A Florida woman has been charged with two counts of battery after allegedly throwing a drink at the far-right Republican congressman Matt Gaetz. Selena Jo Chambers, 41, was arrested following an incident that took place on Saturday night during the South Walton Beaches Food and Wine Festival.
The Walton County Sheriff stated that Gaetz insisted on pressing charges against Chambers who "crossed the Rubicon beyond just words to throwing stuff." According to witnesses, Chambers cursed at Gaetz before hurling her drink towards him, striking both the congressman and another person nearby. Although she claimed to police that she tripped and accidentally spilled her beverage on Gaetz, testimonies from eyewitnesses contradicted her statement.
In response to this event, Rep. Matt Gaetz said he had been "enjoying catching up with new friends and old" when someone recognized him which led to taking pictures and engaging in polite conversations. It was during one such conversation when Chambers threw a drink on them.
This is not the first time that Mr. Gaetz has faced such an attack; in 2019 Amanda Kondrat’yev received a 15-day prison sentence for throwing a slushie at him during a campaign event in Pensacola. Chambers' misdemeanor charge carries a maximum punishment of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine while battery of an elected official imposes up to four years behind bars as per legal guidelines. Following her arrest by law enforcement officials, she was released upon posting bond worth $1,000. Congressman Matt Gaez expressed his gratitude towards the Walton County Sheriff's office for their “swift action” regarding this matter while emphasizing his decision to prosecute it further as being necessary “to uphold civility our community deserves.”