Matt Gaetz Promises ‘Appropriate Consequences’ for Wine Attack as Alleged Assailant Faces Felony Charges
Representative Matt Gaetz said that he plans to press charges in the name ‘the safety of Northwest Floridians.’
A Florida woman is facing felony battery charges for allegedly tossing a glass of wine on Congressman Matt Gaetz, who is promising to pursue the case in court in order to preserve “the safety of Northwest Floridians.”
The incident occurred on Saturday at Miramar Beach, Florida, during the South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival, according to a police report obtained by ABC news.
The alleged assailant, Selena Jo Chambers, claims to have tripped and accidentally spilled her wine on Mr. Gaetz, a claim Mr. Gaetz contests.
“Representative Gaetz said Chambers and another female had been walking past him and his family cursing at them,” the police report reads. “He believed both females had recognized him as a United States Representative.”
According to the report, Mr. Gaetz was speaking with another woman when he saw Ms. Chambers swearing loudly at them before thrusting “the container into the air” after which “the beverage from the drink landed on Representative Gaetz and on [Blaine] Odom’s right shoulder.”
According to the report, Mr. Gaetz was speaking to Mr. Odom, who was not identified further, when the wine was allegedly thrown at them. According to Mr. Odom’s statement in the report, “Chambers then walked away yelling and flipping him off.”
In a statement responding to the incident, Mr. Gaetz said that he would “never allow the safety of Northwest Floridians to be compromised.”
“I will be pressing charges against this individual in order to uphold the civility our community deserves,” Mr. Gaetz said. “Thank you to the Walton County Sheriff’s office for taking swift action.”
According to the police, Ms. Chambers will be facing a felony charge for battery on an elected official and a misdemeanor charge for simple battery. Her bond was set at $1,000 and Ms. Chambers was released Sunday morning.
“I want folks to know why we press charges in circumstances like this,” Mr. Gaetz said on his podcast “Firebrand.” “When they really cross the Rubicon beyond just words to throwing stuff and striking me and a gentleman I was speaking to with a drink then that really has caused harm to our community.”
“We’ll make sure that there are appropriate consequences through the legal system because that’s what the safety of our community demands,” Mr. Gaetz said of the wine attack.
