Hello, Friends —

This week, Democrats yet again found more reasons to spend your money, America First Republicans joined to protect the Arizona election integrity audit, and I fought back against mandatory Critical Race Theory training in the military. Attacks on our freedom are coming fast and frequent in the Congress, but rest assured Northwest Florida is in good hands! Here’s our week in review:

REPS. GAETZ, BIGGS, GREENE, AND GOSAR CALL ON DOJ TO AFFIRM COMMITMENT TO ELECTION INTEGRITY IN ARIZONA

On Monday, alongside Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05), Congressman Paul Gosar (AZ-04), and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA-14), I sent a letter to Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Pamela Karlan regarding the audit of the 2020 election results in Maricopa County, Arizona.

On May 5th, on behalf of the Department of Justice (DOJ), Pamela Karlan sent a letter to the President of the Arizona State Senate Karen Fann disputing the integrity of the election audit. Instead of trying to meddle in the audit, the DOJ should be assisting every effort to keep our elections free, fair, and verifiable. 

In the joint letter, we urged Karlan to respond no later than Thursday, May 20th, with a commitment to uphold the rule of law and allow Arizona to confirm the 2020 elections were absent of interference. 

The text of the full letter sent to Pamela Karlan may be found HERE.

REP. GAETZ SLAMS THE WOKEIFICATION OF OUR MILITARY

Click Here to Watch!

“We cannot possibly have a discussion about recruiting and the values of the military while service members who might have a conservative or pro-Trump perspective are targeted by military leaders.” -Rep. Matt Gaetz

The House Armed Services Committee held a hearing this week on the military’s efforts to recruit new patriotic Americans to service. However, under the Biden Administration, our country is not in a position to inspire a new generation to service while anti-American woketopians like Bishop Garrison are in charge. Garrison, Senior Advisor to Secretary Lloyd Austin, has made it his mission to deem conservatives in the military as a national security threat. I emphasized Bishop Garrison’s bigotry in the hearing and called for a return to the embrace of seeking capable patriots from all walks of life to fight for America.

REP. GAETZ SIGNS LETTER DEFENDING LIEUTENANT COLONEL LOHMEIER

As you may have seen, there are troubling signs that our proud United States military is under pressure to submit to the leftist woke agenda. The most recent example is Lt Col Matthew Lohmeier’s removal from Space Force command. His “crime”  is owed to his measured and reasonable remarks voicing concerns about Marxist ideology permeating our military.

This is why I joined my Republican colleagues in sending a letter to Acting Secretary of the Air Force John Roth, outlining our opposition to the leftist agenda within the Armed Services. Our military must remain the world’s preeminent fighting force and Marxism will only weaken it.

REP. GAETZ DEFENDS CONSERVATIVES IN THE MILITARY ON ONE AMERICA NEWS

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“Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier is a patriot. He should be celebrated, not demoted and relieved of his command.” -Rep. Matt Gaetz

The Biden Administration is worried about wokeness, not winning. Our military and our country deserve better. Going forward, we need Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to testify before the House Armed Services Committee so we may inquire about plans to persecute conservatives in the military.

I joined Stephanie Hamill on One America News yesterday to discuss the wokeification of the military, my letter to the DOJ on protecting Arizona’s audit, and more.

REP. GAETZ CO-SPONSORS BILLS TO PREVENT MANDATORY CRITICAL RACE THEORY TRAINING

Critical Race Theory (CRT) is a social justice movement that aims to smear and brand America as an inherently evil nation. This week I proudly co-sponsored the “Stop CRT Act” and the “Combating Racist Training in the Military Act.” The Stop CRT Act will prevent any federal dollars from being used to advance ideas associated with Critical Race Theory and would codify the Trump administration's Executive Order that prevented agencies from using CRT in their training programs.

The Combating Racist Training in the Military Act will prohibit the Armed Forces and academic institutions of the Department of Defense from promoting these anti-American and racist theories. In this country, people are free to read, write, and express any ideas that they choose. However, a line must be drawn to prevent the mandatory teaching of radical ideology in work settings.

REP. GAETZ JOINS 25 REPUBLICANS DISAVOWING GRANT MONEY USED BY THE DEPT. OF EDUCATION FOR RACIALIZED PROGRAMS

This week, I joined an effort led by Congressman Dan Bishop (NC-09) to submit a public comment to the Secretary of Education, disavowing her plan to fund American History and Civics Education with Critical Race Theory embedded in the curriculum. Again, CRT is divisive, partisan, and anti-American. Indoctrinating children with racist, woke ideology will be the downfall of any nation. The Biden Administration is doing nothing to fulfill their campaign promise to unite the country, but I will keep fighting for American unity.

REP. GAETZ VOTES AGAINST JANUARY 6TH WITCH HUNT COMMISSION

On Wednesday, House Democrats and 35 RINOs voted 252-175 to create a “National Commision to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex”. The proponents of establishing this Commission falsely claim that this effort will be bipartisan. The 10 person Commission will have 2 members appointed by Rep. Kevin McCarthy and 2 members appointed by Senator Mitch McConnell. Here is why it’s not bipartisan: the remaining 6 members will be appointed by Democrats and the Commission’s chairperson will be appointed by Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer -- the two highest ranking Democrats in Congress.


