Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz is questioning whether federal prosecutors are applying a double standard by not bringing charges in connection with a graphic threat against him — and suggesting his criticism of the Russia probe might even be a factor.
The conservative Florida congressman told Fox News’ Tucker Carlson on Tuesday that he received a threatening voicemail — but the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California deemed the matter “a non-threat” and would not pursue a case. Carlson noted that the FBI had identified a suspect.
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“I just wonder, is it the fact that I’ve been a critic of some of the senior officials at the FBI that maybe leads to different treatment for the people who threaten me, as opposed to the people who actually get arrested who have threatened Eric Swalwell, you know, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib,” Gaetz said, referring to prominent Democrats. “Those people actually get arrested, whereas when people threaten conservatives, I hope there’s not a double standard.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI and the Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Gaetz shared a recording of the threat, in which a male voice can be heard saying, “Gaetz, you pathetic piece of s—. Do you know that I could blow your f—ing head clean off your shoulders from over a mile away. Watch your back, b—-. You pathetic little piece of s—. You got your head so far up Trump’s ass, I could still take it off your shoulders. F— you Gaetz. I’m coming after you, b—-.”
Late last week, Gaetz said, he was told that the U.S. attorney “made the determination that this was a closed matter, that they would bring no charges, and that we’re just supposed to deal with that.”
According to Gaetz, this was not the only threat he has received, and other messages mentioned his family. He claims this happened after he was the target of a physical attack at a political event.
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“Look, it’s been a crazy few weeks for me, I mean, just a few weeks ago I had a member of Antifa, a stated member of Antifa, assault me at a town hall meeting and get arrested,” he said.
Gaetz said support from his Democratic colleagues has been sparse. He said that while Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., condemned the attack against him, a staff member for 2020 hopeful Pete Buttigieg encouraged people to throw urine on him (the staffer later apologized).
“I wish there would be more bipartisan support for non-violence,” Gaetz said.
Gaetz himself is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for a tweet he directed at President Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen before Cohen was set to appear before Congress.
“Hey, Michael Cohen, do your wife and father-in-law know about your girlfriends? Maybe tonight would be a good night for a chat. I wonder if she’ll remain faithful when you are in prison. She’s about to learn a lot,” Gaetz tweeted.
Gaetz has since apologized to Cohen and publicly stated that he should not have said anything about his family.