He showed photos of adult women on the House of Representatives floor, according to one guest on MSNBC’s Live With Stephanie Ruhle Friday. Another time, Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL) wore a gas mask on the floor to mock Democrats. Is it a wonder that some of the women working around him are uncomfortable? House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has a few thoughts about the Florida representative.
Gaetz has been accused of ‘having a sexual relationship with an underground girl,” according to CBS News. Pelosi told reporters on Thursday that if the allegations were true, Gaetz should at a minimum lose his place on the House Judiciary Committee. After all, this committee oversees the DOJ investigating the representative.
Pelosi added that the House Ethics Committee should look into the charges against Goetz. The Florida representative has adamantly stressed that all of the allegations were false.
The New York Times reported this week that the Justice Department investigators were looking into whether Gaetz “violated federal sex trafficking laws.” Gaetz has denied the allegation that he had an inappropriate sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl and paid for her to travel with him.
Gaetz went on Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Tonight where he said that he was the victim. He went on to his claim of an “attempted extortion.” He denied the relationship with a 17-year-old girl to Carlson and in a separate statement wrote:
‘The person doesn’t exist. I have not had a relationship with a 17-year-old. That is totally false. [And] [roviding for flights and hotel rooms for people that you’re dating who are of legal age is not a crime.’
Reporters asked her whether Gaetz should “resign from Congress or lose his committee seat,” Speaker Pelosi told reporters:
‘If in fact these allegations are true, of course being removed from the Judiciary Committee is the least that could be done. From what we’ve heard so far, this would be a matter for the Ethics Committee.’
Five Republicans and five Democrats make up the Ethics panel. It looks into the charges against a politician, then:
‘[It recommends] anything from “reprimand, or formal rebuke, to expulsion, which is rare partly because lawmakers often resign first.’
Should the panel decide to approve expulsion, it needs 66.6 percent to do so.
Gaetz also claimed in a bizarre plot twist that a former DOJ official, 25 years resigned, was attempting to extort him and his family. He alleged that the attorney who works in a Florida panhandle firm was trying to extort $25 million from his wealthy family:
‘[He said for] making horrible sex trafficking allegations against me go away.’
Gaetz has stringently denied he has ever paid women for sex. In a statement, his attorneys wrote:
‘Matt Gaetz refutes all the disgusting allegations completely.’
Most of the Republicans have kept their distance from the radioactive Gaetz. One exception has been another Trump acolyte Representative Jm Jordan (R-OH). He told CNN reporter Ryan Nobles:
‘I believe Matt Gaetz. He should not be removed from the Judiciary Committee.’
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) indicated that these allegations were “serious.” And if they were true, he would remove Gaetz from the committees on which he serves. One of Gaetz’s committees has been the Armed Services Committee. He repeated:
‘The allegations against me are FALSE.’
The Mueller Report Adventures: In Bite-Sizes on this Facebook page. These quick, two-minute reads interpret the report in normal English for busy people. Mueller Bite-Sizes uncovers what is essentially a compelling spy mystery. Interestingly enough, Mueller Bite-Sizes can be read in any order.
