We’re now on day three of Gaetzgate, the mind-bending saga involving Florida congressman Matt Gaetz that has somehow come to include alleged nude photos on the floor of Congress, hula hoops, and a “Costco-sized” box of condoms. The unfolding tale is perhaps the most bizarre—and grotesque—scandal to hit the Hill in recent years. At this point, can you even remember who Matt Gaetz is? A quick refresher:
He has a 19-year-old son
Last year the 38-year-old Florida Republican revealed he had a son named Nestor Galban after Louisiana representative Cedric Richmond noted that white lawmakers do not understand the experience of raising a child of color. In response, Gaetz shared that he has been raising Galban, an immigrant from Cuba, since the boy was 12 years old. The pair met through Galban’s elder sister, whom Gaetz was dating at the time. With the exception of a brief period after Gaetz and Galban’s sister broke off their relationship, the Troy University student has lived with Gaetz in Florida. Although he has never been legally adopted, Gaetz told People that Galban “is my son in every conceivable way, and I can’t imagine loving him any more if he was my own flesh and blood.”
For all those wondering, this is my son Nestor. We share no blood but he is my life. He came from Cuba (legally, of course) six years ago and lives with me in Florida.
I am so proud of him and raising him has been the best, most rewarding thing I’ve done in my life. pic.twitter.com/JB96wzOzYU
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) June 18, 2020
He wore a gas mask on the House floor
The congressman donned a gas mask during last year’s House vote on a coronavirus response package, before the pandemic took hold. At the time, some critiqued Gaetz’s attire as diminishing the seriousness of the virus. Just five days later, Gaetz announced he was self-quarantining after exposure to a positive case at CPAC. (Later in the year, he tested positive for Cvoid antibodies.)
Reviewing the coronavirus supplemental appropriation and preparing to go vote. pic.twitter.com/wjJ4YY4VZz
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) March 4, 2020
He grew up in the Truman Show house
Yes, the made-for-TV congressman literally grew up in the picturesque home belonging to Jim Carrey’s character in the Truman Show. The Florida rep was 15 years old when the movie was shot in his parent’s Seaside home, which still bares a sign stating “the Truman House” on its white picket fence. According to a Vanity Fair profile, the experience left quite the impression: “I grew up in the house Jim Carrey lived in in The Truman Show,” wrote Gaetz. “I know that all the world’s a stage, especially when we all have cameras with phones.”
He tweeted weird stuff at Michael Cohen
A day prior to Michael Cohen’s public testimony during the 2019 impeachment proceedings of President Trump, Gaetz threw shade at Trump’s former lawyer in a now-deleted Tweet:
Hey @MichaelCohen212 – Do your wife & father-in-law know about your girlfriends? Maybe tonight would be a good time for that chat. I wonder if she’ll remain faithful when you’re in prison. She’s about to learn a lot…
The social media statement drew accusations of witness tampering, and Gaetz later apologized, also by Tweet.
Speaker, I want to get the truth too. While it is important 2 create context around the testimony of liars like Michael Cohen, it was NOT my intent to threaten, as some believe I did. I’m deleting the tweet & I should have chosen words that better showed my intent. I’m sorry. https://t.co/Rdbw3sTQJD
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) February 27, 2019
He’s tangled with law enforcement
Before his tenure in Congress, Gaetz, then 28 and a lawyer, was arrested in in Florida in 2008 for driving under the influence. Gaetz reportedly failed two eye tests before refusing sobriety and breath tests. He was arrested, but charges were later dismissed. Gaetz was cruising back from a club called “Swamp” when the incident occurred. The congressman doesn’t have a stellar history when it comes to driving within the law: Between 1999 and 2014, the congressman racked up 16 speeding tickets.
He filed an ethics complaint against Nancy Pelosi for bad decorum
It’s hard to forget the dramatic moment Nancy Pelosi tore up Donald Trump’s State of the Union address last year, right after the former President finished his speech. A day later, Gaetz announced he was filing an ethics complaint against the Speaker of the House. Ever the warrior for decorum, Gaetz tweeted Pelosi’s actions were “beneath the dignity of the House.”
BREAKING: I'm filing an ethics complaint against @SpeakerPelosi for destroying @realDonaldTrump's State of the Union speech.
Her conduct was beneath the dignity of the House, and a potential violation of law (18 USC 2071).
Nobody is above the law. She must be held accountable. pic.twitter.com/dXPPWQNtI8
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) February 6, 2020
He led a breach of the secure Capitol facility where classified info is shared
The Florida rep stormed a deposition in the Capitol’s Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF), leading House Republicans into the secret area in October 2019. Gaetz and his posse were attempting to attend the closed testimony of an official speaking during Trump’s impeachment process. The impasse lasted five hours and was widely considered a risk to national security. Many of the lawmakers barged in with cell phones, a major no-no in the SCIF.
BREAKING: I led over 30 of my colleagues into the SCIF where Adam Schiff is holding secret impeachment depositions. Still inside – more details to come. https://t.co/fHhqkZ6x3Z
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) October 23, 2019
He is engaged
The Florida man is engaged to Ginger Luckey, a Harvard Business School student who works in food and sustainability. Gaetz met his 26-year-old fiancée last March at the winter White House, Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club, and they got engaged there on December 30. Their forthcoming wedding just might be as theatrical as the groom himself: “Matt wants an Elvis impersonator to preside,” Luckey told the Daily Mail.
Congressman @mattgaetz asked and Ginger said ‘yes’. pic.twitter.com/F0rkbWe5AQ
— Jeanine Pirro (@JudgeJeanine) December 31, 2020
Daniella Byck joined Washingtonian in 2022. She was previously with Outside Magazine and lives in Northeast DC.
