- Reps. Gaetz and Miller are brawling online over respective allegations they've mistreated women.
- It began after Miller said Gaetz had "mommy and daddy issues to work out."
- Miller was accused of physical abuse, while Gaetz is facing a sex-trafficking probe.
Who's been accused of more grave crimes against women?
That's the question now seemingly on the minds of Republican Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida and Max Miller of Ohio, who went back and forth with one another on social media over the weekend after Miller lobbed an insult at Gaetz via a CNN article.
"He wants more chaos. He has mommy and daddy issues to work out," Miller told the outlet, referring to Gaetz. CNN reported that Miller helped convince former President Donald Trump to endorse a congressman who Gaetz is trying to run out of office via a GOP primary challenger.
That prompted Gaetz to fire back, drudging up old claims that Miller, a former Trump administration official, physically abused former White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham when the two were in a relationship.
Miller has strongly denied the allegations, which surfaced in 2021 as he was running for Congress. He even filed a defamation lawsuit against Grisham that he dropped in August 2023.
.@RepMaxMiller says I have “mommy issues”
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) February 25, 2024
Does this seem like projection considering Max was accused of physically abusing his (much older) ex girlfriend? https://t.co/cVQYZPfwOa pic.twitter.com/3LDfK7Ptps
Meanwhile, Gaetz has faced multiple investigations over claims that he engaged in child sex trafficking by having sex with a 17-year-old girl after transporting her across state lines — allegations he has also denied.
The Department of Justice has dropped its investigation into Gaetz, but the House Ethics Committee has continued to look into the matter — a fact that former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has blamed for Gaetz's decision to force his ouster in October.
Without acknowledging the abuse allegations, Miller fired back, linking to a story about the ongoing House Ethics probe.
Do you really want to talk about age appropriate relationships @mattgaetz?
— Max Miller (@MaxMillerOH) February 25, 2024
Let’s ask your ex “girlfriend” what she thinks.https://t.co/yF7cBglhGR
Gaetz later retorted: "Is it these types of anger issues that made you physically abusive to women?
The two men, while both associated with Trump, have long been publicly disdainful of one another — primarily over their disagreements about McCarthy.
Miller, a McCarthy ally, said that Gaetz was being "self-serving" by pushing out fundraising appeals as he led the initial opposition to McCarthy's speakership bid in January 2023.
After the former speaker's ouster 9 months later, Miller's frustration with Gaetz has only become more intense, with the Ohio congressman suggesting in an October interview that Gaetz should face an expulsion vote.