Who does Matt Gaetz represent?
Florida's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Florida, covering the state's western Panhandle....Florida's 1st congressional districtRepresentativeMatt Gaetz R–Fort Walton BeachArea4,759 sq mi (12,330 km2)Distribution82.11% urban 17.89% ruralPopulation (2019)798,3054 more rows
Who is Dan Gaetz?
Donald Jay Gaetz (/ˈɡeɪts/ GAYTS; born January 22, 1948) is a Republican politician who served as a member of the Florida State Senate from 2006 to 2016, representing parts of Northwest Florida. He was Senate president from 2012 to 2014. He is the father of Congressman Matt Gaetz.
Is Matthew Gaetz married?
Matt Gaetz of Florida eloped to Southern California, marrying his girlfriend Ginger Luckey on Saturday in a small ceremony on Catalina Island. The controversial 39-year-old Republican, who is under investigation as part of a sex trafficking probe, announced the wedding on his personal Twitter page.
Where did Matt Gaetz go to college?
William & Mary Law School2007Florida State University2003Niceville High School2000Matt Gaetz/Education
Why did Gaetz criticize the federal government?
Gaetz has criticized the federal government for having "lied to the American people for a generation" about cannabis's medical benefits. As a member of the Florida House, he sponsored a bill, eventually signed into law, to expand the state's Right to Try Act to include the medical use of cannabis.
How much did Gaetz get in his campaign?
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. Gaetz was unopposed for a full term in 2010.
What did Gaetz sign to Trump?
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.
Why did Gaetz wear a mask?
In early March 2020, Gaetz wore a gas mask during a House debate on funds to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Gaetz has claimed that wearing the gas mask was not an act of mockery but a way of "demonstrating his concern." Several journalists characterized the decision as a stunt. A few days later, on March 9, his office reported that Gaetz had been in contact with a Conservative Political Action Conference attendee who tested positive for COVID-19. As a result, Gaetz was placed under self-quarantine for 14 days. 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.
What did Gaetz say about Cohen?
Gaetz initially defended his tweet, saying it was part of "witness testing, not witness tampering" and "I don' t threaten anybody." Asked to clarify, he said his "tweet speaks for itself". After sharp criticism from other members of Congress and an implicit rebuke by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Gaetz deleted the tweet and posted a tweet in which he apologized. Despite not being a member of the House Oversight Committee, Gaetz appeared at Cohen's hearing, saying that he wanted to observe and ask questions. 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. After the hearing, Gaetz reportedly texted an apology to Cohen, who thanked him for it. The Florida Bar opened an investigation into Gaetz for the tweet, as did the House Ethics Committee. In August 2019, the Florida Bar announced it had found no probable cause that Gaetz had violated its rules.
Why did Gaetz ask for Robert Mueller to recuse himself as Special Counsel?
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. He also asked for a special counsel investigation into the Federal Bureau of Investigation 's handling of the Hillary Clinton email controversy, undue interference by U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch in the investigation, and the Russian state corporation Rosatom 's acquisition of Uranium One during Mueller's time as FBI director. Gaetz said he did not trust Mueller to lead the investigation because of Mueller's alleged involvement in approval of the Uranium One deal and alleged close relationship with dismissed FBI director James Comey, a probable person of interest in a proposed new investigation.
What did Gaetz and Greene say about the Second Amendment?
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.".
Is Matt Gaetz married?
The Republican lawmaker is not married - but he might tie the knot soon.
Why is Matt Gaetz being investigated?
Reports broke that Gaetz is being investigated by the Justice Department over whether he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old and paid for her travel.
Overview
Matthew Louis Gaetz II is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the U.S. representative for Florida's 1st congressional district since 2017. A Republican, he has become one of the foremost congressional allies of former president Donald Trump and has been described as a proponent of far-right politics.
Early life and education
Matthew Louis Gaetz II was born on May 7, 1982, in Hollywood, Florida, to Victoria (née Quertermous) and Don Gaetz, who later became a prominent local politician.
Gaetz grew up near Fort Walton Beach, and graduated from Niceville High School. 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. Gaetz was admitted to the Florid…
Florida House of Representatives
In March 2010, after Republican state representative Ray Sansom's resignation on corruption charges in February 2010, Gaetz ran in the special election to succeed Sansom in the 4th district, which included southern Santa Rosa County and Okaloosa County. In a crowded Republican primary that included Craig Barker, Kabe Woods, Jerry G. Melvin, and Bill Garvie, Gaetz won with 43 percen…
U.S. House of Representatives
In 2013, Gaetz announced that, in 2016, he would run for the 1st district State Senate seat held by his father, Don Gaetz, who was term-limited in 2016. 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.
Political positions
Gaetz has self-identified as a libertarian populist. His views have also been described as nationalist.
Gaetz has introduced legislation to reclassify cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. He has also introduced legislation to loosen federal restrictions on the cultivation of cannabis for rese…
Legal issues
Between 1999 and 2014, Gaetz received 16 speeding tickets in Florida.
In 2008, Gaetz was arrested for driving under the influence as he was driving back from a nightclub on Okaloosa Island, Florida. Police recorded him driving 13 miles per hour over the speed limit and noted that he showed physical signs of intoxication. Gaetz initially denied that he had drunk alcohol, but later admitted to drinking two beers. He failed an eye test twice, then declined field s…
Firebrand
Gaetz has a 2020 book and a 2021 podcast, both titled Firebrand. 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. 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.]."
Personal life
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 Galbán, since Galbán was 12, and considered Galbán his son. He later clarified that Galbán is the brother of an ex-girlfriend of Gaetz's and that Galbán spends time with his sister, with Gaetz's family, and with Gaetz. The two are not related genetically or legally. Gaetz said, "Our relationship as a family is defined by our lo…