Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., leaves a House Republican Conference meeting at the U.S. Capitol Oct. 3, 2023, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
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The latest hard-hitting ad in Matt Gaetz primary race references allegations that the Panhandle Republican may have engaged in sexual misconduct and drugs.
Gaetz is running for re-election in his August 20 primary against Republican Aaron Dimmock, but the ad is being run by Florida Patriots PAC, a new super PAC.
“Since Matt Gaetz refuses to be honest his constituents, we plan to aggressively tell the truth for him,” said Florida Patriots PAC senior advisor Brian O. Walsh in a statement sent to the Phoenix.
Walsh is a close ally to former Republican Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, who has been forthright that he wants to bring down Gaetz, who led the effort to oust him as speaker last fall, Politico has reported.
In April 2021, the House Committee on Ethics began investigating Gaetz regarding allegations that he may have engaged in sexual misconduct and/or illicit drug use, shared inappropriate images or videos on the House floor, misused state identification records, converted campaign funds to personal use, and/or accepted a bribe, improper gratuity, or impermissible gift, according to an April 9, 2021, statement from that committee.
The committee deferred its investigation to the U.S. Department of Justice, which decided in February 2023 that it would not bring charges, as reported by CNN.
However, the Ethics Committee released a statement last month announcing that its investigation was back on. While acknowledging that Gaetz has categorically denied all of the allegations before the committee, the statement said that the panel “has spoken with more than a dozen witnesses, issued 25 subpoenas, and reviewed thousands of pages of documents in this matter. Based on its review to date, the Committee has determined that certain of the allegations merit continued review.”
Those allegations, the committee said, are that Gaetz may have engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use.
Florida Patriots PAC is putting $330,000 behind the ad and an additional $150,000 on mail, text message, and digital ads pushing similar messaging.
This is the second hard-hitting ad paid for by Florida Patriots PAC against Gaetz this month. A spot that began airing last week focused on Gaetz’ alleged friendship with Joel Greenberg, the former Seminole County tax collector serving an 11-year sentence in federal prison for child sex trafficking and other offenses.
While Democrat Gay Valimont is also running in Florida’s First Congressional District, the GOP primary will likely decide who will represent the district for the next two years. The seat has been ranked as the most conservative leaning in Florida, according to the Cook Political Report.
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