Busted: Matt Gaetz is courting the corporate megadonors he 'has made a career of bashing'

Allies of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-California) are furious with far-right Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) for the role he played in ousting him as House speaker. But for Gaetz, creating chaos in Congress is a badge of honor.

Gaetz thrives on his image as an irreverent MAGA agitator who thoroughly rejects the Republican Party establishment. The congressman claims to be totally grass roots in his approach, thriving on small donations.

But the Daily Beast's Roger Sollenberger, in an article published on October 5, reports that a video shows Gaetz courting the type of corporate megadonors he pretends to disdain.

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"As much as Gaetz postures that he's raising small dollars from working Americans," Sollenberger explains, "he also has other donors in mind. Last month, as Gaetz and his faction of right-wing anti-institutionalists were plunging the government headlong towards a shutdown, he leveraged the moment to hold an invitation-only joint fundraising event with a select group of big conservative donors, some of whom have engaged in the exact type of swampy, 'pay-to-play' politics that Gaetz has made a career of bashing."

That event, according to Sollenberger, was held on September 26, hosted by "War Room" creator Steve Bannon and coordinated by MAGA insider Caroline Wren.

"The choice to enlist Wren shows that Gaetz is not at all simply focused on appealing to everyday grassroots donors," Sollenberger reports. "A prodigious MAGA fundraiser — her megadonor solicitations ahead of the January 6, (2021) rally landed her an interview with congressional investigators. Wren works as a hired gun for candidates and causes who want to tap her deep network of ultra-wealthy conservatives eager to trade their money for influence and status. Her involvement suggests that Gaetz might have a larger, more sustainable insurgent project in mind."

READ MORE:Historic first: McCarthy ousted as Speaker as GOP vows vengeance against Matt Gaetz

The Daily Beast's full report is available at this link (subscription required).