According to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, a woman was arrested Saturday after she threw a glass of wine at Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida.
Walton County Sheriff’s Office confirmed in a Facebook post that they had responded to an incident at a Miramar Beach Event involving Representative Matt Gaetz. Selena Chambers, a Tallahassee resident (41), was arrested after responding deputies discovered that she intentionally threw a glass of wine at Rep. Gaetz after yelling profanities. She was given a $1,000 bond and released the following day.
The Pensacola News Journal reported that the woman had been accused of misdemeanor assault and battery against a public official, which is a criminal offense in the Sunshine State.
Gaetz said that he and his wife were at the South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival when the incident occurred. Gaetz stated that a woman threw a drink in the direction of him and another male with whom he had been speaking.
Gaetz intends on filing charges. He noted that people have the right to voice their opinion and even criticize public figures. “But if we start allowing stuff to be thrown or hurled, if we allow people to be harmed, there is a severe risk of escalation,” he warned.
BREAKING: Tallahassee Woman Arrested and Charged with Assaulting Congressman Matt Gaetz on Saturday Evening, Gaetz Issues Statement in Response
“I will never allow the safety of Northwest Floridians to be compromised. I will be pressing charges against this individual in order… pic.twitter.com/lXccJypznU
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) May 2, 2023
CNN reported citing a report from the police that Chambers claimed to have “been walked and tripped when she spilled wine on Representative Gaetz.”
“Blaine Odom said he was speaking with Representative Gaetz and saw Selena Chambers swearing loudly at them. Chambers was carrying a drink in her right hand. Chambers thrust the container into the air and the beverage from the drink landed on Representative Gaetz and on Odom’s right shoulder,” the police report states, according to ABC News. “Chambers then walked away yelling and flipping him off. Odom said he observed the drink land on Representative Gaetz and also on him. Odom said his clothing was soaked from the drink Chambers threw on him. Odom said he wanted to press charges against Chambers.”
According to Associated Press Matthew A. Karp is a defense lawyer who claimed that the initial investigation showed Rep. Gaetz both as an aggressor and an agitator. We await his deposition. Karp continued, “My Selena Chambers maintains that she is innocent and we will vigorously fight against the allegations of Rep. Gaetz. ”
“I won’t compromise the safety and security of Northwest Floridians.” “To maintain the civility our community deserves, I will press charges against that person,” Gaetz said in a statement.
