If Matt Gaetz was hoping that his “America First” tour with Marjorie Taylor Greene, which started in a retirement community in Florida last Friday, would turn people away from his teen sex / prostitution scandal, he can think again.
Several media outlets are reporting that federal investigators are now pushing for the cooperation of two key witnesses in their ongoing investigation into the anti-Gay MP, including his ex-girlfriend. And it looks like she’s feeling the heat.
The unnamed ex is a former Capitol Hill intern who reportedly joined Gaetz, along with several other women, on a wild trip to the Bahamas in 2018.
Investigators are trying to find out whether any of the women on the trip were paid to travel and have sex with Gaetz and others, as well as whether the trip was part of an attempt to illegally influence her into being he advocates for medical marijuana legislation in Congress.
CNN reports:
The cooperation of [Joel] Greenberg and the ex-girlfriend could be among the final stages of the Gaetz investigation. Investigators consider the two to be crucial in understanding the relevance of hundreds of transactions they’ve obtained records of, including those involving payments for sex, sources familiar with the investigation told CNN. The ex-girlfriend could also be questioned by investigators about a second woman as they attempt to determine if Gaetz may have slept with this woman when she was just 17.
The ex-girlfriend, who did not work in Gaetz’s office on Capitol Hill, is of interest to investigators as she was on the trip Gaetz took to the Bahamas in 2018 and is said to be aware of drug use and arrangements with women, according to the sources. .
Last month, Politico reported that federal agents seized the ex’s phone and that she panicked after realizing she may have been cheated on by the 17-year-old, who secretly recorded a of their telephone conversations.
Politico reported:
Two of her friends, who have declined to be identified publicly due to the sensational nature of the case, say she now suspects she was set up when the alleged victim and another woman involved in the case called her to discuss with the legislator what she fears. could have been a recorded conference call.
… The friends did not provide details on exactly what was discussed, but one of them said that Gaetz’s ex-girlfriend said she was opposed to speaking to authorities and that she now feared that prosecutors would try to accuse her of obstructing justice in order to get to Gaetz.
Gaetz has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. Meanwhile, her ex’s lawyer says she is not commenting on the case. And the FBI and the Justice Department are not saying anything either, although it is believed that they are almost done collecting evidence. CNN notes, however, that it will likely take “some time” for investigators to decide whether there is enough evidence to charge Gaetz.
Graham Gremore is editor and editor at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.
