A defiant Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) says he has no plans to resign from Congress amid a federal investigation into whether he paid women — and a 17-year-old girl — for sexual favors.
Yet behind the scenes, a growing number of Gaetz’s Republican colleagues are predicting his days on Capitol Hill are growing short.
“In reality, yes, he won’t last long,” one member told The Hill on Friday. Continue reading.
Rep. Matt Gaetz repeatedly boasted to people involved in Florida politics about women he met through a county tax collector who has since been charged by federal authorities with sex trafficking of a minor, according to two people who heard his comments directly.
They said the Republican congressman, first elected in 2016, also showed them videos on his phone of naked or topless women on multiple occasions, including at parties with Joel Greenberg, the former tax collector for Seminole County. The women appeared to be adults, and could be seen dancing, hanging out by a pool and, in one case, using a hula hoop without clothing, the people said.
“Matt was never shy about talking about his relationship to Joel and the access to women that Joel provided him,” said one of these people who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to be candid. “What these videos implied was that there was something of a sexual nature going on with everyone.” Continue reading.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) told The Hill on Friday he has no plans of stepping down after coming under fire following reports that the Department of Justice is investigating him for an alleged inappropriate relationship with a minor and a possible violation of sex trafficking laws.
In a text exchange with The Hill, the Florida Republican said rumors he plans to resign from his office are “false” and it is “very safe” to say he doesn’t have any intention to do so.
The New York Times first reported the investigation was taking place on Tuesday evening, with a second report emerging Thursday detailing accusations that he and a former Florida county tax collector, Joel Greenberg, paid multiple women who were recruited for sex online. Continue reading.
As Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) faces a litany of allegations over his alleged involvement with a 17-year-old girl, his communications director has decided to resign “out of principle,” according to multiple reports.
ABC News reports the Florida lawmaker’s office released a statement confirming Luke Ball’s departure. According to the statement, the communications director, who has worked for Gaetz’s office since 2017, reached a mutual agreement about him parting ways with the office.
“The Office of Congressman Matt Gaetz and Luke Ball have agreed that it would be best to part ways. We thank him for his time in our office, and we wish him the best moving forward,” Gaetz’s office wrote in its statement. Continue reading.
A Pensacola law firm has fired back at Rep. Matt Gaetz’s (R-FL) claims accusing one of its attorneys of extortion.
According to MyNBC15, Beggs & Lane Attorneys and Counselors at Law released a statement in defense of its partner David L. McGee, also a former prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Florida, whom the controversial lawmaker has accused of extorting his family for millions of dollars.
As reports of sex trafficking allegations involving Gaetz were made public on Tuesday, he appeared on Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Tonight where he claimed McGee “attempted to extort $25 million from Gaetz and his family in exchange for McGee making the investigation ‘go away.'”
The following day the law firm released a statement in response to Gaetz’s claims. Continue reading.
The congressman and a former official in Florida sent money to the women using cash apps, receipts showed.
WASHINGTON — A Justice Department investigation into Representative Matt Gaetz and an indicted Florida politician is focusing on their involvement with multiple women who were recruited online for sex and received cash payments, according to people close to the investigation and text messages and payment receipts reviewed by The New York Times.
Investigators believe Joel Greenberg, the former tax collector in Seminole County, Fla., who was indicted last year on a federal sex trafficking charge and other crimes, initially met the women through websites that connect people who go on dates in exchange for gifts, fine dining, travel and allowances, according to three people with knowledge of the encounters. Mr. Greenberg introduced the women to Mr. Gaetz, who also had sex with them, the people said.
One of the women who had sex with both men also agreed to have sex with an unidentified associate of theirs in Florida Republican politics, according to a person familiar with the arrangement. Mr. Greenberg had initially contacted her online and introduced her to Mr. Gaetz, the person said. Continue reading.
On CNN Wednesday, New York Times reported Maggie Haberman said that former President Donald Trump is being pressed by his aides not to come to the defense of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) amid the scandal surrounding a federal investigation for sex trafficking.
“Congressman Gaetz is a staunch and vocal ally of President Trump,” said anchor Jim Sciutto. “Any sense how this news is being received by the president or people in his orbit?”
“The only other person I can think of that I have seen handled an investigation this way is Donald Trump, under investigation by the Mueller team,” said Haberman. “But he was president. And it’s a little different the protections you have as president, versus anyone else.” Continue reading.
“It is a horrible allegation, and it is a lie. The New York Times is running a story that I have traveled with a 17-year-old woman, and that is verifiably false. People can look at my travel records and see that that is not the case.”
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), in an interview on “Tucker Carlson Tonight” on Fox News, March 30, 2021
“I have not had a relationship with a 17-year-old. That is totally false. … And records will bear that out to be false.”
— Gaetz, in the interview
The Justice Department is investigating Gaetz over an alleged sexual relationship about two years ago with a 17-year-old girl.
Gaetz, 38, has confirmed that he is a subject of the investigation. He denies the allegations and says his family is being blackmailedby a former federal prosecutor seeking $25 million.
The Gaetz investigation was first reported by the New York Times on Tuesday. That night, Gaetz went on Fox News and called the story “verifiably false.” He said “people can look at my travel records and see that that is not the case.” Continue reading.
Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican known for his fierce allegiance to former president Donald Trump, had been under Justice Department investigation for months for a possible sex crime when two men approached his father with a proposal, people familiar with the matter said.
The men had learned of the investigation, they wrote to Don Gaetz, and wanted to offer an opportunity to help his son, the people said. He could give a huge sum of money to fund their effort to locate Robert A. Levinson — the longest-held American hostage in Iran, whose family has said they were told he is dead. If the operation were a success, he would win public favor and help alleviate Matt Gaetz’s legal woes.
But Don Gaetz, a prominent Florida Republican who once led the state Senate, viewed the communication suspiciously, the people said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe a continuing and politically sensitive probe. The investigation into Matt Gaetz’s alleged crime — he is suspected of having sex with a 17-year-old girl, as well as funding her travel — was not public knowledge. Fearing his family was being extorted, Don Gaetz contacted the FBI. Continue reading.
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) drew ridicule on Wednesday when he proclaimed that Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) was innocent of any allegations involving underage sex trafficking.
Jordan, who has long been one of Gaetz’s staunchest congressional allies, told CNN’s Ryan Nobles that “I believe Matt Gaetz” is innocent after it was revealed on Tuesday night that he’s being investigated by the Department of Justice for potentially having an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old.
However, Gaetz may not want Jordan to be the man vouching for him, as the Ohio congressman has been accused by former wrestlers at Ohio State University of covering up sexual abuse by former OSU doctor Richard Strauss during Jordan’s tenure as an OSU wrestling coach. Continue reading.
