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Matt Gaetz aka "Botoxed Butthead"


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https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/13/politics/matt-gaetz-house-ethics-committee-investigation/index.html

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Investigators from the House Ethics Committee have begun reaching out to witnesses as part of a recently revived investigation into Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, focused on allegations that he may have engaged in sexual misconduct, illicit drug use or other misconduct.

At least one witness in Florida told CNN they have spoken to investigators about the Republican congressman in recent weeks about alleged lobbying violations, and sources familiar with the Ethics Committee probe say other witnesses also have been contacted.

A source familiar with the House panel’s work told CNN that the Justice Department’s decision not to bring charges against Gaetz does not impact what the committee will and won’t investigate. The committee plans to examine the same allegations they were looking into when they opened the investigation in 2021, the source told CNN.

The Ethics Committee, which at the time was controlled by Democrats, originally opened an investigation in 2021, publicly announcing that they were examining a range of allegations including that Gaetz violated sex trafficking laws, shared inappropriate images or videos on the House floor, converted campaign funds to personal use and accepted a bribe, among other claims.

Gaetz has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

Gaetz told CNN on Thursday, the investigation is “not something I’m worried about, I’m focused on the work.”

“The Ethics Committee typically operates through leaks and so this is no surprise, but the Ethics Committee has never found me to be in violation of House rules, though they’ve been investigating me during my entire seven years in Congress,” he said. “It’s also funny that the one guy who doesn’t take the corrupt lobbyist and PAC money seems to be under the most Ethics investigation.”

The committee deferred its investigation at the request of the Justice Department, which was simultaneously probing the allegations. The committee resumed its work earlier this year after the DOJ concluded its investigation without bringing charges.

The Ethics Committee declined to comment for this story.

The new contacts are the first known instances of the committee reaching out to witnesses since the panel resumed its investigation earlier this year. So far, the focus of the committee’s recent questions has been on possible lobbying violations, according to the source who was interviewed. This subject was also previously raised in the Justice Department investigation into the congressman.

However, a source familiar with the panel’s probe told CNN that while some witnesses may have only been asked about one aspect of their investigation, that does not mean other witnesses are not being asked questions on other aspects of the probe.

Now chaired by Republican Rep. Michael Guest of Mississippi, the panel quietly restarted its investigation earlier this year without publicly laying out its targets anew. The decision to begin reaching out to witnesses, made by Guest and ranking Democratic member, Rep. Susan Wild of Pennsylvania, is the first formal step the committee has taken since the ethics investigation resumed.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told CNN this week he doesn’t “know anything about” the investigation, noting that he’s barred by House rules from discussing it with committee members. The Republican-led investigation into Gaetz comes as the Florida congressman finds himself repeatedly at odds with his party’s leadership.

“I never know anything on (the) Ethics Committee,” McCarthy told CNN. “I don’t know what investigations they have. I don’t know anything about it.”

Asked to comment on whether he thinks the investigation should move forward, McCarthy declined to do so and referred questions to the committee.

As speaker, McCarthy appoints members to the committee but is not involved in the processes of the committee’s work. The panel’s work is conducted in closed-door executive session, and the only people by rule who are allowed to be involved in committee investigations are Ethics Committee members and staff, a source familiar with the probe told CNN.

The source added that McCarthy has no power over the Ethics Committee’s investigation into Gaetz, and any level of his involvement would violate committee rules.

 

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41 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

Is that real? Becuase isn't the Right boycotting/criticizing Barbie since it has Feminist themes rampant throughout? Why would he show up?

Some party at an Aspen Security conference, there were some Ds (including Escobar) there. But yeah, Gaetz’ wife shit-talked it on Twitter, complete with Beta references.

my penance:

 

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Looks like Gaetz is losing an Air Force base in his district. Hurlburt Field in Fort Walton Beach. Local officials call it catastrophic for the local economy if it goes through. Rumor is that the operations are being transferred to Arizona.

When you screw around enough with bs politics, you stop competently representing your district.

perhaps this will continue the trend of the right representing more and more welfare recipients. 

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1 hour ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

Looks like Gaetz is losing an Air Force base in his district. Hurlburt Field in Fort Walton Beach. Local officials call it catastrophic for the local economy if it goes through. Rumor is that the operations are being transferred to Arizona.

When you screw around enough with bs politics, you stop competently representing your district.

perhaps this will continue the trend of the right representing more and more welfare recipients. 

Looks like Hurlburt is a part of the much larger Eglin AFB complex, which would be a disaster, but it looks like all commands/operations currently at Hurlburt other than AFSOC will move.  A hit, but not a big disaster.

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On 7/28/2023 at 8:10 PM, TwiceHorn said:

Looks like Hurlburt is a part of the much larger Eglin AFB complex, which would be a disaster, but it looks like all commands/operations currently at Hurlburt other than AFSOC will move.  A hit, but not a big disaster.

That's called a warning shot across the bow.  Next one is the kill shot.

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Gaetz almost 100% running for Floriduh Governor in 2026: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/rcna105629

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The idea that Rep. Matt Gaetz will run for Florida governor in 2026 has been the topic of several conversations in Tallahassee over the past few days, including during a reception Sunday night for the incoming speaker of the Florida House.

Gaetz has long been considered on the shortlist of those who will try to seek the Republican nomination for governor, a field that is expected to be crowded because the incumbent, Ron DeSantis, will be facing term limits. DeSantis is currently running for president but would have two years remaining in the governor’s mansion if that run falls short.

Gaetz, like most other Florida Republican politicians, was in Tallahassee for the designation ceremony of Miami Republican state Rep. Danny Perez, who starting next year will serve as speaker of the Florida House.

