Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) speaks during the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in March 2023 in National Harbor, Maryland. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
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A new political action committee with a name that evokes a certain combative Florida politician’s brand surfaced last week, though its origins remain unclear.
Florida Firebrand PAC registered with the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday, revealing few details. But what is known suggests a link to Matt Gaetz, the former Republican congressman known for his staunch support of Donald Trump. Gaetz, who has faced allegations of sexual misconduct for years—claims that he denies—recently stepped back from consideration for Trump’s attorney general amid renewed scrutiny. He resigned from Congress just days before the House Ethics Committee was scheduled to vote on releasing its report on the allegations.
The PAC’s branding aligns closely with Gaetz’s public persona. A lifelong Floridian, he has repeatedly embraced the “firebrand” label, including titling his memoir Firebrand: Dispatches from the Front Lines of the MAGA Revolution and hosting a podcast called Firebrand with Matt Gaetz.
The new filing contains other hints that point to Gaetz. Florida Firebrand PAC lists CFS (Campaign Financial Services) as its custodian of record and Steven Martin as treasurer—both of whom also serve those roles for Gaetz’s campaign committee. Additionally, both entities maintain accounts at the same Wells Fargo branch in Bethesda, Maryland.
Yet, these connections are not conclusive. Martin is treasurer for 230 campaigns and CFS received thousands of payments from political committees over the past two years, according to FEC records.
So far, Florida Firebrand PAC has no visible presence beyond its FEC registration. The committee is required to file its first financial disclosures by Jan. 31, potentially shedding light on its contributors, spending and objectives.
The PAC’s formation coincides with speculation over Gaetz’s political future. Two weeks prior, he responded to a Florida state representative’s suggestion that he run for governor by posting a photo of the state flag on social media. If Gaetz is behind the PAC, a campaign-finance expert notes that it could support a state-level campaign indirectly.
“He could use it to make contributions to federal, state and local elected officials in Florida and to pay for travel around the state,” says Brett Kappel, an attorney at the law firm Harmon Curran. “Once he becomes a formal candidate for governor, his campaign committee would have to pay for those costs.”
Gaetz and Martin did not respond to inquiries.
