Matt Gaetz was previously involved in a Justice Department sex trafficking investigation—the same department he’s now set to lead—and faced scrutiny from the House Ethics Committee over allegations of sexual misconduct. However, that investigation effectively concluded on Wednesday when Gaetz resigned from Congress.
Following the announcement of his nomination on Wednesday, Gaetz stepped down from his congressional post, as confirmed by House Speaker Mike Johnson. This prompts an eight-week period of transition to fill his now-vacant Florida House seat, as per state legislation.
Who is Matt Gaetz? Background and Controversies
Hailing from a well-known political family in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Gaetz has made a name for himself as a “libertarian populist.” After finishing his education at William & Mary Law School in 2007, Gaetz joined the Florida Bar and later served in Florida’s House of Representatives from 2010 until 2016, when he then took a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, winning re-election every two years.
Gaetz’s appointment would place him at the helm of the Department of Justice, which last year chose not to pursue charges against him related to sex trafficking allegations. Investigations scrutinized his interactions with a 17-year-old to determine if he paid for sex or funded women’s travel for such purposes. Gaetz, now 42, has emphatically denied these claims, asserting that the DOJ’s investigation was a form of extortion against him. He faced further scrutiny from the House Ethics Committee over various allegations but left Congress, halting any ongoing probe as the committee has no authority over non-members.
In the context of the 2020 presidential race, Gaetz was one of 147 Republicans who attempted to overturn President Trump’s defeat, peddling unfounded claims that Antifa was to blame for the Capitol riot. Alongside Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, he toured the country advocating Trump’s unfounded election fraud arguments.
Matt Gaetz’s Controversies
Gaetz has faced criticism for acts like inviting a Holocaust denier to the 2018 State of the Union and employing a speech writer who was dismissed for speaking at a white nationalist-related event.
In 2022, Gaetz, an anti-abortion advocate, drew backlash for calling women at pro-abortion rights rallies “ugly” and overweight. “Why is it that the women least likely to get pregnant are the ones most concerned about abortions?” Gaetz said. “No one wants to get you pregnant if you look like a thumb.”
Later, in an interview, Gaetz confirmed he stood by his remark that women attending abortion rallies are unattractive and overweight. When asked for his response to those who found his words offensive, he replied, “Be offended.”
His conflict with former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy culminated in McCarthy’s removal. Amidst their dispute, Gaetz indicated that if McCarthy allowed a stopgap funding bill to prevent a government shutdown, he would file a motion to remove McCarthy from his position. McCarthy attributed his ousting to Gaetz’s wish to terminate the ethics investigation against him, a claim Gaetz refuted as falsehood.
Who is Matt Gaetz Wife Ginger Luckey Gaetz?
Ginger Luckey Gaetz is the sister of Palmer Luckey, a millionaire Republican donor and founder of Oculus VR. She attended Harvard Business School Online and earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and accounting from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Although she is married to the high-profile son of a wealthy Florida real estate family, Ginger Luckey is reportedly still based in her home state of California.