Republican congressman Matt Gaetz is being investigated by the Florida Bar Association after the House Member made a threatening tweet toward former Donald Trump lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen ahead of his congressional testimony on Wednesday.
In the tweet, that has since been deleted by the Congressman, Gaetz wrote “Hey @MichaelCohen212 – Do your wife & father-in-law know about your girlfriends? Maybe tonight would be a good time for that chat. I wonder if she’ll remain faithful when you’re in prison. She’s about to learn a lot…”
Via The Daily Beast:
The organization, which licenses lawyers to practice in the state, would not disclose details of the investigation, but spokesperson Francine Walker, said the bar is “quite aware of [Gaetz’s] comments…and we have opened an investigation.”
“If rules have been violated, The Florida Bar will vigorously pursue appropriate discipline by the Florida Supreme Court,” Walker said in a statement. “The Florida Bar takes its responsibility of regulating lawyer conduct very seriously.”
Reached by text on Wednesday, Gaetz said he had not “seen anything like that.”
Gaetz, a noted Trump ally further responded by saying that “this is what it looks like to compete in the marketplace of ideas” while later apologizing stating “it was NOT my intent to threaten, as some believe I did.”
If the Florida Bar Association is the only thing Gaetz needs to worry about in terms of investigations into this tweet he may want to consider himself lucky. Other more serious investigations could be initiated into the Florida attorney and congressman given the timing and tone of the tweet which resembles more of a guy working within the mob rather than the legislative branch of government in the United States.
