Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz is calling out a staffer in Democrat presidential contender Pete Buttigieg’s campaign who wants to see him soaked in urine.
Gaetz was doused with a cold beverage in Pensacola, Florida in June, allegedly by a woman who ran against him in 2016 – Amanda Leigh Kondrat’yev. Kondrat’yey was arrested and charged with battery, WEAR reports.
The stunt follows similar attacks by liberal activists in Great Britain, where a trend of tossing milkshakes has escalated in recent weeks. Now, American activists are copying the concept, though Buttigieg staffer Samantha Lillian Elaine Pollara suggest Sunday that they take it to a whole new, disgusting level.
Hey @PeteButtigieg – this is a reply from a member of your campaign inciting (rather gross) violence against me after someone previously threw a drink on me.
Is this what your campaign stands for? pic.twitter.com/7u1wMaQDtj
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) June 30, 2019
“Please, please let it be urine next time …,” Pollara posted to Twitter, with three crossed fingers emojis.
Gaetz called Pollara out 15 minutes later.
“Hey @PeteButtigieg – this is a reply from a member of your campaign inciting (rather gross) violence against me after someone previously threw a drink on me,” he wrote. “Is this what your campaign stands for?”
Matt Gaetz got milkshaked in Pensacola pic.twitter.com/yqz3bPgjw5
— jordan (@JordanUhl) June 1, 2019
The congressman’s tweet generated thousands of retweets and likes, as well as a personal response from Pollara.
“Samantha gave me a very nice call and apology,” Gaetz said. “That is how reasonable people behave and it’s certainly good enough for me.”
The incident sparked plenty of bickering online.
“Keeping it classy at Buttigieg HQ,” Candace wrote.
“#WellActually ,she DID keep it classy and apologized,” Salty Nymph of Evil wrote. “So there’s that.”
“Classy would have been not to say it in the first place,” PFW interjected. “To apologize AFTER you have been called out is bullshit. So there’s that.”
While Gaetz may forgive and forget the Pollara’s repulsive suggestion, he’s not quite as forgiving of Kondrat’yev. Gaetz told Fox News’ Sean Hannity he opted to press charges against the 35-year-old to send a message about civil discourse.
I had a circumstance just a few weeks ago where someone threw a drink at me leaving a town hall meeting. I am going to press charges. It’s really important to send a message that we as conservatives have a right to our views — just like anybody else. We're not backing down. pic.twitter.com/gCk05s9dWK
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) June 27, 2019
“If there are no consequences, then maybe it is me getting hit with a drink one time, but what if it’s a member of my staff?” he said. “What if (next time), instead of a drink, it’s acid or urine or something else like that?”
“I think it’s real important we send a message that we as conservatives have a right to our views, just like anyone else has a right to their views, and we’re not backing down from anybody,” Gaetz aid. “And people that behave this way should face the consequences before a court.”
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