A number of prominent Republicans who were listed as scheduled speakers were no-shows at the Ohio Political Summit where embattled Florida Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz was scheduled to give the final address, NBC News political reporter Henry Gomez tweeted.
A few hundred people attended the meeting, which was supposed to have speeches by GOP media darlings like Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert, former GOP Senate candidate Jim Renacci and author of “Hillbilly Elegy” JD Vance. None of them appeared for their speaking times.
“I’m being falsely accused of exchanging money for naughty favors,” Gaetz told the crowd, downplaying the accusations that he paid underage girls for sex. “Yet, Congress has reinstituted a process that legalizes the corrupt act of exchanging money for favors, through earmarks.”
Conservative firebrand Candace Owens, speaking before Gaetz, said that she would be happily be Donald Trump’s running mate in 2024, to which Gaetz commented he would like to see Owens as head of the Republican Party.