Matt Gaetz has a Very Bad Day

by Pa Rock

Citizen Journalist

Another day, another GOP sex scandal.

Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz did not have a very good day yesterday.  The 38-year-old Republican who is in his third term in the House was forced to go on the defensive when someone leaked a story to the New York Times alleging that Gaetz was being investigated by the Justice Department for violating sex-trafficking laws.   The investigation reportedly centers on reports that Congressman Gaetz paid for a 17-year-old girl to travel with him a couple of years ago - and that Gaetz was having sex with the minor.

The Times noted that "Federal statutes make it illegal to induce someone under 18 to travel over state lines to engage in sex in exchange for money or something of value."  The Associated Press then confirmed through an unnamed third party with knowledge of the case that Gaetz was indeed under investigation to determine if he had violated sex-trafficking laws.  

Gaetz is denying that he ever had any type of relationship with a 17-year-old girl.  He also said:

“I have definitely, in my single days, provided for women I’ve dated.  You know, I’ve paid for flights, for hotel rooms. I’ve been, you know, generous as a partner. I think someone is trying to make that look criminal when it is not.”

Gaetz said that he and his family are the victims of an organized criminal extortion to the tune of $25 million dollars, and he indicated that the extortion was coming from within the Department of Justice.  He said the FBI had been investigating that matter when the story of him being investigated by the Justice Department was leaked to the New York Times.

Yesterday before the sex-trafficking story broke, there were reports in the news that Gaetz was telling friends that he might resign from Congress before his term ends, and would then accept a position with Newsmax.

Congressman Gaetz, a bachelor who has recently become engaged, made news last summer when he suddenly revealed that he had an adopted 19-year-old son, a young man from Cuba whom he had adopted seven years earlier when the lad was twelve.   Up until that disclosure Gaetz had officially described himself in biographies as single with no children.

Ironically, when Congress passed a bill in 2017 to increase funding for law enforcement to combat human-trafficking, Matt Gaetz was the sole member of Congress (House or Senate) to vote against the measure.  He probably won't be highlighting that vote in any future political battles.