What is Matt Gaetz's net worth and Salary?
Matt Gaetz is an American lawyer and politician who has a net worth of $700 thousand. Matt Gaetz was elected to Congress in 2016 to serve Florida's 1st district. He began serving in January 2017. In Congress, Gaetz became known for his strong support of Donald Trump and conservative positions. He gained national attention for his confrontational style and media presence. Notable moments included storming a closed-door impeachment hearing in 2019 and becoming a prominent voice questioning the 2020 election results.
In October 2023, Gaetz led the effort to remove Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker – the first successful ouster of a Speaker in U.S. history. He's been involved in various controversies throughout his career, including investigations into potential misconduct, though he has denied any wrongdoing.
In November 2024, President-elect Donald Trump selected Matt Gaetz to be his Attorney General of the United States.
Financial Disclosures
In 2010, Matt reported his net worth to be more than $1 million, although he only earned $29 thousand that year. In 2016, his personal financial disclosure showed Matt had a net worth of a little under $500,000. He has not released a financial disclosure since 2016.
Early Life
Matt Gaetz was born in Hollywood, Florida, on May 7, 1982. His mother, Vicky, worked as a pharmacist for over two decades. His father, Don Gaetz, is a former politician and former healthcare executive. Matt's paternal grandfather, Jerry Gaetz, was a North Dakota politician who infamously died of a heart attack live on television at the 1964 Republican National Convention. Matt's father, Don, was 16 years old at the time and tragically saw his father die live on TV.
In the early 1980s, Don successfully lobbied Congress to pass the Hospice Care Reimbursement Act. This act made hospice costs covered by Medicare. A year after the law was passed, Don and some partners converted what had been a nonprofit hospice care company run by a religious organization into a for-profit entity called VITAS Healthcare.
In 2004, VITAS was acquired by a company called Chemed for $400 million. Today, Chemed generates around $2 billion per year in revenue thanks to its two primary assets: VITAS and Roto-Rooter. According to a financial report filed when he was a state Senator, the VITAS sale left Don Gaetz with a net worth of $25 million.
Matt Gaetz graduated from Florida State University in 2003 and then earned his JD from the College of William & Mary.
After graduating from William & Mary, Matt worked for a law firm in Fort Walton Beach.
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Truman Show House
In 1991, Matt's parents paid $125,000 for a home in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. In 1998, their home became famous after it was used in the film "The Truman Show" as the home of Jim Carrey's character Truman Burbank. Matt would have been around 15 when filming occurred.
So Matt Gaetz not only grew up in "The Truman Show" neighborhood, he literally grew up in the Truman's home.
In the movie, the home's address number was 36, which Don and Vicky kept fixed above the front door and kept a sign outside the gate that said "The Truman House."
Political Career
Matt Gaetz served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 4th district from April 2010 to November 2016. He began serving as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 1st district in January 2017. His district covers much of the Florida Panhandle, including Pensacola and his home of Fort Walton Beach. After law school, he worked for a law firm in his hometown.
Matt Gaetz has been described as an enthusiastic supporter of President Trump.
Drunk Driving Arrest and Other Citations
In 2008, Gaetz was arrested for driving under the influence while returning from a nightclub on Okaloosa Island, Florida. He reportedly denied drinking at first, then reportedly failed two field sobriety tests. The charges were ultimately dropped.
According to The Scripps Florida Investigative Team, between 1999 and 2014, Gaetz received 16 speeding tickets in Florida.
Personal Life
In December 2020, Gaetz became engaged to Ginger Luckey. Ginger's brother, Palmer Luckey founded the company Oculus VR, which was acquired by Facebook in 2014 for $2 billion.
