They say when you find yourself at the bottom of a ditch, stop digging. But apparently Matt Gaetz didn’t get that memo because he’s halfway to China right now.
In case you haven’t heard, the 38-year-old frat boy/Florida lawmaker is currently under investigation for allegedly paying women, as well as a 17-year-old girl, for sex on CashApp and Apple Pay. He, of course, denies this, but The New York Times has text messages and online receipts that seem to corroborate the allegations.
Now, rather than do what anyone being federally investigated for underage sex crimes would probably do and, say, hire a lawyer, followed by maybe a publicist, Gaetz has decided to write a scathing op-ed in the Washington Examiner affirming his innocence.
Related: A brief, probably incomplete history of Matt Gaetz’s sex scandals and creepiest moments (so far)
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In an article dramatically titled The swamp is out to drown me with false charges, but I’m not giving up, Gaetz reminds everyone, “I am a representative in Congress, not a monk.”
Of course, nobody expects him to be a monk. Only monks are expected to be monks. They do, however, expect him not to pay underage girls for sex. But we digress.
“I want to be clear about something as we process the leaks and lies from the past week,” he continues. “To this point, there are exactly zero credible (or even non-credible) accusers willing to come forward by name and state on the public record that I behaved improperly toward them.”
This, of course, isn’t true.
Multiple media outlets have reported that an 18-year-old testified before a grand jury in Florida last week saying she had sex with Gaetz when she was still a minor. And while he may not think she’s credible, the Department of Justice believes she’s credible enough to have launched an investigation into the matter.
Gaetz goes on to say that he believes this is all part of an elaborate smear campaign against him, motivated by his criticisms of the Biden administration, or maybe because of his beef with Liz Cheney.
This is a vastly different explanation than he gave just last week, when he told Tucker Carlson he was the victim of a $25 million extortion plot. Or something.
“That was one of the weirdest interviews I've ever conducted."pic.twitter.com/lo2BqvxHJT
— andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) March 31, 2021
“Since I’m taking my turn under the gun, let me address the allegations against me directly,” Gaetz continues. “First, I have never, ever paid for sex. And second, I, as an adult man, have not slept with a 17-year-old.”
He then goes on to say he is “enjoying my current embrace of monogamy” with his fiancée Ginger Luckey, who hasn’t issued any comment since the story broke last week.
Related: Matt Gaetz’s fiancée urged to “Run girl!” after sharing photo of his bare legs amid teen sex scandal
“I’m a better man today than I was years ago,” he writes. “Heck, I hope to be a better man than I was yesterday, every day of my life. My lifestyle of yesteryear may be different from how I live now, but it was not and is not illegal.”
Except for that time he got arrested for drunk driving, of course. And all of those speeding tickets. But maybe that stuff doesn’t count?
This is #MattGaetz‘s 2008 Drunk Driving #Mugshot. Besides Gaetz getting the charges dropped after he “refused” a breathalyzer test, he also had 16 speeding tickets from 1999-2014. This guy should be allowed to sweep the floors of congress let alone represent #FLORIDA pic.twitter.com/7wylKKlf6h
— StageWrangler🇺🇸 (@calicolocali) February 7, 2019
“My political opponents want to sensationalize and criminalize my prior sex life just as I am getting engaged to the best person I’ve ever known,” Gaetz claims.
Then, without the slightest hint of irony, he adds, “It is regrettable that the battle of ideas should thus become so personal. But then again, when your ideas suck, you need to stoop this low.”
He concludes by accusing the Justice Department of trying to “pervert the truth” and says he will “not be intimidated or extorted” before comparing himself to a gladiator.
“The battle for America’s future demands gladiators,” he write, “and I am going to keep getting back up and fighting, every single day.”
Graham Gremore is the Features Editor and a Staff Writer at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.
MacAdvisor
I really, really hate being placed in the position of defending Gaetz here, but this article is just so completely and utterly wrong, I have to post. First and most important, he is not being investigated for having sex with an underage girl. The age of consent in DC is 17 and she was that old at the time of the alleged encounter. He is being investigated for having her cross state lines for immoral purposes under the Mann Act, a rather sexiest piece of legislation that should be repealed. Yes, these is evidence that he paid women, but nothing that indicates he paid them for sex. He contends and the evidence only supports that he gave them money supposedly to reimburse them for travel expenses and lodging. Lastly, one is supposed to stop digging when at the bottom of a hole, not a ditch.
His contention he is being blackmailed or extorted is likely BS, but, again, we need evidence, not mere eye rolls.
I feel slimmed just defending the creep, but facts and truth are more important, even more than good, but inaccurate, gossip.
bdwaycas
How on earth can you state as a fact that no evidence of him paying for sex exists? That would be impossible. Just because the evidence hasn’t been publicly published doesn’t make it not exist. Unless you personally work in the office that is currently investigating this matter, you would have no way of making that kind of statement at this time. It’ll all be brought forth in due time and then an evaluation can happen, but in the same way that you’re saying not to find him guilty at this time, it’s also far to early to deem him innocent either.
Mr. Stadnick
Granted the writing of this article may not be of Pulitzer caliber but the point is Matt Gaetz is a not fit to be in Congress.
Den
The investigation of Gaetz began under the Trump Justice Department, lead by Barr. So his insistence that this is some kind of action by political opponents or extortion do not ring true and strengthen the notion that he is, in fact, hiding past actions.
