Former firebrand Rep. Matt Gaetz admitted on Wednesday to being a party animal and womanizer in his 30s as a young lawmaker on Capitol Hill — but vehemently denied the allegations. He had sexual relations with a minor,
The Sunshine State Republican raged in a series of posts over reports that the House Ethics Committee is set to release a potentially damaging report on his alleged sexual misconduct, including that he committed during his time as a congressman. Women were paid for sex.
“My 30s were an era of working very hard – and playing hard, too. Gaetz, 42, wrote, “It is embarrassing, though not criminal, that I probably party more than ever in my life, behave like a woman, drink and smoke.”
“I live a different life now. But at least I didn’t vote for CR in the entire country!
Florida Republican resigned from congress on Nov. 13 — hours after President-elect Donald Trump tapped him To become the next US Attorney General — but the persistent echo of allegations of sexual misconduct from the Congressional ethics investigation and an earlier Justice Department investigation ultimately led to his Withdraw from confirmation fight,
News of the release of the ethics report apparently lit a fire inside the congressman, who later said in another X post that he was considering returning to Congress in January to file a privileged motion.” “To expose every ‘me too’ settlement paid for using the public fund (including that of former members).”
“Someone suggested the following plan to me: 1. Appear in Congress on 1/3/2025 2. Run in the Speaker election (after all, I was elected to the 119th Congress…) 3. Take the oath of office 4. A privileged motion File a report to expose every “me too” agreement paid for using public funds (even those of former members) 5. Resign and resign on the night of January 6, 2025 Start my (One America News) program at 9 p.m. EST.
Privileged offers must be considered within 48 hours of filing. Getz also in other posts Cited previous reports Nearly millions of taxpayer-dollars are being paid into the congressional slush fund to settle sexual harassment claims against lawmakers.
He was first sworn into Congress in 2017 after serving in the Florida State Legislature since 2010. Rumors about his party days have been circulating in the Congress for a long time.
According to his lawyers, at least three accused have alleged that as an MLA he paid them in exchange for sex. Some of these payments were recorded on Venmo.
The sexual intercourse with the then-minor allegedly occurred at a party in July 2017. And according to the accusers’ lawyers, there is at least one other witness who testified to it.
Joel LePard, an attorney who represents the two accused who were not minors at the time, has publicly suggested that the witness said that “her understanding was that Matt Gaetz did not know that (the 17-year-old) was a minor. was, ABC News reported
“And when he found out she was underage, he broke everything off and did not continue having sex until she turned 18.”
Gaetz has repeatedly denied allegations of wrongdoing, but on Wednesday he was even more specific.
“In my single days, I would often send money to women I dated – even some I never dated but who asked. I dated many of these women for years. I have never had sexual contact with anyone under the age of 18. Any claim of mine would be destroyed in court – which is why no such claim was ever made in court,” he wrote on X.
After President-elect Donald Trump nominated her as US Attorney General, lawmakers began demanding the ethics panel disclose its findings about her. There was a deadlock in the committee regarding doing this.
Ultimately, Gaetz dropped out of the running for the role and is set to join One America News Network as an anchor.
The Justice Department investigated the claims against Gaetz – but ultimately declined to bring charges against him and closed the case in 2021.
“I was not charged: completely acquitted. Not even campaign finance violations. And the people who investigated me hated me,” Gaetz added on X.
“Then, the ‘witnesses’ the DOJ deemed not credible were assembled by House Ethics to repeat their claims without any cross-examination or challenge from me or my lawyers. I never got any chance to confront any of my accusers. I was never accused. “I was never prosecuted.”
Many Republicans were particularly angry at Gaetz for ousting former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) last year.
The former representative led that insurrection along with seven other GOP members in protest of McCarthy’s effort to prevent a government shutdown last fall.
McCarthy has repeatedly alleged that Gaetz wanted him to intervene on his behalf and end the ethics investigation.
Gaetz has denied that claim. On Wednesday, he slammed the ethics panel for not giving him a chance to defend himself.
“House Ethics will reportedly post a report online that as a former member of the body I have no opportunity to debate or refute,” Gaetz said on X.
He married his wife Lucky Gaetz in a small wedding ceremony on Catalina Island in August 2021 after meeting at a Mar-a-Lago fundraiser a year earlier.
(TagstoTranslate)Politics(T)US News(T)House Ethics Committee(T)Matt Gaetz
