Matt Gaetz throws hissy fit, blasts fellow GOP lawmaker as a “foolish husk of a human”

Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz is surely used to receiving criticism. The far-right lawmaker prides himself as a firebrand Republican, closely associated with the likes of Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert. 

Usually, Gaetz smirks at any flak thrown in his direction. However, comments from another Republican lawmaker this week have clearly irked him. Fellow GOP lawmaker Blaine Luetkemeyer appeared on Eagle 93.9 in Missouri yesterday and criticized Gaetz’s behavior in the House. 

The topic of conversation was the number of C-SPAN cameras recording activity in Congress. Host Branden Rathert asked Luetkemeyer, 70, that if there were more cameras in the chamber, “we’d have seen people, like Matt Gaetz, come in, make his news-bite sound clip, and walk back out and go tell the media about it instead of staying in there [and] conducting business?”

Luetkemeyer, who represents Missouri’s third district, concurred. Chuckling at the suggestion, he said, “That’s what you would have seen. Because Matt is … Matt made the comment when he came to congress that he wanted to become famous with his own TV show. 

“His parents are very wealthy. His dad’s a lawyer. They built him a studio in their own home, in their basement, so he could perfect his ability to perform in front of the camera. So he is the poster child of these guys. He doesn’t even belong to the Freedom Caucus.

He continued, “When people use Matt Gaetz as an example of who we need to be like, I’m sorry, but that’s not who we need to be like.”

Rep. Gaetz responds

Gaetz took to Twitter to blast Luetkemeyer over his criticism.

“Until this clip, I forgot @RepBlaine Luetkemeyer was a member of Congress. He’s a foolish husk of a human, apparently upset that I’m a more effective representative.

“My parents did not build a studio for me. My dad is not a lawyer. I’ve never been a member of the House Freedom Caucus.  

“If C-SPAN cameras were allowed in the House chamber, they’d show how often he acts like a dog on a leash for the very banks and financial institutions that crush regular folks. 

“Instead of lying about my family, go get your next tasking from the special interests who own you!”

Matt Gaetz’s personal TV studio

Gaetz’s father, Don, is not a lawyer. However, several news outlets in 2020 reported that a TV studio was constructed at Matt Gaetz’s father’s Niceville, Florida, for Matt’s use.  

Some questions arose at the time as to whether house ethics guidelines had been broken. Matt Gaetz would perhaps argue that he had the studio built, not his parents. 

The far-right Freedom Caucus in Congress does not identify its members, although some of its members have made it known they’re in the group. 

Gaetz and Lauren Boebert were the ringleaders of a rebel group of GOP representatives who held out on voting for Kevin McCarthy to become speaker in January. That appears to be one of the things that angered Luetkemeyer. 

You can watch Luetkemeyer’s full comments below. He argued against having more C-Span cameras on the floor as he believes it encourages performative displays by lawmakers.