Matt Gaetz appointed as Attorney General: scandals and accusations
14 november 2024 в 17:13
Former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz was chosen by Donald Trump as the new Attorney General. In his statement on November 13, 2024, through Truth Social, the elected president called Gaetz a «deeply gifted and tenacious advocate» who «received his law education at William and Mary College». Trump stated that his choice for Attorney General would «end the armed use of the state, protect our borders, dismantle criminal organizations, and restore the severely shaken trust and confidence of Americans in justice».
Earlier, Gaetz was accused of having sexual relations with a 17-year-old girl and paying for her trip, as initially reported by The New York Times in March 2021. The age of sexual consent in Florida is 18. At that time, the Department of Justice was investigating whether Gaetz had violated human trafficking laws.
However, Gaetz categorically denied all allegations in his statement. In an interview with Fox News' Tucker Carlson, Gaetz stated that the accusations were part of ongoing attempts to blackmail him and his family. «Over the past few weeks, my family and I have become victims of organized criminal extortion, involving a former Department of Justice employee demanding $ 25 million and threatening to tarnish my name… I demand that the Department of Justice immediately release recordings made at their direction that accuse their former colleague of crimes against me based on false allegations», - he said.
«I did not have a relationship with a 17-year-old», - Gaetz said in his interview on Tucker Carlson Tonight. «This is absolutely false. The accusation, as I read in The New York Times, is that I traveled with some 17-year-old in some relationship. That is false, and the documents will prove that it is false. Providing flights and hotel rooms for people you are dating who are of legal age is not a crime… They said it was about an underage girl and that there were photos of me with child prostitutes. That is obviously false. There will be no such photos because nothing like that ever happened».
He claimed that his father, former Florida Senate President Donald Gaetz, «even wore a wire to the FBI to catch these criminals». The former Department of Justice employee named by Gaetz was lawyer David McGee, who denied any involvement in the investigation or attempts to blackmail the family in an interview with The Washington Post. McGee confirmed that Donald Gaetz had approached him to discuss a topic he refused to disclose.
According to CNN, Gaetz gained a reputation when he arrived in Congress in 2017, boasting about his sexual exploits. Sources claimed that Gaetz showed photos and videos of naked women he had slept with, which he kept on his phone, to other lawmakers (including on the House floor). Sources, including two individuals shown explicit material, told CNN that Gaetz also described sex with women.
Gaetz could have been charged under the Mann Act, which prohibits transporting anyone across state lines «for the purpose of such person engaging in prostitution or any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense». The investigation was initiated in 2020 under the Trump administration. Gaetz told Axios, «The allegations against me are as searing as they are false. I believe that there are people at the Department of Justice who are trying to criminally qualify my sexual conduct, you know, when I was a bachelor».
However, the Department of Justice concluded its investigation and did not bring any charges against Gaetz.
Here’s what else you need to know about Gaetz:
The Department of Justice investigation is focused on Gaetz’s alleged involvement with «several women who were hired online for sex and received cash payments», - The New York Times reported on April 1. Investigators believe that Joel Greenberg, a former tax collector in Florida who was charged in 2020, was involved in these activities
Earlier, Gaetz was accused of having sexual relations with a 17-year-old girl and paying for her trip, as initially reported by The New York Times in March 2021. The age of sexual consent in Florida is 18. At that time, the Department of Justice was investigating whether Gaetz had violated human trafficking laws.
However, Gaetz categorically denied all allegations in his statement. In an interview with Fox News' Tucker Carlson, Gaetz stated that the accusations were part of ongoing attempts to blackmail him and his family. «Over the past few weeks, my family and I have become victims of organized criminal extortion, involving a former Department of Justice employee demanding $ 25 million and threatening to tarnish my name… I demand that the Department of Justice immediately release recordings made at their direction that accuse their former colleague of crimes against me based on false allegations», - he said.
«I did not have a relationship with a 17-year-old», - Gaetz said in his interview on Tucker Carlson Tonight. «This is absolutely false. The accusation, as I read in The New York Times, is that I traveled with some 17-year-old in some relationship. That is false, and the documents will prove that it is false. Providing flights and hotel rooms for people you are dating who are of legal age is not a crime… They said it was about an underage girl and that there were photos of me with child prostitutes. That is obviously false. There will be no such photos because nothing like that ever happened».
He claimed that his father, former Florida Senate President Donald Gaetz, «even wore a wire to the FBI to catch these criminals». The former Department of Justice employee named by Gaetz was lawyer David McGee, who denied any involvement in the investigation or attempts to blackmail the family in an interview with The Washington Post. McGee confirmed that Donald Gaetz had approached him to discuss a topic he refused to disclose.
According to CNN, Gaetz gained a reputation when he arrived in Congress in 2017, boasting about his sexual exploits. Sources claimed that Gaetz showed photos and videos of naked women he had slept with, which he kept on his phone, to other lawmakers (including on the House floor). Sources, including two individuals shown explicit material, told CNN that Gaetz also described sex with women.
Gaetz could have been charged under the Mann Act, which prohibits transporting anyone across state lines «for the purpose of such person engaging in prostitution or any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense». The investigation was initiated in 2020 under the Trump administration. Gaetz told Axios, «The allegations against me are as searing as they are false. I believe that there are people at the Department of Justice who are trying to criminally qualify my sexual conduct, you know, when I was a bachelor».
However, the Department of Justice concluded its investigation and did not bring any charges against Gaetz.
Here’s what else you need to know about Gaetz:
The Department of Justice investigation is focused on Gaetz’s alleged involvement with «several women who were hired online for sex and received cash payments», - The New York Times reported on April 1. Investigators believe that Joel Greenberg, a former tax collector in Florida who was charged in 2020, was involved in these activities
© Artemenko Olga
