Aug 13, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Rep. Matt Gaetz says he's "proud" to be in corner of QAnon candidate

Jacob Knutson

Rep. Matt Gaetz speaking in July. Photo: Graeme Jennings-Pool/Getty Images

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) tweeted Thursday that he's "proud" to be in the corner of Republican congressional candidate Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is a vocal supporter of the far-right QAnon conspiracy theory.

Why it matters: Greene, who has also made offensive remarks about Black people, Jews and Muslims in Facebook videos, has created a headache for GOP leadership after winning a runoff election for the Republican nomination in Georgia's deep-red 14th congressional district on Tuesday.

House Republican leaders initially condemned Greene's racist comments and supported her opponent John Cowan, who ultimately lost. A spokesperson for House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy told Politico that Greene will be welcomed into the House GOP conference if she wins in November.
President Trump on Wednesday congratulated Greene on her win and called her "a real WINNER!" Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), meanwhile, condemned QAnon and said that fringe conspiracy theories have "no place in Congress."

What he's saying: "Music to my ears. Proud to be in your corner, Marjorie!" Gaetz tweeted, sharing one of Greene's tweets in which she claims that she is only being attacked for opposing open borders and nation building.

The big picture: The QAnon conspiracy baselessly claims that a secret cabal of sex traffickers within the "deep state" is waging a war against President Trump. The FBI has identified these types of fringe conspiracy theories as potential domestic terrorist threats in 2019, according to Yahoo News.

Go deeper: Read more about QAnon's 2020 resurgence

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Rep. Matt Gaetz says he's "proud" to be in corner of QAnon candidate

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