Tag: Matt Gaetz

Matt Gaetz’s solution to Florida’s virus surge: ‘Lock up the boomers’

But younger people have increasingly contributed to COVID-19 surges, in Florida and elsewhere.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) proposed to “lock up the boomers” in response to the recent surge of COVID-19 infections in his home state of Florida.

“I think younger people are not going to stomach another lockdown,” Gaetz said in a radio interview on Tuesday. “I think younger people are going to move about the country, so we’ve got to prepare for it.”

Gaetz also leaned on discredited claims about the virus, suggesting that skyrocketing cases in the state are due to Florida having “the most robust testing system in the nation,” and that travelers “coming in and out from Latin America” were impacting surges “substantially,” though there is no evidence to support that. Continue reading.

Matt Gaetz rents office space from longtime friend and donor — at taxpayer expense

Gaetz’s relationship with a Pensacola real estate developer highlights how a friendship can become intertwined with congressional duties.

Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz has spent nearly $200,000 in taxpayer funds renting an office from a longtime friend, adviser, campaign donor and legal client.

Both men said in separate interviews Gaetz paid below market rent for the space — although Gaetz later shifted, saying the rent was “at or below market rate.” House rules explicitly state such arrangements are not allowed.

The agreement between Gaetz and Collier Merrill, a Pensacola real estate developer and restaurateur, highlights how a decades-long relationship can become intertwined with a lawmaker’s congressional duties. On top of being Merrill’s tenant, Gaetz attended fundraisers at Merrill’s restaurants, sought his counsel on policy matters and tapped him as a validator for his work in Washington. Continue reading.

GOP’s Matt Gaetz obliterated after going full ‘Florida Man’ with racist, uninformed coronavirus tweet

AlterNet logoThere are all kinds of issues one might have with the coronavirus emergency relief bill. However, one of those issues is obviously not going to be earmarking money to go to medical facilities that are dealing directly with COVID-19 cases. But that is exactly what Florida Man Matt Gaetz did on Wednesday, when the congressman decided to try and score some racist dogwhistle points with fellow faux-fiscal conservatives.

Rep. Matt Gaetz

✔@RepMattGaetz

$13,000,000 in taxpayer funds could be going to families across the nation struggling to put food on the table in the midst of COVID-19.

Instead, it’s going to Howard University.

Education is important- but a $13 million check to Howard does not belong in COVID-19 relief.

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“Education is important- but a $13 million check to Howard does not belong in COVID-19 relief.” Attacking a prestigious HBCU is the kind of racism that bigots like Gaetz consider a salient point. Unfortunately for Mr. Florida Man, intelligence, facts, and the use of those two things are not a strong suit of Rep. Gaetz. Continue reading.

Trump allies got coronavirus tests despite lack of symptoms and shortage

Washington Post logoTwo close congressional allies of President Trump underwent coronavirus testing in recent days in apparent defiance of federal recommendations reserving those tests for patients exhibiting symptoms of infection — and amid growing concerns about the availability of testing for Americans who are sick.

Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), the latter of whom Trump named last week as the next White House chief of staff, both said in statements that the tests showed no infection after exposure to a coronavirus carrier at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference last month in suburban Washington.

The two lawmakers also said they were exhibiting no symptoms of respiratory illness, raising questions of why they were tested at all. Continue reading.

These members are self-quarantining after being exposed to coronavirus patients

Lawmakers interacted with people later diagnosed with coronavirus

At least six members of Congress have said they interacted with individuals who tested positive for coronavirus and many have vowed to stay away from Capitol Hill temporarily.

Republican Reps. Doug Collins of Georgia and Matt Gaetz of Florida, as well as California Democrat Julia Brownley, announced Monday they were self-quarantining. Republican Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said in separate statements Sunday they would also self-quarantine after interacting with a person who later tested positive for COVID-19.

Gaetz, Collins, Gosar and Cruz said they were exposed to a coronavirus patient at the Conservative Political Action Conference, which typically attracts thousands of conservatives and was held Feb. 26-29 at National Harbor in Maryland. Continue reading.

Matt Gaetz Wore Gas Mask To Mock Coronavirus Concerns. One Of His Constituents Just Died From It.

