Not less than one lady has reportedly admitted to the Home Ethics Committee that Matt Gaetz paid her for intercourse by means of Venmo.
Investigators on the committee have interviewed half a dozen ladies, in response to ABC Information, and the ladies have been proven Venmo funds from the Florida Republican to them and requested in the event that they have been for intercourse.
The ladies allegedly had attended events with Gaetz and his former good friend Joel Greenberg, who in 2022 was sentenced to 11 years in jail for intercourse trafficking a minor.
Whereas one lady mentioned she was paid straight for intercourse, others mentioned they have been paid to attend the events that featured medicine and intercourse.
The Home Ethics Committee in a uncommon public assertion introduced they might conduct ‘additional assessment’ into Rep. Matt Gaetz on prices that embody intercourse abuse and illicit drug use.
The ladies allegedly had attended events with Gaetz and his former good friend Joel Greenberg, who in 2022 was sentenced to 11 years in jail for intercourse trafficking a minor
Gaetz has denied all the allegations which have lengthy swirled round him, together with paying for intercourse. ‘Somebody is attempting to recategorize my generosity to ex-girlfriends as one thing extra untoward,’ he mentioned beforehand.
The Ethics Committee obtained Gaetz’s Venmo data by means of a subpoena.
The Division of Justice beforehand investigated Gaetz for allegedly intercourse trafficking a minor however knowledgeable him they might not convey prices in 2023 after problems with witness credibility.
The Ethics Committee in a uncommon public assertion on Tuesday introduced they might conduct ‘additional assessment’ into Gaetz on prices that embody intercourse abuse and illicit drug use.
Gaetz on Monday had mentioned the committee was opening ‘new frivolous investigations’ into him which he blamed on former Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
The allegations the committee mentioned it’s conducting additional assessment on embody whether or not Gaetz ‘engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, accepted improper presents, distributed particular privileges and favors to people with whom he had a private relationship, and sought to impede authorities investigations of his conduct.’
The brand new investigation is the obstruction probe. Others have been ongoing.
Gaetz has denied all the allegations and the committee mentioned he has been ‘tough’ to acquire data from. They’ve already spoken with greater than a dozen witnesses, issued 25 subpoenas and reviewed hundreds of pages of paperwork.
The committee confirmed they are going to now not conduct additional assessment into whether or not Gaetz ‘shared inappropriate photographs or movies on the Home flooring, misused state identification data, transformed marketing campaign funds to non-public use, and/or accepted a bribe or improper gratuity.’
Gaetz sounded off concerning the committee on X: ‘The Home Ethics Committee has closed 4 probes into me, which emerged from lies meant solely to smear me. As a substitute of working with me to ban Congressional inventory buying and selling, the Ethics Committee is now opening new frivolous investigations. They’re doing this to keep away from the plain reality that each investigation into me ends the identical manner: my exoneration.’
‘That is Soviet. Kevin McCarthy confirmed them the person, and they’re now looking for the crime. I work for Northwest Floridians who will not be swayed by this nonsense and McCarthy and his goons realize it.’
McCarthy insisted that Gaetz launched the movement to vacate him from the speakership as a result of he was offended that McCarthy wouldn’t finish the Ethics probe into him.
The committee beforehand paused then restarted its probe into Gaetz in order to not intrude with a separate Division of Justice (DOJ) investigation. The DOJ opted to not indict Gaetz over claims he intercourse trafficked a 17-year-old lady.
Gaetz has persistently denied allegations he helped a neighborhood Florida tax collector good friend Joel Greenberg site visitors the lady throughout state traces.
Greenberg was sentenced to 11 years in jail in December 2022 after he pled responsible in a plea deal.
Gaetz on Monday had mentioned the committee was opening ‘new frivolous investigations’ into him which he blamed on former Speaker Kevin McCarthy
Gaetz first got here to investigators’ consideration due to his friendship with Greenberg, described as his ‘wingman’, who final 12 months pleaded responsible to 6 counts of fraud and sexual offenses.
Greenberg informed investigators that Gaetz and at the very least two different males had sexual contact with a 17-year-old lady.
He has informed them that they each gave ladies money and presents in change for intercourse.
Greenberg pleaded responsible to id theft, stalking, wire fraud, conspiracy to bribe a public official and intercourse trafficking of a minor.
