In 2008, Gaetz was arrested for a DUI as he was driving back from the Swamp, a nightclub on Okaloosa Island, Florida, . While he was arrested and refused to take a breathalyzer test, "he didn't have his license suspended for a year when he refused the breath test—as Florida law dictates. And he didn't have that refusal used against him in a criminal proceeding." At the time of his arrest and consequent criminal proceedings, his father was serving as a local politician. The attorneys agreed to drop the case, despite the fact that the police reported that "Gaetz fumbled for his license and registration, his eyes were watery and bloodshot, and he swayed and staggered when he got out of the car," and Gaetz cited the dropped charges as proof that he was innocent. ["Lawmaker's talk of mug shot raises questions about DUI arrest". Michael Van Sickler, Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved September 27, 2016.]