The Strange Friendship That May Bring Down Matt Gaetz

Rep. Matt Gaetz is in the midst of one of the ugliest falls from political grace in decades. But, on a smaller and less public scale, Gaetz’s plummet largely mirrors one of his closest allies—the man who may have kickstarted his downfall: Joel Greenberg.

Gaetz, the Florida Republican, and Greenberg are friends. Until recently, both were wealthy players in the new Trumpist wave washing over the Florida GOP. Both were sons of successful fathers who made their names known across the state. Both hung out in the same circles, championed the same libertarian causes, and latched themselves onto the same Florida GOP icons, like Gov. Ron DeSantis and political operative Roger Stone.