I voted against this measure because it is a waste of the Congress’s time and resources; not only do we have much bigger priorities and problems to solve, but there are already dozens of investigations into what happened that day. This spending bill is just another tool the Democrats are using to amplify their whole-of-government power-grab.

DEMOCRATS PASS $1.9 BILLION OF MORE SPENDING

On Thursday, Democrats voted for more government spending and passed legislation that seeks to turn the People’s House into a government fortress. There is plenty of egregious spending in this bill, here are some of the worst examples:

$530 million will be spent on physical infrastructure in and around the Capitol Complex, including a retractable security system. In other words this bill directs spending towards a deployable wall surrounding the Capitol, meanwhile the wall at our southern border is still not fully built and illegal immigration goes unchecked. 

$66.8 million will be going to Washington, D.C., the beloved future state of the Democrat Party. 

$34 million will be a gift to US Attorneys, along with $3.8 million for DOJ’s Criminal Division to pay for prosecutions related to January 6. The witch hunt continues!

COMBATING USELESS MASK MANDATES

This week, I co-sponsored H.R. 450, a bill “to prohibit the use of federal funds to propose, establish, implement, or enforce any requirement that an individual wear a mask or other face covering, or be vaccinated, to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” and H.R. 1342, a bill “to authorize a study on the efficacy and potential negative impacts of masks to human health.”

After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) new guidelines, now is officially the time to embrace the freedom to choose whether or not you want to cover your face with a mask. Americans are free to wear masks if they choose to do so, but penalizing those who choose otherwise, like Nancy Pelosi did in Congress this week, is tyrannical. I am disappointed that the choice to wear masks has become a partisan issue and a reason to virtue signal.

My Republican colleagues and I will continue to fight to protect your liberties and your right, as an American citizen, to lead a free life. Nancy Pelosi’s ridiculous mask fines can cost up to $2,500, but I wish she would look to the Sunshine State for guidance on how to lead during a pandemic!

REP. GAETZ CO-SPONSORS NATIONAL DEBT AWARENESS RESOLUTION

On Thursday, I co-sponsored Rep. Andy Biggs’s Resolution, “Recognizing the National Debt as a Threat to National Security.” As the title suggests, this legislation raises awareness for the concurrent relationship between the United States’ debt and the weakening of our defense capabilities for years to come.

Currently the public debt is more than $28 Trillion, meaning that the debt owed for each taxpayer is $225,309. Additionally, $7 Trillion of Federal debt is owned by individuals not located in the United States, including more than $1 Trillion owned by people in China. 

Being beholden to foreign countries, especially those that are not our allies, is detrimental to national security. Continual budget deficits will eventually reduce the capital available to sustain our defense spending. 

President Biden increases deficits with a vision akin to FDR’s “New Deal” and LBJ’s “Great Society.” President Trump, on the other hand, observed a budget deficit through tax cuts and defense spending, similar to Ronald Reagan. Had it not been for Covid and its subsequent spending bills, it is fair to say that Donald Trump would have fulfilled his campaign promise of paying down our national debt.

 RIGHT FROM THE START: COVID-19 LEAKED FROM THE WUHAN INSTITUTE OF VIROLOGY

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The Wuhan Virus came from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and we were right all along 13 months ago! China lied and millions died. In April of 2020, I exposed the National Institute of Health’s $3.7 million grant to the now infamous Wuhan laboratory. Now, scientists all over the world are sounding the alarms that COVID-19 was leaked from within that lab to the rest of the globe. The world deserves to know the full story, and it must begin with investigations into the subpar safety standards of the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

AROUND THE DISTRICT

HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS

Tuesday, June 1st marks the beginning of Hurricane season in Florida. There is no better time than the present to prepare for future storms. After the devastation caused by Hurricane Sally, I can’t emphasize enough the need to be ready and prepared if another disaster strikes.

Here are a few tips to get started:

• Talk with household members about what to do if a hurricane makes landfall nearby.
• Create an evacuation plan.
• Build an emergency kit in an easy-to-carry container with items including water, non-perishable food, a flashlight, a battery-powered radio, first aid kit, etc.
• Be informed. Learn about your community’s hurricane response plan.
  Northwest Florida is strong, and we have always rebounded quickly from past storms.

• Escambia County
• Santa Rosa County
• Okaloosa County
• Walton County
• Holmes County

FEMA APPROVES $1.3 MILLION FOR GULF BREEZE HURRICANE SALLY DEBRIS REMOVAL

FEMA has approved $1,373,999 to reimburse the city of Gulf Breeze for debris removal activities after Hurricane Sally in 2020. Between Sept. 14, 2020 and Sept. 28, 2020 workers removed 82,414 cubic yards of debris from public rights of way. Disaster-generated debris posed a threat to public health, safety, natural resources and tourism.

