Matt Gaetz Defiant After Attending Maskless NY Young Republican Gala

Topline

As coronavirus cases surge nationwide, local officials in New Jersey are excoriating the New York Young Republican Club for hosting Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and dozens of other guests at a mask-free indoor party on Thursday — but Gaetz and other guests are standing by the event, which they cast partly as a defiant response to the area’s Covid-19 guidelines.

Key Facts

Crucial Quote

“The restaurant being closed is unfortunate and Democrats in New Jersey have continued with their anti-business and anti-science schtick while the economy continues to decline,” the Young Republican Club told Forbes in an email.

Chiec Critic

Murphy called Gaetz “Matt Putz” in a press conference Friday, and said Gaetz is no longer welcome in his state. When asked for comment, Gaetz’ office referred Forbes to a pair of tweets from the congressman mocking New Jersey.

Key Background

Even before the gala took place, it drew criticism from locals worried about Covid-19. The Young Republican Club chided the notion of cancelling its annual gala, but this skepticism may have extended to the event’s guest list. The Young Republican Club initially chose Sarah Palin to serve as the gala’s keynote speaker, but she backed out due to concerns about traveling from Alaska to New Jersey during the pandemic, forcing the group to bring in Gaetz as a substitute, the New York Times and the Daily Beast reported. Plus, the Young Republican Club chose to host its annual gala in New Jersey, not New York, because of its namesake state’s stringent Covid-19 rules, the group told Forbes. 

Big Number

5,673. That’s the number of new coronavirus infections reported in New Jersey on Thursday, the highest daily case count since the start of the pandemic, according to state data.

Further Reading

Young Republicans Stage Secret Gala, Ignore Virus Concerns (New York Times)