Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz told Fox News he let his adopted son Nestor go on spring break to COVID hots

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Business Insider

Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz told Fox News he let his adopted son Nestor go on spring break to COVID hotspot Panama CIty
Cheryl Teh 44 minutes ago

Florida lawmaker Matt Gaetz said that he had allowed his adopted son Nestor Galban to go on spring break on Panama City Beach to make up for not being allowed to go to prom or having a "real graduation."

Speaking to Fox News, Gaetz said: "My son is a college freshman. He had no real graduation, no prom, and I struggled with whether or not to allow him to enjoy spring break at Panama City beach."

"I allowed him to have an abbreviated one," Gaetz added.

"I did not have a good night's rest the entire time he was there until I knew he was safe, OK, and back at school."

Panama City is struggling with one of the US's most severe COVID outbreaks, according to WFSU Public Media, with the area's COVID cases being the sixth highest in the nation.





Read more: https://www.businessinsider.com/matt-gaetz-told-fox-news-he-let-his-adopted-son-go-on-spring-break-2021-3

[Mike Nelson]

1. Well...

... recalling college spring breaks... I assume COVID is sexually transmitted.

[JI7]

2. This grown ass "son" has a father that he even use to live with

[Judi Lynn]

4. Found a photo of Matt and Donald Trump, Jr. with Matt Gaetz's "Sonny Boy."

Does he still bounce him on his knee?

Would he have adopted him if he looked like a Republican?

[JohnnyRingo]

24. "You're not my dad"

"...I'm 19 years old, and you can't stop me."

Nestor probably told Gaetz he was going and that was it.

[SunSeeker]

3. Nestor may be a Freshman in college, but he is a grown man, not a minor...

And I doubt Nestor would continue letting Gaetz call him his "son" if Gaetz put too many restrictions on him. So I'm guessing Gaetz didn't have much choice but to "let" Nestor do what he wants.

Link to tweet

[pnwmom]

5. Except he was never actually adopted, so why is the media going along with that story? nt

[NurseJackie]

6. In my immediate and extended family we have two children and one adult who were adopted...

... and except when "adoption" is the topic, we NEVER differentiate and label ANY of them as being an "adopted son" or an "adopted daughter". Nobody ever said: "This is my son John, and my adopted-daughter Jane."

Are we abnormal? Is it now trendy to make that distinction?

Why would he do that as often as he does? Does his "adopted son" call him "Daddy"? Is he really (legally) adopted? Or is this just a socially-acceptable cover story for some other relationship? Or maybe it's intended to keep people from jumping to the wrong conclusion about their relationship. I don't know.

What I do know, however, is this: it's bizarre.

[Roy Rolling]

7. Same Here

It’s just weird. Creepy weird.

[NurseJackie]

8. Yes! "Creepy" is a good way to describe it. --- Something's up.

It's fishy. I'm afraid I can't take him at his word. I know it's a big world with many different family dynamics... but this is certainly not a "father-son" relationship that resembles any I've seen before.

The continual references to "adopted son" raises eyebrows more than just admitting he's some sort of protégé.

A protégé is a person who receives special protection and promotion from someone more established in a field. If your boss introduces you as his newest protégé, you're off to a good start in your career.

Essentially, a protégé is a teacher’s pet, someone who is given special status or favors. Often, the word is used for someone who has special standout talent and is taken up as an upcoming star or powerhouse. The word’s original associations, however, have nothing to do with talent and everything to do with how a person treats the protégé — the source of the word means “protection.”

[riversedge]

26. agree.

[thesquanderer]

9. AFAIK, he did not refer to him as adopted here...

...though the headline writer at Business Insider did.

[JI7]

11. But he actually isn't adopted at all. His father is still living and he use to live with him

the whole Gaetz and "son" thing is bs .

[thesquanderer]

16. Lots of adopted kids have biological parents who are still alive.

Adopted doesn't mean they were orphaned.

[JI7]

19. Yes, but in this case he actually isn't adopted

[mopinko]

15. when a single man has a kid, you sorta would qualify it.

a couple, not so much.
since it isnt a legal adoption, tho, they should put the word in quotes.

i agree the whole thing smells funny, tho.

[IronLionZion]

20. Republicans will always let you know

Matt Gaetz is a weird dude and likes saying he has an adopted Latino son. Amy Coney Barrett loves pointing out her adopted kids are black.

[ananda]

21. Maybe Nestor is a cover for something else.

Gaetz is clearly outside the norm on something
he wants to keep secret.

[shrike3]

28. I've heard this done many times. People will refer to "so-and-so's adopted son." Nothing new.

When George Burns died, his news obituary said that his adopted son was at his side. Rosie O'Donnell, whom I don't care for, said something I actually agreed with. She said, "When does he get to stop being the adopted son?"

I make no speculation as to the relationship between Gaetz and Nestor.

[stevil]

29. Yup

It's a non-issue unless it's brought up and my family (I'm adopted) is very protective of me. This is not normal.

[mahina]

35. Do you know what else is weird? Saying that he's your life.

I can’t imagine saying that about my kids. It’s just weird

[NurseJackie]

36. You are correct. My little gray cells tell me things are not all that they appear to be.

[thesquanderer]

10. More evidence that Gaetz still doesn't understand covid...

"I did not have a good night's rest the entire time he was there until I knew he was safe, OK, and back at school."

How about, not feeling at ease until two weeks AFTER he was back? Incubation period can be 2 to 14 days before showing symptoms.

[Evolve Dammit]

13. He's not bright enough to figure that out

[catbyte]

12. I just can't help thinking the anuerysm that fox/oann/newsmax would be having if Joe Biden had

"adopted" a grown-ass man like that. They would've gone into overdrive with the innuendos, etc.

[Evolve Dammit]

14. seriously

[woodsprite]

17. Yeah, they'd be saying he was more like Falwell's 'pool boy'. nt

[dalton99a]

18. +1

[robertpaulsen]

32. It's OK when cons do it. Like when Ted Nugent "adopted" a 17 year old girl.

Reich-wing media doesn't bat an eyelash at that.

[AllaN01Bear]

22. feels creepy.

[ancianita]

23. Gaetz is officially a creep.

What a creepy story.

If this is the mental capacity of newer Repubs in Washington, we should have an easy campaign in 2022 of showing it to voters, with the message that their district needs much smarter people in DC in the future, and to vote accordingly.

[keithbvadu2]

25. 'Secret son' for several years.

'Secret son' for several years.

What was there to hide?

[NurseJackie]

30. Fascinating... thanks for the background info. (It's all very fishy.)

[BradAllison]

31. I believe he claimed it was his ex girlfriend's brother at one point

Around the time this first came up.

[NathanJenkins]

33. Free Nestor!

The nestor thing by Gaetz takes creepy to a level rarely seen.

Still, it must be said; "Free Nestor!"

[mahina]

34. How would that headline read if it was changed to is not adopted and nonbiological son

?

[NurseJackie]

37. It's creepy from any angle one chooses to look at it...

... something ain't right. Why this pretense? The whole thing seems fishy to me.