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Of all of the political intercourse scandals to emerge in latest months, few have been extra surprising than that of Matt Gaetz.
And new allegations that emerged right now may cost the previous congressman his few remaining supporters.
As you might recall, simply final 12 months, Gaetz was the frontrunner for the place of U.S. Legal professional Basic.
U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) is seen on the second day of the Republican Nationwide Conference on the Fiserv Discussion board on July 16, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photograph by Joe Raedle/Getty Photographs)
He was an odd alternative for the position, contemplating he had already been investigated for baby intercourse trafficking.
And now, it appears as if allegations that Gaetz thought has been buried for good have resurfaced in very public vogue.
In November of 2024, Gaetz abruptly resigned from the Home of Representatives, simply days earlier than the Home Ethics Committee was set to launch its findings on his alleged sexual encounters with underage women.
Gaetz withdrew his nomination for legal professional common, and Home Speaker Mike Johnson mentioned he would “strongly request that the Ethics Committee not issue the report.”
It regarded as if the committee’s findings would eternally stay a thriller,
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) arrives to a gathering with Home Republicans on the U.S. Capitol Constructing on October 19, 2023 in Washington, DC. The Republicans held hours-long conferences to think about empowering Speaker Professional Tempore Rep. (Photograph by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Photographs)
However on Thursday, roughly one 12 months after Gaetz’s resignation, The New York Instances printed a dramatic report concerning the life and circumstances of one of many former congressman’s alleged victims.
“She was 17 and a high school junior in Florida. She was working at McDonald’s. And she was living in and out of a homeless shelter,” the article begins.
“Hoping to avoid wasting as much as purchase braces to repair her tooth, she falsely marketed herself in 2017 as 18 years previous on a web site that matches males in search of ‘companionship’ with younger ladies seeking to earn a living.
“What followed would set off a chain of events that would have a dramatic impact on her life and help upend the political career of one of the men she would encounter, Representative Matt Gaetz, the Florida Republican.”
The report comprises quotes from the lady’s lawyer, Laura B. Wolf, who spoke with the Instances after a Florida decide dominated that sure recordsdata pertaining to the Gaetz investigation must be unsealed.
U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) walks on stage on the third day of the Republican Nationwide Conference on the Fiserv Discussion board on July 17, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photograph by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Photographs)
“The vulnerable circumstances most crime victims face are rarely known to the public,” Wolf mentioned.
“Although my client’s circumstances were revealed outside of her control, I hope it helps for the public to see a fuller and more human picture of her than the press has reported on to date.”
Wolf added: “Power imbalances can be age, but they can also be financial. My client had little economic security, which allowed for financial leverage over her.”
The lady was to function the chief witness towards Gaetz, however the investigation got here to an finish when the Justice Division underneath President Trump declined to carry costs.
“I never had sex with this person. This person threatened me with a lawsuit if I didn’t pay her $2.3 million dollars,” Gaetz instructed the Instances through textual content message on Thursday. “She never sued me because her story is fiction.”
The brand new info concerning Gaetz comes as politicians on either side of the aisle are demanding the discharge of the Epstein recordsdata, which may incriminate Trump and others.
We may have additional updates on this growing story as new info turns into obtainable.
