At CPAC, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz calls for abolishing FBI, CDC, other federal agencies
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Conservative Firebrand Rep. Matt Gaetz is calling for the abolishment of federal law enforcement agencies - including the FBI, the Department of Justice, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - if they don't change ways that have offended Republicans.
Speaking Friday at CPAC, an annual meeting of conservative activists, the Florida Republican slammed Washington as a "deeply corrupt place" that has resulted in "the weaponization of this government."
"Seems like every time I turn around, they engage in surveillance or list building or monitoring," he told the audience attending the conference at National Harbor, Maryland.
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"I don’t care if it takes every second of our time and every ounce of our energy," he said. "We either get this government back on our side or we defund and get rid of, abolish the FBI, the CDC, ATF, DOJ, every last one of them if they do not come to heel.”
The CDC is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The audience, made up of far-right activists, loudly applauded Gaetz's condemnation, nearly drowning him out.
Gaetz, who serves on the House Judiciary Committee's weaponization subcommittee, made his threat while discussing efforts by a Republican congressional committee to target federal law enforcement. Democrats and others say the committee is a political attack on the Justice Department because of its investigations of former President Donald Trump.
Gaetz had been under a Justice Department sex trafficking investigation. But last month, the Justice Department formally decided not to charge Gaetz in connection to the investigation.
"I think vindication looks good on me!" Gaetz said at CPAC. The crowd roared in approval before Gaetz continued. "But there is no time to celebrate."
Who is at CPAC:Donald Trump and Nikki Haley will be there; Ron DeSantis and Mike Pence won't
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: CPAC 2023: Matt Gaetz says 'abolish' the FBI, DOJ, CDC
