Last Straw:They hired Matt Gaetz after ethics investigators found he paid a 17-year-old for sex

The record

• Regan confirmed the KCRCC paid Gaetz $20,000 to be the keynote speaker.¹
• The Spokesman-Review reported a subcommittee of about eight people chose Gaetz and the full committee never voted. Regan wrote that the committee voted by show of hands on a list of four possible speakers.¹²
• Regan wrote in December 2025: "Matt Gaetz is innocent until proven otherwise," and that "the alleged underage prostitute dropped her civil suit because there was no evidence or testimony to support her claims."³
• In the same column he wrote: "We don't know the full truth because we don't have all the facts."³
• In February 2026 he wrote that anyone who doesn't want you to hear both sides is "trying to prevent you from hearing the truth because their position is, in fact, a lie."²
• Regan on the Ethics Committee report: "I didn't have a good reason to read the report."⁴
• When a precinct committeeman moved to reconsider, Regan's allies blocked it without discussion.⁴
• A 17-year-old scholarship winner withdrew because the described victim was her age.⁴

Who

• Brent ReganChaired the KCRCC when it booked Gaetz.
• Tony WisniewskiAttended Lincoln Day with Gaetz and said he "doesn't have time" to read the Ethics Committee allegations.
• Marc EberleinCalled KCRCC members who skipped the dinner over Gaetz "liberals."

Sources

1. Kootenai County Republicans split over decision to bring Matt Gaetz in as keynote speaker at Lincoln Day DinnerSpokesman-Review · February 2026 (archive)
2. OPINION: Matt Gaetz on the agendaCoeur d'Alene Press, by Brent Regan · February 2026
3. OPINION: High-tech lynchingCoeur d'Alene Press, by Brent Regan · December 2025 (archive)
4. Kootenai County Republicans divided on GaetzCoeur d'Alene Press · February 2026 (archive)