ETHICS WHO?

Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz’s Spending on Speechwriting and TV Studio May Violate House Ethics Rules

The MAGA congressman has reportedly routed taxpayer money to pay a speechwriting consultant and built a TV studio in his father’s house.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) appears to have violated several House ethics rules, Politico reports. The Trump acolyte has reportedly improperly directed thousands of dollars in taxpayer funds to a LLC linked to speechwriting consultant Darren Beattie in conflict with House rules. The Daily Beast reported last year that Beattie had been fired from the White House over his attendance at a 2016 white nationalist conference. Gaetz may also be in violation of a rule that designates that representatives and members of their family cannot receive gifts worth more than $50. A private company installed a studio in Gaetz’s father’s home, which Gaetz uses when he makes television appearances. For each appearance, taxpayer money is used to rent the television camera, and the company that installed the studio takes a fee. Gaetz’s office insisted that Gaetz received approval from the House Ethics Committee for each of these issues, but did not provide evidence.