Gaetz apologizes to colleague, ‘anyone else who felt targeted’ by fundraising email

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) apologized for a fundraising email that prompted a fiery response from fellow Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) on Tuesday.

“This email was sent by a vendor without my team’s approval,” Gaetz said in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “It should not have been sent. I sincerely apologize to Mike Lawler and anyone else who felt targeted by this [ill]-conceived email message.

“I will make changes to ensure this does not happen again,” he continued. “I intend to heed Speaker-Designate Jordan’s call to not attack fellow Republicans as we work through this.”

Gaetz’s apology came in response to Lawler calling him out on X over an apparent screenshot of a fundraising email taking aim at “RINOs” — or Republicans in name only — who it claims are “working” with left-wing House members to prevent Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) from becoming the next Speaker. 

“Does someone want to tell Matt Gaetz that he worked with RADICAL DEMOCRATS like @AOC @IlhanMN and @RashidaTlaib to remove @SpeakerMcCarthy, a REPUBLICAN SPEAKER,” Lawler wrote Tuesday.

The New York Republican voted against Jordan as Speaker on Tuesday — one of 20 House Republicans to do so. 

Earlier this month, eight House Republicans voted to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from the top role. The push, led by Gaetz, drew the ire of some of his fellow Republicans.

“You all know Matt Gaetz,” McCarthy said in the wake of his ouster. “You know it was personal. It had nothing to do about spending; it had nothing to do about everything he accused somebody of he was doing. It all was about getting attention from you.”

“I mean, we’re getting email fundraisers from him as he’s doing it. ‘Join in quickly,’” McCarthy continued, referring to Gaetz fundraising off his motion to vacate the Speakership. “That’s not governing. That’s not becoming of a member of Congress. And regardless of what you think, I’ve seen the text, it was all about his ethics, but that’s all right.”

The Hill has reached out to Gaetz’s office for comment.