The Republican congressman made light of the virus days before a person in his Florida district died of the illness.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) mocked coronavirus concerns by wearing a gas mask on the House floor just days before an infected man from his district died.

“Reviewing the coronavirus supplemental appropriation and preparing to go vote,” he said in a tweet Wednesday before the Senate approved an $8.3 billion emergency funding bill to combat the virus.

In the tweet, Gaetz is seen wearing a gas mask. Continue reading.

Trump superfan Rep. Matt Gaetz humiliates himself with ridiculous gas mask stunt

AlterNet logoRepublican Rep. Matt Gaetz is such a tool that it’s hard to write anything that doesn’t begin with the sentiment that Matt Gaetz is a tool. He’s a dull tool for sure, and he’s also the man who has threatened witnesses, is a security threat to the United States, and has in general been an all-around prick. He also likes to pull stunts because, not unlike most conservative charlatans, he doesn’t have much else going for him in the way of ideas or intellect.

That being said, on Wednesday Matt Gaetz went around Washington having his photo taken and doing his elected, official work … wearing a full-on gas mask. The only silver lining to this idiotic display of dumb is that if you have ever worn a gas mask before, you know that Rep. Matt Gaetz is walking around realizing he really shouldn’t have decided to wear a gas mask all day. You can see the dumbassery for yourself below.

Gaetz was there to vote on a coronavirus spending bill, which he did indeed vote for. Reportedly, Gaetz told the press that “Members of Congress are human petri dishes. We fly through the dirtiest airports. We touch everyone we meet.” Well, can you blame him for being something of a germaphobe? I can’t. Of course, I can be a little cynical and suspect him of stunting for his dad’s home healthcare business, as some of the money coming into Florida to fight the coronavirus will definitely find its way into Gaetz’s inheritance. Continue reading.

‘Selfie-seeking frat boy’ Matt Gaetz scorched in brutal takedown after House committee blow-up

AlterNet logoIn a brutally blunt look at Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), the New Republic’s Jacob Bacharach paints a portrait of a publicity-seeking Washington newcomer storming the nation’s capital with an eye on mirroring the actions and rhetoric of the blustery president that he slavishly defends.

Following Gaetz’s “drama queen” performances while serving on the House Judiciary Committee, Bacharach recalls, “On October 23, a gaggle of House Republicans, led by Matt Gaetz of Florida, stormed the Capitol’s Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility. Gaetz had hoped to expose the supposedly secretive nature of the impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump. “Stormed” was his own overly dramatic word (though Gaetz soon topped it by comparing his crew to the 300 glorious, nearly naked Spartans who, as you may recall, lost to a numerically superior force during the Battle of Thermopylae). A more accurate description would be to say they barged into a committee room like a bunch of entitled fussbudgets, argued with the committee chairman, took selfies, and then trundled off to hold a press conference.” Continue reading “‘Selfie-seeking frat boy’ Matt Gaetz scorched in brutal takedown after House committee blow-up”

‘I am not yielding’: Watch Rep. Pramila Jayapal shut down Jim Jordan’s attempt to hijack impeachment hearing

AlterNet logoRep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) stood her ground at an impeachment hearing on Thursday after Republicans tried to derail her arguments in favor of removing President Donald Trump.

Jayapal began her remarks by pointing out that Florida Republican Matt Gaetz was wrong to suggest that President Donald Trump was invested in Ukraine’s fight against Russia.

“Why then did he decide he was so concerned about ‘corruption’ that he was not going to release military aid?” Jayapal said, prompting Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio to demand that she yield the floor.

Continue reading

Impeachment hearing erupts in laughter after Dem rep humiliates Matt Gaetz for attacking Hunter Biden’s drug use: ‘Pot calling kettle black’

AlterNet logoRep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) called out Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) after he went off about Hunter Biden’s drug use. Gaetz was arrested for a DUI before he was elected to Congress and refused a field sobriety test and a breathalyzer test.

“I rise in opposition to this amendment and I would say that the pot calling the kettle black is not something we should do,” said Johnson as the Congressional audience laughed. “I don’t know — I don’t know what members, if any, have had problems with substance abuse, been busted for DUI, I don’t know. but if I did, I wouldn’t raise it against anyone on this committee. I don’t think it’s proper. And, you know, I think we have to get back down to what is most important here.”

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