Matt Gaetz Probe Intensifies With A Second Plea Deal – Breaking News
By Nikki Slusher
What has an abnormally large forehead and a mounting sex trafficking scandal? That’s right — it’s everyone’s least favorite firebrand Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL).
Things are looking a little more gloomy for Gaetz now that former radio host, Joseph Ellicot, is cooperating and reached an agreement with federal investigators. Ellicot’s agreement includes a guilty plea to a bribery charge, which is part of a separate scheme involving disgraced Gaetz confidant Joel Greenberg, the man at the center of the sex trafficking case who has also plead guilty in exchange for his testimony that severely incriminates the congressman.
Although entwined in what used to be a death sentence to one’s political career, Gaetz has continued to claim he did no wrongdoing and that it is all part of the DOJ’s liberal agenda in attacking Donald Trump’s political allies. It’s important to note that it was Trump’s own Attorney General William Barr who opened the investigation into Gaetz while Trump was still in the Oval Office. Gaetz is also an active member of the House Judiciary Committee, the same one that will be investigating his role in sex trafficking case.
Last year Greenberg told federal authorities that he personally witnessed Gaetz and the then 17 year old have sex, and that she was paid for the escapade. Greenberg and Ellicot’s decision to cooperate with authorities could ultimately severely reduce their sentences given that the information they provide is valuable. If Ellicot is granted immunity, this could mean Gaetz it looking at one hell of a legal battle in the horizon.
The Daily Beast previously reported on a text exchange between Greenberg and Ellicot that expressed their concerns over the possibility of facing sex trafficking charges. Furthermore, Gaetz allegedly called one of the star witnesses in the case and is also being investigated over the call for obstruction of justice. Yet regardless of what facts are laid out regarding the case, Gaetz has continued to wage war against investigators and his former friends in a national pity party on OAN and Newsmax. He has been banned from Fox News since his interview where he implicated that Tucker Carlson had met the young woman in question at a dinner party event. After staring “tuckerly” into the cameras Mr. Carlson immediately rushed to get Gaetz off his show and ensure viewers were aware that he had no idea what Gaetz was talking about.
In fact, nothing has seemed to phase Gaetz. He even spoke to Steve Bannon about how Republicans would “go after” the DOJ and FBI – the agencies currently investigating him – if Republicans win back the house in November.
Before anyone panics about midterms and the great GOP takeover Gaetz is projecting we must remember that he said the same thing in 2018, 2020, and 2021; all three major elections Trump splendidly helped lose for Republicans. There also wasn’t a bunch of his former friends making plea deals with the feds in lieu of hours and pages of damning evidence against his fetish for high schoolers.
While no indictments have been filed against Gaetz, a federal grand jury in Florida will decide in the next few months what Gaetz’s fate should be. Just spitballing ideas here, but my guess is it won’t be good for his re-election since you can’t hold fundraiser events while behind bars.
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