Matt Gaetz says he won’t resign from Congress amid sex crime allegations

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Video above: Gaetz beneath investigationRep. Matt Gaetz stated Monday he is not going to depart Congress and denied accusations that he had intercourse with an underage woman, suggesting that he is being focused by political foes as a result of he “loathes the swamp.”In a column showing within the Washington Examiner, a conservative information outlet, the embattled Florida Republican predicted that “a few of my feckless colleagues in Congress” will name for him to step down. “No, I’m completely not resigning,” he wrote Monday in one in all his first public feedback in regards to the allegations. Gaetz, beginning his fifth 12 months in Congress, has been battling to protect his political profession since studies final week that he’s beneath federal investigation for doable intercourse crimes. An aggressive and high-profile ally of Donald Trump, Gaetz has to date obtained nearly no public assist from his congressional Republican colleagues and none from the previous president. The 38-year-old Gaetz is beneath scrutiny by federal prosecutors over whether or not he had intercourse with a 17-year-old and different underage women and violated federal intercourse trafficking legal guidelines. That is based on individuals accustomed to the investigation who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of they may not talk about particulars publicly. Gaetz, who has not been charged with any crimes, denied the accusations Monday. “First, I’ve by no means, ever paid for intercourse,” he wrote. “And second, I, as an grownup man, haven’t slept with a 17-year-old.” Engaged since New Yr’s Eve, he wrote, “My life-style of yesteryear could also be completely different from how I dwell now, nevertheless it was not and isn’t unlawful.”Gaetz used his column to assault Democrats, information organizations and others, saying his enemies are “simply repeating false allegations a couple of congressman who loathes the swamp and fights each side of it every day.” He additionally predicted, “I am certain some partisan crooks in Merrick Garland’s Justice Division need to pervert the reality and the legislation to go after me.” The FBI, the Biden administration’s Justice Division and “the Cheney political dynasty” have been among the many entities Gaetz accused of unjustly focusing on him. Gaetz helped lead an unsuccessful battle early this 12 months to depose Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, from her job as No. 3 Home GOP chief. Gaetz’s article was revealed the identical day a former congressional aide instructed reporters he was interviewed final week by the FBI. Nathan Nelson, a navy adviser who left Gaetz’s workplace in October, stated he was questioned about whether or not he’d left that job as a result of he knew of Gaetz’s “involvement in unlawful actions.” “I am right here this morning to state that nothing might be farther from the reality. Neither I nor another member of Congressman Gaetz’s workers had any data of unlawful actions,” Nelson stated at his dwelling in Santa Rosa Seaside, Florida. Nelson supplied no particular particulars in regards to the FBI’s questioning. With out detailing them, he stated he believes the costs in opposition to Gaetz are false.

Video above: Gaetz beneath investigation

Rep. Matt Gaetz stated Monday he is not going to depart Congress and denied accusations that he had intercourse with an underage woman, suggesting that he is being focused by political foes as a result of he “loathes the swamp.”

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In a column showing within the Washington Examiner, a conservative information outlet, the embattled Florida Republican predicted that “a few of my feckless colleagues in Congress” will name for him to step down.

“No, I’m completely not resigning,” he wrote Monday in one in all his first public feedback in regards to the allegations.

Gaetz, beginning his fifth 12 months in Congress, has been battling to protect his political profession since studies final week that he’s beneath federal investigation for doable intercourse crimes. An aggressive and high-profile ally of Donald Trump, Gaetz has to date obtained nearly no public assist from his congressional Republican colleagues and none from the previous president.

The 38-year-old Gaetz is beneath scrutiny by federal prosecutors over whether or not he had intercourse with a 17-year-old and different underage women and violated federal intercourse trafficking legal guidelines. That is based on individuals accustomed to the investigation who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of they may not talk about particulars publicly.

Gaetz, who has not been charged with any crimes, denied the accusations Monday.

“First, I’ve by no means, ever paid for intercourse,” he wrote. “And second, I, as an grownup man, haven’t slept with a 17-year-old.”

Engaged since New Yr’s Eve, he wrote, “My life-style of yesteryear could also be completely different from how I dwell now, nevertheless it was not and isn’t unlawful.”

Gaetz used his column to assault Democrats, information organizations and others, saying his enemies are “simply repeating false allegations a couple of congressman who loathes the swamp and fights each side of it every day.”

He additionally predicted, “I am certain some partisan crooks in Merrick Garland’s Justice Division need to pervert the reality and the legislation to go after me.”

The FBI, the Biden administration’s Justice Division and “the Cheney political dynasty” have been among the many entities Gaetz accused of unjustly focusing on him. Gaetz helped lead an unsuccessful battle early this 12 months to depose Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, from her job as No. 3 Home GOP chief.

Gaetz’s article was revealed the identical day a former congressional aide instructed reporters he was interviewed final week by the FBI. Nathan Nelson, a navy adviser who left Gaetz’s workplace in October, stated he was questioned about whether or not he’d left that job as a result of he knew of Gaetz’s “involvement in unlawful actions.”

“I am right here this morning to state that nothing might be farther from the reality. Neither I nor another member of Congressman Gaetz’s workers had any data of unlawful actions,” Nelson stated at his dwelling in Santa Rosa Seaside, Florida.

Nelson supplied no particular particulars in regards to the FBI’s questioning. With out detailing them, he stated he believes the costs in opposition to Gaetz are false.

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