The Justice Department is investigating whether Rep. Matt Gaetz had a sexual relationship with a minor and paid for her to travel with him, according to a new report.
The Florida Republican and ally of former President Donald Trump responded to the reports claiming he is the victim of criminal extortion involving a former Justice Department official.
The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Gaetz, 38, is being looked at as part of a broader investigation into local Florida official Joel Greenberg, a political ally who was indicted last summer on an array of charges, including sex trafficking of a minor and financially supporting people in exchange for sex, at least one of whom was an underage girl.
The report said investigators are examining whether Gaetz violated federal sex trafficking laws in his encounters two years ago with a girl believed to have been 17 at the time.
Gaetz issued a series of tweets saying he is cooperating with federal authorities and claiming he has become the target of “false” accusations.
“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,” he said. “We have been cooperating with federal authorities in this matter and my father has even been wearing a wire at the FBI’s direction to catch these criminals.”
“The planted leak to the New York Times tonight was intended to thwart that investigation,” Gaetz added. “No part of the allegations against me are true, and the people pushing these lies are targets 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.”
Gaetz acknowledged to Axios that he financially supported romantic partners but insisted his actions were never criminal.
“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,” he said. “I think someone is trying to make that look criminal when it is not.”
The Florida Republican told the New York Times that his lawyers have been in contact with the Justice Department, and they were told he is a subject, not a target, of investigation, according to the report.
“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.”
MATT GAETZ NAMES FORMER DOJ OFFICIAL HE SAYS TRIED TO EXTORT HIS FAMILY FOR $25 MILLION
The Justice Department declined to comment on the matter.
Former Attorney General William Barr opened the investigation in the waning days of the Trump administration and notified senior officials in the Justice Department due to Gaetz’s national profile, according to the New York Times, which stressed no charges have been brought against the congressman.
Greenberg pleaded not guilty last year and was jailed this month for violating the terms of his bail. He is set for a court date in Orlando in June.
The report was published hours after Axios reported Gaetz is considering leaving Congress to join Newsmax, a conservative cable network.
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A representative for Florida’s 1st Congressional District since 2017, Gaetz, a staunch Trump ally, has been a regular guest on right-leaning news shows. He got engaged to Ginger Luckey, sister to Oculus founder and Republican donor Palmer Luckey, in December.
