Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida eloped to Southern California and married his girlfriend Ginger Luckey in a small ceremony on Catalina Island on Saturday.
The wedding was announced on his personal Twitter page by the controversial 39-year-old Republican, who is currently under investigation for sex trafficking. He posted a photo of them together — he in a sport coat, she in a white dress — and exclaimed, “I love my wife!”
Sergio Gor, a former staffer for Sen. Rand Paul, performed the ceremony, which was attended by about 40 people, according to Vanity Fair. The couple had previously stated that they would tie the knot next year.
Luckey also announced their marriage on Twitter, captioning a photo from the ceremony with the hashtag #GaetzGetsLuckey.
On Thursday, Gaetz was in Iowa with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, speaking at a rally as part of a national tour in which they falsely claim President Donald Trump’s 2020 election was stolen and downplay the COVID-19 pandemic.
Luckey, 26, is from Southern California and works for a firm that specializes in extending the life of plant-based products.
Rasheem Kassam and Natalie Winters, as well as a few political figures, were among those who attended, according to the magazine.
Palmer Luckey and his partner, Nicole, as well as Gaetz’s adopted son, Nestor Galban, were among the guests at the ceremony.
Gaetz served as chef at a cook-out reception following the ceremony, serving BBQ chicken legs, grilled vegetables, and a watermelon salad. Gol, who presided over the event, also served as the DJ. Gaetz had just returned from a congressional tour in the Midwest when the couple decided to elope.
Gaetz is being investigated as part of an investigation that led to the arrest and plea deal of his close friend Joel Greenberg, a former tax collector in Seminole County, Florida.
Greenberg admitted to six federal charges in May, including child sex trafficking, identity theft, stalking, wire fraud, and conspiracy to bribe a public official. Prosecutors have asked him to continue cooperating with their investigation into sex trafficking.
Greenberg’s plea agreement made no mention of Gaetz, who represents much of the Florida Panhandle. Greenberg’s cooperation, on the other hand, could help the investigation into Gaetz’s alleged pay-for-sex relationship with a 17-year-old girl. He has categorically denied any wrongdoing.
