Hello, Friends

On Monday, I attempted to a deposition of a former administration official, which was being conducted by the Intelligence, Oversight, and Foreign Affairs committees. I was simply there listen because as a member of the House Judiciary Committee, it is my responsibility and duty to the American people to keep track of developments in Impeachment proceedings.

Unfortunately, Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff had me unceremoniously removed from the committee room. I was shocked; to exclude Members of Congress from hearings confirms the American people’s suspicions: this is not a legitimate ‘impeachment inquiry’ it is a charade.

As further confirmation, Democrats recently announced they will not be holding a vote to move forward with impeachment proceedings. Speaker Pelosi doesn’t want to have a vote because she’s running an unfair impeachment.

This faux “proceeding” is damaging our country; meanwhile, Democrats aren’t even willing to put their names to their own flawed impeachment investigation. When will this circus end?

Democrats are presiding over a kangaroo court:

Click to Play!

The American people deserve an open and honest government and I will keep doing everything possible to make these hearings more transparent, open, and fair.

Townhall October 14, 2019

Rep. Gaetz: Schiff Kicked Me Out of Interview With Former Russia Advisor

Fetal Tissue Research

On Wednesday, I sent a letter to the Health and Human Services Secretary, Alex Azar, thanking him for changing the department’s policy regarding funding for research that uses human fetal tissue from elective abortions, for canceling a major contract with the University of California San Francisco, and for ending intramural research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) which uses fetal tissue.

However, despite these welcome steps forward, 200 projects using fetal tissue remain ongoing. The NIH plans to spend $120 million on these projects in FY19. Several of these projects are particularly ghoulish and bizarre, including “transplanting intestines removed from 18-24 week-old aborted fetuses onto the backs of 6 to 8-week-old mice,” “implanting thymus glands from aborted human babies into mice” and implanting “intact reproductive tracts from 9.5 to 22-week-old human fetuses, including from a pair of aborted twins, into mice dosed with synthetic estrogen.”

My letter asks Secretary Azar for further information on these tests, as well as:

A list of currently-funded grants using human fetal tissue that includes the end date for each grant.
A list of who has been chosen to serve on the NIH’s ethics advisory board.
A list of violations of relevant laws, policies, and guidelines by taxpayer-funded researchers over the last 5 years.

68 other Members of Congress co-signed my letter. I’m very glad my colleagues in Congress take these unanswered questions seriously. I am proud to fight for life, and ensure humans are treated with value and dignity at every stage.

Around the District

WEATHER ALERT

A potential tropical cyclone appears to be heading toward our district. My staff is monitoring this very closely. Be vigilant this could quickly develop into a tropical storm.

As always, if you have not yet prepared a tropical storm readiness kit, the best time to prepare is right now. Stock up on essential supplies: non-perishable food, bottled water, flashlights (and batteries), and generators are all useful. Fill your car with gas in advance; if there is an evacuation, traffic is often terribly slow, and many gas stations already are sold out.

Additionally:

Make a plan in advance, including a list of supplies you have, supplies you need to get, and a communications plan. If you have to evacuate, where will you go?
Learn your evacuation routes, and, if you’re getting information online, print out copies if your power’s out and your internet is down, getting that information again will be a challenge. FLDisaster.org, which is run by the Florida Division of Emergency Management, has useful information about preparedness, evacuation routes, and more. Also check out Gulf Power’s “Storm Ready Center.”
Make copies of important documents and back up your electronic data. Survey the exterior of your house, and make sure there is no present damage. The water and wind of a storm can greatly worsen pre-existing damage, causing major structural damage.
Make sure all gates and doors are securely locked, to lessen the chance of the wind ripping them from their hinges.
Unplug electronics and electric devices. If you lose power, when it comes back on, all these devices starting at once can overload your circuits and pose a fire hazard.
Turn your air conditioning down so your house is cold. If you lose power, your house will stay cool longer if it is already cool inside.
Turn down the temperature in your refrigerator and freezer, to keep food from spoiling for a little longer if you lose power.

If an evacuation has been ordered or recommended for your area, evacuate! Evacuation orders are never issued lightly. If the storm is less severe than expected, it’s still better be safe than sorry. Belongings are replaceable; lives are not.

Congressional App Challenge

There’s still time to participate in the Congressional App Challenge! Register today by going to Gaetz.house.gov, or click on the flyer below:

GAETZ IN THE NEWS

Fox News October 15, 2019

Gaetz blasts Schiff for removing him from ‘unfair’ impeachment inquiry hearing

“House Judiciary Committee Member Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., ripped Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., for having him removed Monday from a Trump impeachment inquiry hearing.”

NW Florida Daily News October 17th, 2019

Gaetz sides with Trump in Syrian pullout

“Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., echoed President Donald Trump’s ‘America First’ approach to foreign policy in expressing his opposition to a House resolution expressing opposition to Trump’s decision to remove U.S. troops from northern Syria.”

Breitbart News October 16th, 2019

Republicans Slam Schiff for Running ‘Soviet-Style’ Secret Basement Impeachment Hearings

“On Monday, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), another member of the Judiciary Committee, tried to attend a hearing but was similarly forced to leave.”

Newsmax October 16, 2019

Trump Counters Democrats’ Secretive Impeachment With Transparency

“To make matters worse, the format allowed the Democrats to prevent Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz from sitting in on the interview, even though Gaetz is a member of the House Judiciary Committee that traditionally conducts impeachment hearings.”

Fox News  October 18, 2019

Rep. Gaetz: House Democrats don’t want transparency in impeachment inquiry

“House Democrats want the impeachment inquiry hearings kept secret and leaked as their prerogative because the Russia investigation failed to garner support, House Judiciary Committee member Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., said Tuesday.”

WEAR October 10, 2019

Rep. Gaetz: Rebuilding Tyndall Air Force Base Top Priority

“‘From the federal government standpoint, the most important thing is to rebuild Tyndall Air Force Base,’ said Gaetz.”