Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz revealed Thursday he has helped to raise a 19-year old immigrant from Cuba who he now calls his son. ...
Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz revealed Thursday he has helped to raise a 19-year old immigrant from Cuba who he now calls his son.
Gaetz made the disclosure on Twitter a day after his explosive argument with Demoratic Rep. Cedric Richmond of Louisiana on raising black children.
The Republican told Richmond 'Who the hell do you think you are?', demanding the black Democrat explain if he was insinuating no Republican lawmakers had children who were 'non-white.'
Gaetz later revealed his 'adoptive' son Nestor Galban was 12-years-old when he arrived from Cuba. Gaetz said he was dating Galban's sister and the boy's mother had recently died from cancer when they all moved in together.
He did not formally adopt Nestor but says: 'Our relationship as a family is defined by our love for each other, not by any paperwork.'
The Republican has not previously revealed a son on his congressional bio, where critics on Twitter noted he does identify his dog, Scarlett.
Explaining that decision Gaetz told People: 'You're 12 years old, your mom has just died, you're learning English as you're trying to get your footing in school. It just wasn't the right time in middle school and high school to subject him to politics.
'My friends know I have a son. The people who go to church with me know I have a son, my fellow soccer parents know I have a son.'
Nestor spoke with Tucker Carlson In his first interview Thursday evening. He said Richmond had been 'hypocritical' in his attitude towards his 'dad' Gaetz.
He said: 'I think it's unfair to tell someone that they don't understand... because of their racial color while he is fighting for equality... if you tell someone to not get involved, that he doesn't understand because of the color, then you are being a hypocrite there.'
Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican, revealed Thursday he has a 19-year old 'adoptive' son, Nestor, after getting in an argument with a Democrat over police reform
Gaetz later revealed his 'son' Nestor Galban was 12 years old when he arrived from Cuba
Gaetz said he was dating Galban's sister and the boy's mother had recently died from cancer
The Republican has not previously revealed a son on his congressional bio; the two men are pictured with Donald Trump Jr.
Explaining the timeline of their father/son relationship Gaetz said Nestor lived with him from when he arrived in the US aged 12 for four years. He then lived with his biological father for a year before moving back in with Gaetz after he turned 18.
Nestor says: 'Matt is not my biological father, but he raised me as his own son when I came from Cuba after my mother’s death.'
Gaetz added: 'I've raised him for the last six years, and he is the most remarkable young man.
'I am proud of him, and I am honestly embarrassed of the United States congress that we have resorted to criticizing each other based on our race and the race of our children and I wish that we could be more productive going forward.'
Gaetz, who was elected in 2016, wrote on Twitter Thursday: 'For all those wondering, this is my son Nestor,' and included an image of him and the young man he calls his son.
'We share no blood but he is my life. He came from Cuba (legally, of course) six years ago and lives with me in Florida. I am so proud of him and raising him has been the best, most rewarding thing I've done in my life,' wrote Gaetz.
Gaetz wrote in a later tweet that Nestor just turned 19.
'Nestor turned 19 a few days ago & will be off to University. He arrived here at 12. As you can imagine, I was triggered when (to make an absurd debate point) a fellow congressman diminished the contributions of Republicans because we don't raise non-white kids. Well, I have,' he wrote.
Online critics pointed out Gaetz had previously identified Nestor as a student; others questioned the timing of the news. One Twitter user wrote: 'Matt Gaetz using Nestor to score political points or to show he is not racist is disgusting.'
Gaetz hit back, telling People: 'I haven’t responded to it there and feel no need to respond to it now. My son and I owe no explanation about our family to the blue-checkmark brigade.'
Gaetz said Nestor is 19 and is an immigrant from Cuba revealing his identity on Twitter
In his first interview Thursday evening Nestor, right, told Tucker Carlson, left, Demoratic Rep. Richmond had been 'hypocritical' in his attitude towards his 'dad' Gaetz, center
Gaetz made the disclosure only after his angry confrontation with Richmond at a hearing on the House Democratic police reform bill, and after Richmond made an appeal for actions to address the fears of black men at the hands of police.
Gaetz said he had been dating Galban's sister and the boy's mom had recently died
Nestor responded to Gaetz' tweet writing: 'I love you, keep up the good work, we all support you and love you! Gaetz then responded: 'Love you Nestor!'
Adding further confusion were past images posted by Gaetz that identified Nestor – but not as his son
Gaetz made the disclosure only after his angry confrontation with Richmond at a hearing on the House Democratic police reform bill, and after Richmond made an appeal for actions to address the fears of black men at the hands of police.
'Are you suggesting that you're certain none of us have nonwhite children? Because you reflect on your Black son, and you said none of us could understand,' Gaetz intoned.
Viewers were perplexed because Gaetz had not publicly disclosed children – until now.
Richmond complained that Republicans were introducing amendments as a 'tangent and a distraction.'
'Matt, I am not about to get sidetracked about the color of our children. I reclaim my time!' said Richmond.
Richmond said people on 'the other side [of the aisle] had black grand children,' but tried to refocus the discussion. 'Its about black males, black people getting killed in the streets and if one of them happens to be your kid, I'm concerned about him too, and clearly I'm more concerned about him than you are.'
That prompted Gaetz to start shouting: 'You're claiming you are more concerned about my family than I am,' he said. 'Who in the hell do you think you are?'
'You're claiming you are more concerned about my family than I am,' he said. 'Who in the hell do you think you are?'
Richmond was speaking to his frustration with Republican efforts to include language in the legislation geared towards Antifa
Following Gaetz' public disclosure, Jose Felix Diaz, who works at the politically connected Ballard Partners law and lobby firm, wrote: 'I am seeing so many hateful comments about Matt Gaetz & Nestor.
'When that kid lost his mom, Matt was dating his sister and he stepped up. Plain and simple. He has been an outstanding role model & mentor for Nestor and anyone that served with Matt knows this great kid.'
He posted an image of the three of them at an archery range.
Adding further confusion were past images posted by Gaetz that identified Nestor – but not as his son.
Nestor posted this image with Gaetz, Gaetz's grandmother and grandfather on Instagram in 2018 with the caption 'Grandma's Boys'
'Nestor turned 19 a few days ago & will be off to University', Gaetz, pictured with Nestor, said
One at the state capital in Tallahassee showed Gaetz, Nestor, and another student. 'It was great working with local students Sofia Burleson and Nestor Galban in Tallahassee this last week' Gaetz wrote in March 2016.
'They were fantastic House pages!'
Nestor Galban also posted a picture of himself with Gaetz and Donald Trump Jr. last year on his Facebook page.
He responded to Gaetz' tweet writing: 'I love you, keep up the good work, we all support you and love you!
Gaetz then responded: 'Love you Nestor!'
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