Crossing state lines for immoral purposes is hardly sexist, Yes, the Mann Act applies to the trafficking of women or girls for sexual purposes or forced servitude. But overwhelmingly it is women and girls who are victimized in this way.
He contends that his payments were only reimbursement, but that contention has not yet been proven.
The investigation is being taken very seriously by conventional media, and for good reason.
The only valid criticism of this article really is Gremore’s expected overwrought and breathless “journalistic” style. There is simply no basis on which to defend Gaetz.
MacAdvisor
If you like, I will amend my statement to indicate there hasn’t been any evidence brought forth indicating the payment were for sex rather than travel expenses. Other than Matt being stupid enough to write “sex” in the memo line, I doubt their could be any such evidence as to his intent.
I think having a law that makes a crime out of an adult crossing a state line to have sex for money is inherently sexiest. Confine it to just women and the case is plain on its face. Apply to a minor who is at the age of consent and I still think it is too ripe for abuse. You want to make human trafficking a crime, do. That is 18 U.S. Code 1581, not the Mann Act.
BaltoSteve
Here is the rub, pun unintended, while the age of consent in DC is 16 years of age, in FL it is illegal for anyone over the age of 24 to engage in sexual conduct with someone who is 16 or 17. So the question is, did he engage in sexual conduct in one or both places. And I don’t know about you, but the idea of transporting a 17 yo girl from one locale where it is illegal to another where it is perfectly fine, sounds like engaging in human sex trafficking .
Liquid Silver
What, how dare you let facts get in the way of Making Stuff Up! 🙂 Don’t forget, it’s only bad to hang them without proof when they’re Democrats. When we do it, it’s just fine. Or something.
Cam
If the girl was interviewed by a Florida Grand jury it doesn’t sound like the sex was in DC.
cliche guevara
Ostensibly you are saying that what Gaetz did isn’t a big deal because you are okay with what he did. Justice in the U.S. isn’t based on the whims is a Queerty commentator. And seriously, the only thing more embarrassing than being a Trump boot-licker is being the boot-licker of a Trump boot-licker. Do better.
taddeo
xmeet.fun – a great project for adults who want to find a sexual partner!
Fahd
I haven’t read anything that would make me think Gaetz is not guilty. This isn’t a court of law – I don’t need to apply the presumption of innocence. Aslo, I think he’s following the lead of his hero down in Mar lago. He’s doing the con where you are so adamant about the lie being the truth and the truth being a lie that some of the people (the ones you can fool all of the time) are going to believe that the lie is the truth. This guy is an obnoxious troll, and I hope they succeed in driving him from office and prosecuting him for any crimes, but the next representative from his district is likely to be another republican.
MacAdvisor
Either we give Gaetz the benefit of the doubt and go with innocent until proven guilty or we agree Hunter Biden is guilty of drug crimes. We really can’t have it both ways.
Fahd
@MacAdvisor – there’s no “we” – you go your way; I’ll go mine. Good luck!
Cam
@MacAdvisor
And there it is.
Chrisk
Why are we doing the whataboutisms? I didn’t realize Hunter Bidon was a Representative of Congress.
eddiesocket
@MacAdvisor,
Hunter Biden? Huh? How did he get shoe-horned into this? What a bizarre non-sequitur. Or rather a transparently sad attempt at a whatabout from a right wing troll who isn’t fooling anyone. You and your buddy Matt can keep on banging minors and claiming laws against it are sexist, you alt-right weirdo.
Hdtex
@MacAdviser piss off back over to Breitbart troll. You’re PATHETIC.
Winsocki
I cannot stand Gaetz and find him a wack job and political fool and an evil man. But… I agree with MacAdvisor. As far as paying for sex… by gifts and paying bills.. That is the American way and people do it all the time but call it dating or courting. Look at it from POV of a gay life style …. consensual and twink obsessed. And Hunter Biden has no qualifications for his high paying jobs since he admits being a degenerate low life crack whore. Living with a homeless women and going sleazy hotel to hotel. I mean Gaetz is not even that lowlife. Adultery and stooping his sis in law, yuk.
Cam
It’s cute when a troll account comes in says “I don’t like Gaetz BUT……” Then proceeds to defend Gaetz and attack Hunter Biden.
I mean really do you even bother trying?
Your troll game is old and tired no matter what screename you use.
cliche guevara
Thanks understand your point of view, you are in the same boat as Gaetz and paying for sex it apparently what you have to do. Don’t make the mistake of assuming your situation is normal. The majority of us don’t pay for sex.
Harvey Pooka
Message to Ginger Lucky: RUN FAST! RUN FAR!!!
wikidBSTN
Yes, this is all motivated by the fact that some people don’t like his politics. You see, Gaetz is the only person in all of Washington DC who people have a beef with – position wise. That’s why he is the one and only person being “persecuted” by the liberals. Yup – makes sense.
Chrisk
Democrats deal with it too. Al Franken, Bill Clinton, Anthony Weener, Barney Frank, Jim McGreevy, etc.
rbernard
If one objectively evaluates this man, based on all public information, even without regard to the recent and credible salacious allegations made about him, Matt Gaetz is still unfit and wholly unworthy of the honor of representing of a US Congressional district.
Karlis
Gladiators? Wasn’t that a line in Airplane when the pilot was making sexually suggestive comments to little Joey? Sure it was: “Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?” Perhaps that was not really the best metaphor for young Mr. Gaetz to choose.