Matt Gaetz Tells Supporters They Have an “Obligation” to Use Second Amendment

Brian Cahn/ZUMA

Let our journalists help you make sense of the noise: Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily newsletter and get a recap of news that matters.The walls appear to be increasingly closing in on Matt Gaetz, the Florida Republican reportedly under investigation for possibly having sex with a minor, with two key witnesses—his former confidante Joel Greenberg who last week pleaded guilty to sex trafficking a minor and ex-girlfriend—now said to be cooperating with the feds. But while most would keep a low profile under such a legally dangerous scenario, Gaetz, a professional troll and perhaps the Trumpiest member of Congress, continues to run in the opposite direction of reason.
During a stop on his “America First” tour with Marjorie Taylor Greene Thursday, Gaetz told a crowd of supporters that he believes Americans have “an obligation to use” the Second Amendment, particularly in the fight against so-called “cancel culture” in Silicon Valley.
“The internet’s hall monitors out in Silicon Valley, they think they can suppress us, discourage us,” Gaetz told attendees at a rally in Dalton, Georgia. “Well, you know what? Silicon Valley can’t cancel this movement, or this rally, or this congressman. We have the Second Amendment in this country and I think we have an obligation to use it.” He went on to suggest that the Second Amendment intended for people to have the ability to form an “armed rebellion against the government” when necessary. 
As Gaetz railed against cancel culture, a Democratic candidate for Congress tweeted that he had been kicked out of the event after being deemed a “threat.”

Matt Gaetz says the 2nd amendment is about “maintaining within the citizenry the ability to maintain an armed rebellion against the government” pic.twitter.com/MNATrjBrhr
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 27, 2021

Gaetz’s inflammatory remarks on gun rights and armed rebellion come nearly five months after the January 6 Capitol insurrection, as well as current Republican efforts, led by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, to squash bipartisan hopes for a commission into the deadly riot. Combine that with the steady embrace of Trump’s lies about the election, and you’ve got a pretty good snapshot of where the party is at these days.
As for Gaetz, his latest outburst should gel well with his apparent ambitions to run for president in 2024, should his idol decline.