In a surprising turn of events, Congressman Matt Gaetz, a hard-right Republican hailing from Florida, led the removal of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy through a historic single-page resolution. Gaetz’s move, backed by a handful of conservative allies, toppled McCarthy by a narrow vote of 216-210.
Matt Gaetz’s foray into politics was reportedly influenced by his father’s footsteps, marking the beginning of a political career that spans over two decades. He first entered the Florida statehouse before ascending to the national stage in 2016 when he was elected to represent a staunchly conservative region of the Florida panhandle.
During his tenure in Washington, Gaetz emerged as the far-right politician. Much like his steadfast loyalty to Donald Trump, Gaetz is often more inclined to engage in political discussions.
Gaetz has repeatedly disrupted House proceedings, at times even barging into secure facilities where Democrats conducted deposition hearings. Notably, in 2018, he faced condemnation for inviting a Holocaust denier to Trump’s State of the Union address. His subsequent hiring of a speechwriter with ties to white nationalists further fueled controversy.
Following the Capitol attack on January 6, Gaetz embarked on an ‘America First’ tour with Marjorie Taylor Greene, amplifying Trump’s baseless claims of election fraud. His pointed attacks on Republicans critical of Trump raised concerns, particularly from Kevin McCarthy, who feared such rhetoric could incite violence.
Earlier in the year, Gaetz spearheaded an effort to prevent McCarthy from becoming House Speaker. While he eventually relented, McCarthy had to make concessions, including allowing any member to bring a motion to remove the speaker from leadership. Gaetz and other far-right members threatened to employ this tactic if McCarthy sought Democratic votes for spending legislation, which he did to avert a government shutdown.
Moreover, in the midst of these political maneuvers, Gaetz faced a congressional ethics committee inquiry into allegations of sexual misconduct, sex trafficking, illicit drug use, misuse of campaign funds, and more. In February, the Justice Department declined to bring charges, and Gaetz maintained his innocence. He has often insinuated that the inquiry was an attempt to tarnish his reputation.
Despite rumors of higher political aspirations, Gaetz has been dismissive of such suggestions, including running for governor or the U.S. Senate. He humorously quipped, ‘If I want to go to a retirement community, I’m going to The Villages, not the United States Senate.’
