Update: Shortly after the publication of this story, the Florida Bar’s website did a 180 and listed Gaetz as a member in good standing and eligible to practice law.
Gaetz himself tweeted a letter confirming that status.
Thank you Florida Bar! pic.twitter.com/FYrbsYqQcT
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) October 22, 2021
“Thank you Florida Bar,” he said.
The original story appears below.
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Social media was abuzz on Friday morning as it was reported that Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz (R) was no longer eligible to practice law in the Sunshine State because he was “delinquent” on his Florida Bar fees. In layman’s terms, Rep. Gaetz did not pay his bar dues and was, therefore, no longer eligible to practice law.
Rep. Gaetz’s communications director Joel Valdez reportedly confirmed to the Daily Beast that the congressman has other priorities right now.
“Congressman Gaetz is no longer actively engaged in the practice of law. He is focused on representing his constituents in Congress, not the courtroom,” Valdez reportedly said. Law&Crime attempted to reach Valdez by email and we will update this story if we receive a response.
Gaetz had weathered several squalls regarding his law license, most famously after he tweeted at former Trump fixer Michael Cohen on the eve of Cohen’s scheduled congressional testimony in February 2019.
“Do your wife [and] father-in-law know about your girlfriends?” Gaetz asked. “Maybe tonight would be a good time for that chat. I wonder if she’ll remain faithful to you in prison. She’s about to learn a lot.”
After the backlash, Gaetz famously sought the advice of Sean Hannity.
“Fuckers are coming for my law license,” Gaetz iMessaged the Fox News host. “You were right. We all spend our time in the barrel.”
“Run this shit by me!!! You won’t lose the license,” Hannity replied.
More recently, Gaetz has been dogged by further congressional investigation of the lead-up to Jan. 6 and his alleged connection to the ongoing Joel Greenberg sex trafficking investigation.
Gaetz earned his JD from William & Mary Law School in 2007 and was admitted to the Florida Bar on Feb. 6, 2008.
[Image Joe Raedle/Getty Images]
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