Matt Gaetz Honors Accused Murderer In First Judiciary Committee Meeting

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) kicked off the primary assembly of the Home Judiciary Committee final week by cordially inviting an accused assassin to guide the Pledge of Allegiance.

Underneath its new Republican management, the 118th Congress’ judiciary committee might select to begin every listening to with the pledge ― an modification to the principles put forth by Gaetz, who stated it allowed members to ask “inspirational constituents” to guide it.

The primary honor went to Corey Beekman, a retired Nationwide Guard member accused of killing a person in 2019 whose case has not gone to trial.

Gaetz didn’t point out this side of his visitor’s backstory. Beekman led the pledge in his army gown uniform on Feb. 1.

“It’s my pleasure and distinct honor to introduce to the committee Workers Sgt. Corey Ryan Beekman, an American hero and a constituent of mine residing in Pensacola, Florida,” Gaetz stated within the video still available on C-SPAN. He rolled via Beekman’s life story. Born in Holland, Michigan, Gaetz stated Beekman enlisted within the Michigan Military Nationwide Guard whereas nonetheless in highschool earlier than serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, lastly transferring to Florida to be nearer to household.

Beekman additionally allegedly shot and killed 32-year-old William Buchanan at a house in northern Michigan in April 2019, between his army service and his transfer all the way down to Florida.

A 32-year-old girl, Katlin Buck, was injured within the assault, native information reported. Nonetheless, UpNorthLive noted that Buck’s two kids have been left unhurt.

The pandemic disrupted the initially scheduled date for Beekman’s trial, and fees have been subsequently dropped after Buck refused to testify in opposition to him, the Mason County Press reported.

Beekman was launched in September 2020 from Mason County Jail, the place he had been held since 2019, the outlet stated.

Buchanan’s mom, Denita, told the Mason County Press that she believed her son went to Beekman’s home to assist Buck transfer out, resulting in the taking pictures after which a 90-minute standoff with police.

The Buchanan household instructed a number of information retailers that they have been horrified to listen to about Gaetz honoring Beekman.

“It was like getting a dagger caught in our coronary heart once more,” Denita Buchanan told The Daily Beast.

However Gaetz’s workplace has tried to make issues proper. The Buchanans stated they acquired a U.S. flag that had flown over the Capitol from Gaetz’s workplace, alongside a signed letter from the congressman along with his condolences and an apology, which the household appreciated, The Each day Beast reported.

Gaetz instructed the outlet that Beekman had reached out to his workplace for help and that nobody in his workplace thought to conduct a radical background verify on a veteran in want.

Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole felt it wasn’t an excessive amount of to anticipate a fast web search.

“There are definitely folks rather more deserving to symbolize our army veterans on the U.S. Capitol than Corey Beekman, a assassin,” Cole told the Mason County Press. “I’m disenchanted in Rep. Gaetz’s workplace. A easy Google search would have proven that Mr. Beekman killed a person in rural Mason County.”

The Each day Beast famous that clips of Beekman main the Pledge of Allegiance beforehand posted to YouTube and Twitter by authorities accounts had since been taken down.