As part of those festivities, Perez held a reception Sunday night at an AC Hotel by Marriott near the city’s downtown. At the event Gaetz was seen “kind of holding court,” and he strongly implied several times he would be running for governor, four people at the event told NBC News.

“There was a lot of talk about it at the reception last night, and Gaetz was telling people to basically expect him to be in,” one longtime Florida Republican lobbyist said.

Gaetz has not publicly downplayed the idea he might run for governor one day, but told NBC News Monday his only political focus at the moment is trying to elect Donald Trump in 2024.

“Many did encourage me to consider running for governor one day,” Gaetz said of the Sunday evening event. “But we have an outstanding governor who will be in that position through 2026.”

“My only political focus right now is Trump 2024,” he added.

Gaetz was a top adviser to DeSantis’ 2018 gubernatorial bid, but the two have since had a falling out. Gaetz has become among the most vocal backers of Trump, whose presidential campaign now leads in most primary polling by significant margins over the rest of the field.

“I think he will,” John Morgan, a prominent Florida trial attorney and Democratic political donor, said of Gaetz’s chance of running for governor.

Morgan chatted briefly on Monday with Gaetz just outside the Florida House chamber. The two have long known each other, and worked together early in DeSantis' administration on issues related to medical marijuana.

“He will be running in a large field. He could win with 30 percent,” Morgan said. “Trump’s endorsement alone gets him that.”

A Florida GOP operative said that, though Trump has not addressed the future race publicly, the former president would back his longtime ally.

“He’s 100 percent in,” said a Florida Republican operative on Gaetz running for governor. “I think Gaetz is an instant front-runner and from what I hear he’s already won the Trump primary.”

Trump has not directly addressed the race — and his campaign declined to comment — but his endorsement played a huge role in helping DeSantis win the 2018 Republican primary. Even aside from Gaetz, several of the former president's political allies are considering a run.

Gaetz is currently a central figure in the fight in Washington over a potential government shutdown.

He has increasingly fought with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy as he tries to negotiate a deal to avoid a government shutdown. Gaetz has been critical of McCarthy, who has not agreed to push for spending cuts Gaetz and other congressional conservatives want as part of the deal.

The issue also briefly put him at public odds with U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., a Trump ally who is also eyeing a potential bid for governor in 2026. Gaetz tweeted “I will NOT surrender” Sunday night in response to reports that Donalds was on a House GOP conference call outlining a proposed 30-day continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown.

Other Republicans eying a bid include state Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson; state Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis; U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz; and state Attorney General Ashley Moody.

 

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Cassidy Hutchinson was interviewed on Rachel Maddow’s show last night. The interview lasted for about half an hour. They didn’t spend much time on the Rudy Giuliani creeper groping stuff. They didn’t address that until the final five minutes. But she mentioned that John Boehner also made some creepy comments and that Matt Gaetz came on to her a couple times. Gaetz of course denied her claims but said they had briefly dated. Cassidy said they never dated and didn’t speak too highly of him as a man or a politician.

 

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“Therefore, I am requesting that in the case of a lapse of appropriations … my pay be withheld until legislation has taken effect to end such lapse in appropriations in its entirety.”

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/house/matt-gaetz-requests-withhold-pay-during-government-shutdown

I really hope they devise some malicious compliance here such that a negligible lapse is continues indefinitely until he is out of office.

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10 minutes ago, RDCanecutter said:

I assume that McCarthy made a deal with Democrats to have them help him stay Speaker so long as he cuts deals with them.

Yeah if McCarthy wants to keep his job, he’s going to end up Jeffries’ puppet. Talks about wanting power sharing and making it easier to bring bills to the floor without having to use discharge petitions. Basically neutralizing the Hastert rule - if you can get 5-7 GOP on board with a Dem bill, it will be voted on 

But Dems want it in writing and part of a new Rules package because Pelosi has warned them not to trust Kevin just at his word. 

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55 minutes ago, Stilicho said:

GQP primaries are going to be fucking crazy.

I'm digging the Republican civil war that is happening at the state and national levels.  When they should be worried about Biden and trying to keep control of the House, and trying to find a candidate that could win against Biden, instead they are applying purity tests to one another and straight-up threatening to oust Republicans they don't like.

If George Soros was secretly funding Republicans to fight one another, his money is extremely well spent.

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I'm digging the Republican civil war that is happening at the state and national levels.  When they should be worried about Biden and trying to keep control of the House, and trying to find a candidate that could win against Biden, instead they are applying purity tests to one another and straight-up threatening to oust Republicans they don't like.
If George Soros was secretly funding Republicans to fight one another, his money is extremely well spent.

It’s a weak-ass civil war. They should treat each other like they treated our Capitol: start beating the fuck out of each other.
Do it, you cowardly pussies. You’re the ones who say you want to kill for your beliefs, so fucking do it.
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20 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

It’s a weak-ass civil war. They should treat each other like they treated our Capitol: start beating the fuck out of each other.
Do it, you cowardly pussies. You’re the ones who say you want to kill for your beliefs, so fucking do it.

George Soros is paying them to hash it out in ways that make for good soundbites, and not ways that end up with them in the hospital, because they can't do anything if they are in traction.

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7 hours ago, Brisketexan said:


It’s a weak-ass civil war. They should treat each other like they treated our Capitol: start beating the fuck out of each other.
Do it, you cowardly pussies. You’re the ones who say you want to kill for your beliefs, so fucking do it.

4-D chest move:  Dems should propose legislation allowing open carry with assault rifles, machine guns and granades with unlimited ammunition during  caucus meetings just like the founding fathers wanted it!  Then stay the fuck out the building on caucus day!

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