To pee or not to pee: Pete Buttigieg staffer apologizes to Matt Gaetz after ‘urine’ remark

matt-gaetz (1)
"It’s certainly good enough for me," Gaetz said of the apology.

Samantha Pollara, the Florida Investment Director for Democrat Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign, has apologized after she directed a scatological remark at Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz.

At a recent town hall event in Pensacola, a woman reportedly tossed a partly-filled beverage cup at Gaetz.

According to a screenshot from Facebook, Pollara commented about the story by saying of the liquid, “Please, please let it be urine next time.”

Gaetz, who represents Florida’s 1st Congressional District, has since said Pollara apologized. But when the comment first surfaced, Gaetz didn’t let it go quietly.

“Hey ⁦⁩ — this is a reply from a member of your campaign inciting (rather gross) violence against me after someone previously threw a drink on me,” Gaetz said, while posting a screenshot of Pollara’s remark.

“Is this what your campaign stands for?” Gaetz asked.

So far, Buttigieg’s campaign has not offered a comment on Pollara’s post. But Gaetz took to Twitter late Sunday night to say he and Pollara have mended fences.

“Samantha gave me a very nice call and apology,” Gaetz said. “That is how reasonable people behave and it’s certainly good enough for me.”

Pollara has extensive experience in the Florida political scene, doing work in the 2018 cycle for now-Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and Attorney General candidate Sean Shaw.

Most recently, Pollara worked as the finance director on Jane Castor’s successful bid for Tampa Mayor.

While Gaetz has said he’s ready to move on from Pollara’s comments following her apology, that’s not the case for the woman who allegedly threw the drink at Gaetz in early June.

Gaetz has said he would pursue charges against the woman, Amanda Kondrat’yev.

“If there are no consequences, then maybe it is me getting hit with a drink one time, but what if it’s a member of my staff?” Gaetz asked on an appearance with Sean Hannity of Fox News.

“What if (next time), instead of a drink, it’s acid or urine or something else like that?”

Kondrat’yev is a political activist who filed to run against Gaetz in Florida’s 1st Congressional District, but eventually withdrew.

Ryan Nicol

Ryan Nicol covers news out of South Florida for Florida Politics. Ryan is a native Floridian who attended undergrad at Nova Southeastern University before moving on to law school at Florida State. After graduating with a law degree he moved into the news industry, working in TV News as a writer and producer, along with some freelance writing work. If you'd like to contact him, send an email to [email protected].


2 comments

  • gary

    July 1, 2019 at 2:47 pm

    Democrats a gross people.

  • Rusty Jenkins

    July 2, 2019 at 7:57 am

    Rep. Ben Diamonds sister. This group is the most incestul bunch of nepotistic jerks in our party! She should be fired!

Comments are closed.


#FlaPol

Florida Politics is a statewide, new media platform covering campaigns, elections, government, policy, and lobbying in Florida. This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media.

Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL

Contributors & reporters: Phil Ammann, Drew Dixon, Roseanne Dunkelberger, A.G. Gancarski, Anne Geggis, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, Cole Pepper, Gray Rohrer, Jesse Scheckner, Christine Sexton, Drew Wilson, and Mike Wright.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @PeterSchorschFL
Phone: (727) 642-3162
Address: 204 37th Avenue North #182
St. Petersburg, Florida 33704




Sign up for Sunburn


Categories