Matt Gaetz Deletes Tweet Calling to Defund the FBI

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        Matt Gaetz Deletes Tweet Calling to Defund the FBI—Which Is Currently Investigating Him
    

        Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
    
By Evan BrechtelJun 24, 2021
Evan Brechtel
Evan Brechtel is a writer and actor living in New York. A Fordham University graduate, he also writes a monthly column for Chosen Magazine and is currently working on a historical fiction novel about New York queer bars over the twentieth century.
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The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is currently scrutinizing disgraced far-right Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida for the potential sex trafficking of a minor.
Gaetz's acquaintance and former Florida tax collector—Joel Greenberg—recently reached a plea deal signaling his cooperation with the Department of Justice. Venmo charges between the two, allegedly distributed to sex workers whom they paid to partake in drug-fueled parties, made waves on the internet recently. Greenberg's further cooperation suggests charges could be coming to Gaetz.
On Wednesday—the same day Defense Department officials shut down his hysteria over Critical Race Theory—Gaetz tweeted, then soon deleted, a post calling to defund the FBI.
The tweet was archived by ProPublica's tracker of politicians' deleted tweets.
The Congressman claimed Democrats wanted to defund the police, and suggested they start with the Bureau that's investigating him.
Demanding the full statement be printed, a Gaetz spokesperson told VICE:
"Given how seriously Rep. Gaetz treats his interactions with the FBI — especially his latest work in pursuing the facts surrounding Chinese defector Dr. Li Meng Yan and her safety in the United States — Rep. Gaetz felt it appropriate to remove a jocular tweet taken from a speech some time ago. He looks forward to hearing back from FBI Director Christopher Wray on what the FBI knew about the [virus] origins when Dr. Yan first came to the U.S. in early 2020."
Gaetz may have deleted the tweet, but the internet is forever, and people want to know why he's pressing to defund an agency that's investigating him.
Matt Gaetz in a since-deleted tweet: \u201cIf Democrats want to defund the police, they should start with the FBI\u201d\n\nRapey McForehead, who\u2019s being investigated by the FBI, *oversees* the FBI as a Judiciary Committee member\n\nSeems like a conflict of interest, no?
 — Lindy Li (@Lindy Li)
        1624502477

Isn\u2019t Matt Gaetz still under FBI investigation?https://twitter.com/TaraCopp/status/1407738536359497729\u00a0\u2026
 — Molly Jong-Fast (@Molly Jong-Fast)
        1624469447

@RepMattGaetz\n\nGuilty?https://twitter.com/deanofdublin/status/1407873952303640579\u00a0\u2026
 — VSMCE2 (@VSMCE2)
        1624542232

REMINDER about crime and criminals.\n\nMatt Gaetz is still a leading Republican on the House Judiciary Committee that oversees the FBI and crime prevention.
 — Jesse Ferguson (@Jesse Ferguson)
        1624451760

#Gaetz wants to defund the FBI. \n\nI wonder why.https://twitter.com/deanofdublin/status/1407873952303640579\u00a0\u2026
 — Ktwitt (@Ktwitt)
        1624511041

FBI, you ok with this?https://twitter.com/deanofdublin/status/1407873952303640579\u00a0\u2026
 — Linda Kay (@Linda Kay)
        1624535069
The mockery was swift.
Matt Gaetz: Defund the FBI\n\nFBI:pic.twitter.com/9tjhCTqU6J
 — Baligubadle (@Baligubadle)
        1624463176

All part of this cancel culture.https://twitter.com/deanofdublin/status/1407873952303640579\u00a0\u2026
 — Bryan Weaver (@Bryan Weaver)
        1624516553

Correct me if I\u2019m wrong\n\nBut didn\u2019t Qanon start with claims that famous politicians were involved in a child sex trafficking ring\n\n#MattGaetzIsAToolhttps://twitter.com/deanofdublin/status/1407873952303640579\u00a0\u2026
 — Adam Cohen Lawyers for Good Government #DemCast (@Adam Cohen Lawyers for Good Government #DemCast)
        1624536541
Gaetz continues to deny having an inappropriate relationship with a minor.
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The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is currently scrutinizing disgraced far-right Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida for the potential sex trafficking of a minor.

Gaetz's acquaintance and former Florida tax collector—Joel Greenberg—recently reached a plea deal signaling his cooperation with the Department of Justice. Venmo charges between the two, allegedly distributed to sex workers whom they paid to partake in drug-fueled parties, made waves on the internet recently. Greenberg's further cooperation suggests charges could be coming to Gaetz.

On Wednesday—the same day Defense Department officials shut down his hysteria over Critical Race Theory—Gaetz tweeted, then soon deleted, a post calling to defund the FBI.

The tweet was archived by ProPublica's tracker of politicians' deleted tweets.

The Congressman claimed Democrats wanted to defund the police, and suggested they start with the Bureau that's investigating him.

Demanding the full statement be printed, a Gaetz spokesperson told VICE:

"Given how seriously Rep. Gaetz treats his interactions with the FBI — especially his latest work in pursuing the facts surrounding Chinese defector Dr. Li Meng Yan and her safety in the United States — Rep. Gaetz felt it appropriate to remove a jocular tweet taken from a speech some time ago. He looks forward to hearing back from FBI Director Christopher Wray on what the FBI knew about the [virus] origins when Dr. Yan first came to the U.S. in early 2020."

Gaetz may have deleted the tweet, but the internet is forever, and people want to know why he's pressing to defund an agency that's investigating him.

Matt Gaetz in a since-deleted tweet: \u201cIf Democrats want to defund the police, they should start with the FBI\u201d\n\nRapey McForehead, who\u2019s being investigated by the FBI, *oversees* the FBI as a Judiciary Committee member\n\nSeems like a conflict of interest, no?
— Lindy Li (@Lindy Li) 1624502477

Isn\u2019t Matt Gaetz still under FBI investigation?https://twitter.com/TaraCopp/status/1407738536359497729\u00a0\u2026
— Molly Jong-Fast (@Molly Jong-Fast) 1624469447

@RepMattGaetz\n\nGuilty?https://twitter.com/deanofdublin/status/1407873952303640579\u00a0\u2026
— VSMCE2 (@VSMCE2) 1624542232

REMINDER about crime and criminals.\n\nMatt Gaetz is still a leading Republican on the House Judiciary Committee that oversees the FBI and crime prevention.
— Jesse Ferguson (@Jesse Ferguson) 1624451760

#Gaetz wants to defund the FBI. \n\nI wonder why.https://twitter.com/deanofdublin/status/1407873952303640579\u00a0\u2026
— Ktwitt (@Ktwitt) 1624511041

FBI, you ok with this?https://twitter.com/deanofdublin/status/1407873952303640579\u00a0\u2026
— Linda Kay (@Linda Kay) 1624535069

The mockery was swift.

Matt Gaetz: Defund the FBI\n\nFBI:pic.twitter.com/9tjhCTqU6J
— Baligubadle (@Baligubadle) 1624463176

All part of this cancel culture.https://twitter.com/deanofdublin/status/1407873952303640579\u00a0\u2026
— Bryan Weaver (@Bryan Weaver) 1624516553

Correct me if I\u2019m wrong\n\nBut didn\u2019t Qanon start with claims that famous politicians were involved in a child sex trafficking ring\n\n#MattGaetzIsAToolhttps://twitter.com/deanofdublin/status/1407873952303640579\u00a0\u2026
— Adam Cohen Lawyers for Good Government #DemCast (@Adam Cohen Lawyers for Good Government #DemCast) 1624536541

Gaetz continues to deny having an inappropriate relationship with a minor.

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