Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz has denied allegations against him as a new report from the New York Times states he is under federal investigation for his sexual activity with women and a potential relationship with a 17-year-old girl.
Gaetz took to Twitter on Tuesday evening to dispel the allegations, shedding light on “an organized criminal extortion involving a former DOJ official seeking $25 million while threatening to smear my name.”
Over the past several weeks my family and I have been victims of an organized criminal extortion involving a former DOJ official seeking $25 million while threatening to smear my name.
We have been cooperating with federal authorities in this matter…
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) March 30, 2021
Gaetz also said he has “been cooperating with federal authorities in this matter,” telling his Twitter followers that his “father has even been wearing a wire at the FBI’s direction to catch these criminals.”
He also reiterated that “no part of the allegations against me are true, and the people pushing these lies are targets of the ongoing extortion investigation.”
…of the ongoing extortion investigation.
I demand the DOJ immediately release the tapes, made at their direction, which implicate their former colleague in crimes against me based on false allegations.
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) March 30, 2021
“I demand the DOJ immediately release the tapes, made at their direction, which implicate their former colleague in crimes against me based on false allegations,” Gaetz concluded in another tweet.
According to the Times‘ report, the Justice Department is investigating whether Gaetz held a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl and paid for her to travel with him, which he potentially crossed state lines to do.
The Times also noted its report stems from “three people briefed on the matter” and that the investigation was opened towards the end of Donald Trump’s presidency:
The three people said that the examination of Mr. Gaetz, 38, is part of a broader investigation into a political ally of his, a local official in Florida named Joel Greenberg, who was indicted last summer on an array of charges, including sex trafficking of a child and financially supporting people in exchange for sex, at least one of whom was an underage girl.
While no charges have been brought against Gaetz, he told the Washington Times that he and his attorneys have been in contact with the Justice Department, concluding that he is “not a target but a subject of an investigation regarding sexual conduct with women.”
“I only know that it has to do with women,” Gaetz said. “I have a suspicion that someone is trying to recategorize my generosity to ex-girlfriends as something more untoward.”
Gaetz also denied the allegations during a phone call with Axios, in which he said the claims “are as searing as they are false.”
“The allegations against me are as searing as they are false,” Gaetz told Axios. “I believe that there are people at the Department of Justice who are trying to criminalize my sexual conduct, you know when I was a single guy.”
Gaetz also said the specifics regarding the allegations are “unclear,” saying he has been told “very little.”
The Florida Congressman also stated that the allegations are “rooted in an extortion effort” against him and his family for $25 million.
“The allegations of sexual misconduct against me are false,” Gaetz added in his conversation with Axios. “They are rooted in an extortion effort against my family for $25 million … in exchange for making this case go away.”
In addition, Gaetz suggested he is “absolutely” confident that none of the women with whom he had relationships were underage.
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