In the third quarter of 2021, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) raised dramatically less cash than he brought in during the first two quarters of the year. Earlier this year, of course, reports emerged outlining how Gaetz is the subject of a federal criminal investigation into child sex trafficking with which he was potentially involved. Joel Greenberg, a former county official in Central Florida who Gaetz himself once described as his “wingman,” has pleaded guilty to crimes including child sex trafficking and has been providing information to investigators as part of his plea agreement. Gaetz fundraised off the initial spate of reports about the situation, but that set-up was evidently not sustainable for the Congressman.
Perhaps Gaetz should focus on attending to the needs of the people of his district instead of desperately pining for national attention like an egomaniac. As explained by The Daily Beast:
‘Contributions to Gaetz’s campaign committee, Friends of Matt Gaetz, have cratered, with the congressman posting a $100,000 net loss on the quarter after donations fell off by well more than half.’
For the third quarter of 2021, Gaetz brought in a little less than half a million dollars in donations. In contrast, Gaetz’s average fundraising haul in the first two quarters of this year stood at around $1.5 million, making his latest total a startling drop. As for expenses across the third quarter, Gaetz’s campaign reported shelling out about $613,000 in costs — meaning that it posted a loss. Notably, though, Gaetz’s campaign also reported losses in the first two quarters of this year, showing just how quickly that the Florida Congressman was blowing through cash.
For the third quarter, the Congressman’s expenses included some $85,000 in campaign finance-related services — and The Daily Beast notes how federal investigators have been “reportedly investigating Gaetz’s possible misuse of campaign donations in furthering his other alleged crimes, including possibly sex trafficking a minor and an alleged illicit political influence scheme involving marijuana law.” As these investigative efforts targeting the Congressman have proceeded, Gaetz — once a fixture on Fox News — hasn’t been on the network since an interview with host Tucker Carlson that went somewhat off-the-rails shortly after initial revelations regarding his legal vulnerability. Gaetz has consistently denied wrongdoing, but federal investigators have even been reported to have seized his cellphone amid the investigation, suggesting that they’re approaching this matter with more seriousness than the Congressman.
