Gaetz claims he’s falsely accused of exchanging money for ‘naughty favors’ [Video]

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Floridan Congressman Matt Gaetz (R) related his alleged sexual misconduct issue with a minor to legislative ‘earmarks.’
• Gaetz has repeatedly denied all the allegations thrown against him.
• House GOP leaders had not yet taken any move with regard to Gaetz’s controversies.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL.) has likened his alleged sexual misconduct scandal with a minor to earmarks ━ a legislative language that could allow a lawmaker to direct funds to a specific project to a local community within his/her congressional district or state (Bloomberg definition).

Speaking to Ohio GOPs on Saturday, Gaetz said that he was “being falsely accused of exchanging money for naughty favors.”

“Yet Congress has re-instituted a process that legalises the corrupt act of exchanging money for favors, through earmarks, and everybody knows that that’s the corruption,” he added.

For about 10 years, earmarks have been absent from the Congress for a decade. Now, it has bipartisan support.

The embattled congressman also said that he wanted to be “Robin” to Rep. Jim Jordan’s (R-OH.) “Batman.”

Same with Gaetz, Jordan is a hard-right GOP politician and a staunch ally of former President Donald Trump. The Ohio lawmaker was able to escape his alleged mismanagement of a sexual abuse of a team doctor during his wrestling coaching tenure.

Gaetz also fired shots against fellow GOP lawmaker Anthony Gonzalez (OH.).

“Is it likely that the Anthony Gonzalez congressional career might mirror the Anthony Gonzalez NFL career?” Gaetz asked. “Whole lot of hype, first-round draft pick, out in four years.”

Gaetz is facing several issues as he is currently being investigated over alleged sex trafficking with a minor, alleged payments for drugs and sex, and alleged involvement in marijuana trading. The Florida legislator has continuously denied all the allegations and said that he would not step down in office.

Gaetz’s former staff Joel Greenberg, who was facing several federal charges, suggested on Friday that he would plead guilty in court Monday in a crime involving giving money for sex with an underaged woman. Greenberg’s latest pronouncements would likely aid prosecutors in probing Gaetz’s cases.

The Daily Beast also reported on Friday, according to two sources, a woman identified Greenberg as the one who gave the payment in exchange for sex. The woman was with Gaetz when they went to a “cocaine-fueled party” in Orlando after a fund-raising event last 2019. The website also reported that the woman obtained a “taxpayer-funded no-show job” care of Greenberg.

Speaking with the Beast, a public relations firm employed by Gaetz said that the lawmaker would not give any comment, but noted that the “the privacy of women living private lives should be protected”.

By far, GOP House leaders have not made any move against Gaetz’s controversies. The Floridan legislator got a standing ovation after his address.

Source: The Guardian