FEMA’s Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding for communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency. The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) works with FEMA during all phases of the program and reviews projects prior to final approval.

Applicants work directly with FEMA to develop projects and scopes of work. FEMA obligates funding for projects to FDEM after final approval. Once a project is obligated, FDEM works closely with applicants to finalize grants and begin making payments. FDEM has procedures in place to ensure grant funding is provided to local communities as quickly as possible.

FEMA’s Public Assistance program provides grants to state, tribal and local governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations, including houses of worship, so communities can quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies.

PENSACOLA STATE COLLEGE TO OPEN CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL FOR MILITARY FAMILIES AND AT-RISK YOUTH

On Tuesday, Pensacola State College (PSC) announced that it will be opening a new charter school that focuses on high school students who are from military families or are considered at-risk. PSC is scheduled to open in August 2022 at the college's Warrington campus, providing the opportunity for students to earn college credits and to potentially graduate high school with an associate degree. While approval is still pending from the Escambia County School District, I remain optimistic that this school will be a great opportunity for Northwest Floridia!

FLORIDA POLICE OFFICER SAVES CHILDREN FROM DROWNING

Last Sunday at Johnson Beach, Officer Anthony Giorgio was enjoying Mother’s Day off-duty, when an emergency came to his attention. Hearing the cries for help from children in danger of drowning 50 yards out from the shore, Officer Giorgio immediately took off in a dead sprint towards the danger. He entered the water along with Coast Guard Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class, Reece Raxter. They fought the chop and rip current to reach the flailing kids. Officer Giorgio grabbed one kid, who was in and out of consciousness, and swam him to shore. He then went back into the gulf and grabbed another child, bringing him to shore with the help of an unknown man. 

Back on the beach, Giorgio and others started first aid and were relieved to see the Park Rangers and Escambia Fire Rescue show up.

I am touched by this story, involving sacrifice, initiative, and a call to duty to fellow Americans. To Officer Giorgio, BM2 Raxter, and all others involved, God bless you and your heroic actions that saved the lives of your fellow Floridians.

For the full story from the Pensacola Police Department, click here.

WHAT WE'RE READING

Ousted Space Force officer says he's been 'misportrayed', received 'thousands' of notes from troops

Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier, formerly the commander of the 11th Space Warning Squadron at Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora Colo., was ousted from his position last week

Lohmeier contends he was speaking out against extremist ideologies, based on a reported February memo from Secretary Austin. 

“Free Speech Is A Digital Black Plague”: Bishop Garrison is Key Mercenary in Biden’s Dark War Against The First Amendment

Last week, Revolver News exposed the key hatchet man promoted to the Pentagon to install radical race theory and purge all MAGA sympathies from U.S. military organs, officers and personnel.

His name is Bishop Garrison, and he is the head of the Pentagon’s new “Countering Extremism” initiative. Granted incredible new powers to designate ordinary political opinions and personal beliefs a national security threat, Bishop Garrison has waltzed from seeming obscurity into one of the most powerful posts in Washington.

GAETZ IN THE NEWS

Revolver News — May 19, 2021

Video: Matt Gaetz Just Took Revolver’s Fight Against Bishop Garrison To the Next Level On The House Floor

"Gaetz took to the House floor where he gave a rousing rebuke of Garrison’s anti-American recruitment plan."

CD Media — May 18, 2021

Reps. Gaetz, Biggs, Greene, And Gosar Call On DOJ To Affirm Commitment To Election Integrity In Arizona

"Congressman Matt Gaetz, along with Members Paul Gosar, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Andy Biggs, issued a press release this week asking the Department of Justice to uphold the rule of law and allow the Arizona State Senate to continue their audit into the 2020 presidential election last November."

UPI — May 17, 2021

Republicans outraged after Space Force commander fired for comments on podcast

"Republicans in Congress expressed outrage over the firing of a U.S. Space Force commander whose new book suggests a Marxist agenda in the U.S. military. Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier, commander of 11th Space Warning Squadron at Buckley Air Force Base, Colo., was relieved on Friday by Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting, head of Space Operations Command."

Big League Politics — May 17, 2021

Rep. Matt Gaetz Leads Coalition Demanding Biden Regime to Stop Interfering with Arizona Election Audit

"Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) is leading a coalition along with Reps. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Marjorie Tayor Greene (R-GA) and Andy Biggs (R-AZ) demanding that the ongoing election audit in Arizona must be protected from federal interference. They are up in arms about a letter sent from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to Arizona senate president Karen Fann, threatening her with potential charges if she and the auditors proceeded with their efforts that have been sanctioned under state law. The four lawmakers issued a rebuttal letter noting how federal law enforcement under the Biden regime is echoing the talking points of far-left special interest groups at war with the Bill of Rights and Constitution."

Just The News — May 17, 2021

Gaetz, Greene lead call for Justice Department to affirm commitment to election integrity in Arizona

"Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz joined Monday with fellow GOP House members Marjorie Taylor Green, Paul Gosar and Andy Biggs in calling on the Justice Department of to affirm its commitment to election integrity in Arizona."