WASHINGTON – Representative Matt Gaetz (R., Florida) said on Friday that he would not resign in the face of mounting pressure on reports that the FBI has been investigating him since last summer, in part to find out if he broke federal sex trafficking laws. .
“Of course not,” Gaetz said in a text message on Friday, asking if he would step down. He declined to say more, citing Good Friday. His lawyer also said that Gaetz would not resign.
With the House in recess, members have remained silent about Gaetz since minority leader Kevin McCarthy (R., California) earlier this week referred to “serious implications” regarding the Federal Bureau of Investigation inquiry. But in the state capital of Tallahassee, Republicans were already discussing who would replace Gaetz, people familiar with the talks said.
“His political brothers are already running for his seat,” said former Florida deputy David Jolly. “They are not isolating him – they are already assuming that Matt’s political career is over.”
“These scandals have reached a point where there is no escape,” said Jolly. “We obviously reached that point for Matt in Florida politics.”
“These scandals have reached a point where there is no escape. Obviously, we have reached that point for Matt in Florida politics.”
David Jolly speaks on October 20, 2018 in Los Angeles. (Getty Images)
The Justice Department investigation is examining whether Gaetz and another man, former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg, paid women in cash or gifts in exchange for sex, people familiar with the investigation said.
Investigators believe that Greenberg, who was indicted last year on a federal charge of sex trafficking and other crimes, met women online through so-called sugar-daddy sites that connect people to meetings in exchange for expensive gifts or travel. Mr. Greenberg pleaded not guilty to charges, including illegally obtaining personal information from a state computer database, electronic fraud and money laundering. He is due to be tried in June.
The investigation is looking into whether Greenberg introduced some of the women to Gaetz, who allegedly also had sex with them, people said. People familiar with the investigation described Greenberg as a friend and political ally of the congressman. The connection was previously reported by the New York Times.
The Justice Department is also investigating whether Gaetz had sex with a girl who was 17 at the time of the meetings, about two years ago, The Wall Street Journal reported. The investigation is investigating whether she received anything of value in return, including travel, in violation of federal sex trafficking laws.
Investigators in the past few months have interviewed several women as part of the case, people said.
Gaetz denied any wrongdoing and retracted the charges against him as part of a scheme to make his family pay $ 25 million to close the investigation. “What is happening is an extortion by me and my family involving a former Justice Department employee,” he said earlier this week.
Many House Republicans are seeking an early end to attention for Gaetz because they do not want it to undermine what they believe is a chance to regain control of the House in 2022, given the narrow majority of Democrats from 219-211. In particular, many Republicans in Congress are ready for Gaetz to leave, according to figures from the Republican Party who spoke to lawmakers.
Gaetz’s behavior in Congress caused some astonishment among some of Hill’s lawmakers and advisers. A former lawmaker described how Gaetz showed him videos of his sexual partners in the Republican chamber in the House. A current lawmaker described Mr. Gaetz one day bragging to him on a Capitol walk about going to bars and being around “stylish women”. A congressional aide said that after Gaetz became engaged last year, he said, “I’m really loving this monogamy thing,” adding that Gaetz was drawing a contrast to his previous lifestyle.
Gaetz did not respond to another request for comment Friday night.
Gaetz’s behavior was also questioned during his service in the Florida state legislature from 2010 to 2016, according to a person familiar with the matter. While in Tallahassee, he and others competed with each other in a sexual intercourse contest with women, operating under a points system in which participants received one point for sleeping with a lobbyist and two points if the lobbyist were married, said that person.
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“You created a game in which FL House members earned” points “for sleeping with aides, interns, lobbyists and married lawmakers,” Florida State Representative Chris Latvala and his Republican colleague said on Twitter last year. “I hope DC is treating you well.”
At the time, Mr. Gaetz replied on Twitter that “just because I own him on Twitter, don’t confuse me with your father when it comes to abusing power for sex”, in a reference to Mr. Latvala’s father, a powerful state legislator who resigned in 2018 after facing charges of sexual harassment.