Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach. 1 Timothy 3:2
“Above Reproach” and the Tall Poppy Syndrome
From my book The Tall Poppy Syndrome – The Joy of Cutting Others Down:
Pompeia was born around 87 BC, but not much is known about her youth or even her marriage to Caesar in 67 BC. As might be suspected, Caesar and Pompeia spent much of their time apart. Caesar’s mother, Aurelia, was doubtful of Pompeia’s fidelity and maintained an evil eye on her, waiting for a way to cut her down.
In 63 BC, Caesar was elected to the position of Pontifex Maximus, the chief priest of the Roman state religion, and given a residence on the Via Sacra, the main street of Rome with many religious sites. In 62 BC, because of their position, Pompeia hosted the Bona Dea, a festival honoring a feminine deity annually. Vestal virgins attended but no men, and rituals were performed for the entire Roman populace.
Dressed as a woman, Clodius entered the house, hoping for a tryst with Pompeia. Aurelia’s maid detected him and alerted Aurelia immediately. A search discovered Clodius, and a scandal spread rapidly that a god or goddess had been honored without complete piety. Clodius had many enemies, which made accusations credible. He was charged with impiety at a state religious festival.
At the trial, Caesar refused to testify against him and immediately divorced Pompeia. When asked why he divorced her while refusing to admit in public that she was anything less than faithful to her marriage, Caesar replied that he had done so not because she had done nothing wrong but because “Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion.”
Pompeia disappeared, but history has played the tune of her scenario many times, particularly in politics. A person need only observe the furor over US Supreme Court nominations to find TPS and those who require such candidates to be “above suspicion” while trumping up charges against them.
Caesar’s statement gave rise to the well-known proverb, “Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion” or “Caesar’s wife must be above reproach”.
Matt Gaetz is a Republican politician who served as a U.S. Representative for Florida’s 1st congressional district from 2017 to 2024 (Florida panhandle). Born on May 7, 1982, in Hollywood, Florida, Gaetz grew up in Northwest Florida and obtained his law degree from William & Mary Law School in 2007.
Don Gaetz, his father, is a significant figure in Florida politics who served in the state Senate and was president from 2012 to 2014. Matt Gaetz began his political career in 2010 when he was elected to the Florida House of Representatives at age 27. He served in the state legislature until 2016, gaining a reputation for his aggressive style and active social media presence.
In 2016, Gaetz was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. During his time in Congress, he became known as a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump and an outspoken conservative. He served on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Judiciary Committee, focusing on national security, veterans’ affairs, and constitutional issues.
Gaetz has been involved in several controversies, including a significant sex scandal. In 2021, the Department of Justice began investigating allegations that Gaetz was engaged in a sex trafficking scheme involving a 17-year-old girl. The House Ethics Committee also launched an investigation into claims of sexual misconduct, illegal drug use, and misuse of campaign funds.
Gaetz consistently denied these accusations, including having sex with a minor or paying for sex, claiming they were part of an extortion scheme. The Justice Department concluded its investigation in 2023 without charging Gaetz. Ga
In November 2024, following Donald Trump’s election to a second presidential term, Gaetz was selected to serve as attorney general in Trump’s upcoming administration. He subsequently resigned from his position in the House of Representatives, effectively ending the House Ethics Committee’s investigation since he was no longer a congressman in the panel’s jurisdiction. Some in the House wanted the report released even though it was not completed but rules state that release is prohibited if the member is no longer in office.
Throughout his career, Gaetz has been a polarizing figure, known for his loyalty to Trump, his role in ousting House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and his ultraconservative positions on issues such as immigration, gun rights, and abortion.
Mural Dyslexia is the inability to see or read the writing on the wall. Gaetz wanted to proceed with the confirmation hearing despite the charges and win most of the Senate. The newly elected Senate is controlled by Republicans (53-47), meaning he can lose no more than three votes.
Above Reproach prevailed when more than three Republican senators indicated they could not support Gaetz. Gaetz saw the writing on the wall and removed his name from consideration for the post.
The new Trump administration is promising change. Reformation spawns pushback, division, controversy, and conspiracy. Appointing contentious leaders escalates irrationality and division. Leaders with the country’s best interest and not revenge or other dark emotions will lessen conflict when debatable propositions are proposed.
My book is a history lesson on TPS in all places and periods. Gaetz is prideful and perhaps lustful, two of my “unhappy triad” (pride, lust, greed) wherein the populace feels justified in cutting TPs down (Anatomy of the TALL POPPY SYNDROME and Gluttony, Greed, Red Lobster, and the Tall Poppy Syndrome). May he find kindness, gratitude, and humility after this fiasco.
Times change but not people’s dark emotions.
TPs should be courageous, honest, tenacious, trustworthy, and above all beyond reproach. These traits are not mutually exclusive to the disruptor, a trait Mr. Trump seems to find attractive.
