Tweet

Darren Samuelsohn

2 Apr, 11 tweets, 3 min read

@thisisinsider

NEW: Matt Gaetz blindsides his staff with remarks on Twitter and TV, a former aide told ⁦@thisisinsider⁩ Aides are also assigned to do his hair and makeup ahead of TV hits, a task some don't want. ($) businessinsider.com/matt-gaetz-sta…

@rbravender

Another doozy of a story from @rbravender @KaylaEpstein & @TinaSfon who report Gaetz can get "irate" with staff if too few people show up for an event he's holding.

One of Gaetz's first acts of Congress — just a month into his tenure in 2017 — the freshman lawmaker unveiled a bill to abolish the US EPA. The move instantly propelled Gaetz into national headlines, some of the office staff at the time had no idea it was coming.

"That was hell for all of us," a former staffer said. But Gaetz "loved every second of it because it was very chaotic and it helped draw a lot of media attention to him."

Gaetz upset one aide in particular who worked on anti-trafficking issues when he was the sole House lawmaker to vote against an anti-human trafficking bill in 2017, said another former staffer who spoke to Insider this week. "She was not too happy."

That aide, Sara Lefevers, left Gaetz's office in 2019. She is now president and CEO of the NISSI Project, an anti-human trafficking organization.

“Thank you for contacting me. I will not be able to make any statement relating to Congressman Gaetz, the allegations against him, or my time serving the 1st Congressional District of Florida," Lefevers told Insider this week.

She added, “I left my position to pursue my life calling and passion in advocacy to fight human trafficking in all of its forms. As we await more information regarding this investigation and the allegations made against Representative Gaetz...

... we will be pursuing our mission to fight human trafficking and support any investigation that seeks to protect innocent women, men and childre n from this heinous crime."

Many of Gaetz's staffers remain loyal to him, and some former aides told Insider they enjoyed their stints in his office.

"I have nothing but positive things to say about my experience working for him and the others in that office," one former intern said. "I hope this issue gets resolved for him in a fair manner," she added of the current DOJ investigation.

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

More from @dsamuelsohn

Darren Samuelsohn

@dsamuelsohn

2 Apr

NEW: Sleeping w/ married legislators. Spending the night at a college sorority house. These were specific ways Matt Gaetz & FLA lawmakers could earn "extra points" in a sex game in which Gaetz is accused of playing when he served in the state's House. ($) businessinsider.com/matt-gaetz-sex…

@thisisinsider

The sex competition even involved the "Harry Potter" book series, a female GOP insider who worked with Gaetz in the 2010s told @thisisinsider in an interview. by @rbravender @KaylaEpstein @TinaSfon & @WARojas

Anyone who had sex w/ a certain conservative woman "won the whole game regardless of points," she said. That woman was known as the "snitch," a nod to the Potter game Quidditch. The GOP source said she "heard specific references of Gaetz being involved & scoring points."

Read 13 tweets

Darren Samuelsohn

@dsamuelsohn

1 Apr

NEW: Trump & his advisors are vacillating between deep concern & cavalier confidence over his possible legal exposure and the ever-present possibility he could end up in the history books as the first POTUS — current or former — ever to be indicted. ($) businessinsider.com/trump-legal-je…

Alongside a rotating cast of attorneys, Trump has warily watched as local Georgia and New York investigators escalate their probes connected to both his slapdash efforts to hold onto the presidency despite losing the 2020 election and his namesake company's finances.

Notably, the ex-president is also hearing from advisors that he faces little actual legal risk from the January 6 rioting at the Capitol, according to a dozen advisors, legal experts and Republicans close to the former president.

Read 11 tweets

Darren Samuelsohn

@dsamuelsohn

31 Mar

@thisisinsider

ICYMI: A couple of gem quotes in this story from last night worth flagging: "I'm an Episcopal priest now," Allison DeFoor, a former county sheriff and vice chair of the Florida GOP, said. "I will pray for him. That's all I can do." businessinsider.com/matt-gaetz-sex… ($) @thisisinsider

"The congressman is one of those that came to Washington to make an impression for fame and fortune rather than accomplishing anything in Washington for his constituents," a national Republican campaign consultant who works in Florida politics said.

"He's not in the legislative business. He's just out there to blow s--- up and get on TV," one Republican US House staffer told Insider.

Read 7 tweets

Darren Samuelsohn

@dsamuelsohn

31 Mar

@WARojas

NEW: Grover Norquist will still eviscerate you for even thinking about raising taxes. But might his next act involve orchestrating wins on divisive issues like immigration & criminal justice reform w/o giving an inch on Biden's $ agenda? by @WARojas ($)
businessinsider.com/grover-norquis…

@thisisinsider

The timing is right, admirers told @thisisinsider for the "Leave Us Alone" coalition-builder to showcase Norquist's problem-solving skills.

Dems are calling the shots on both sides of Pennsylvania Avenue. The White House is floating tax hikes to finance government-funded projects ranging from improving battered roads to expanding broadband internet coverage for underserved communities.

Read 11 tweets

Darren Samuelsohn

@dsamuelsohn

31 Mar

@thisisinsider

NEW: Former Trump White House and GOP officials who loathe the loquacious and pugilistic Matt Gaetz were gloating his turn in the sex scandal spotlight. businessinsider.com/matt-gaetz-sex… by the @thisisinsider DC bureau crew ($)

Our lede: Matt Gaetz was looking for a scandal.

It was March 25, and the Florida congressman responded to a tweet from the billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who had asked no one in particular, "If there's ever a scandal about me, *please* call it Elongate."

"I want Gaetzgate," the Florida Republican tweeted.

On Tuesday, Gaetz got exactly that, as reports surfaced that the 38-year old congressman is under investigation for possible sex trafficking.

Read 13 tweets

Darren Samuelsohn

@dsamuelsohn

30 Mar

@byMadisonHall

NEW: Check out this great @byMadisonHall story into how one of Trump's most lasting legacies is how he reshaped the federal courts for generations to come. ($) @thisisinsider businessinsider.com/federal-judges…

Database nerds will enjoy the list of every Article III judge in the court system, broken down by which POTUS appointed them.

Every two-term president since Ronald Reagan has appointed at least 320 judges with lifetime appointments, but Trump bucked the trend and installed nearly 70% of that in just one term. In only four years, Trump installed approximately 28% of all the Article III judges.

Read 4 tweets

Support us! We are indie developers!

This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Too expensive? Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal Become our Patreon

Thank you for your support!