in 2012[21] and 2014. As a result, Gaetz was accused of inciting violence against Silicon Valley employees, which he denied. This isn't the first time Gaetz has exercised poor judgement in the sorts of photographs he poses for. 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