Oh, Matty. Have you been a naughty boy?

[ZiprHead]

Witness Can Confirm Matt Gaetz Was Told He Had Sex With a Minor

One of the key interactions Joel Greenberg claims to have had with Matt Gaetz is a phone call informing Gaetz that they’d been sleeping with a minor. Someone witnessed the call.

www.thedailybeast.com

On Sept. 4, 2017, according to his confession letter, Joel Greenberg called his friend Rep. Matt Gaetz with some bad news.

A teenager both men had paid to have sex with was underage, Greenberg claimed. Now, two sources tell The Daily Beast, a cooperating witness can confirm details of that call for one damning reason: He was in Greenberg’s office when the call took place.

The witness, “Big Joe” Ellicott—Greenberg’s longtime best friend and an employee at the Seminole County tax office—recently pleaded guilty to fraud and drug charges as part of a cooperation agreement with federal prosecutors.

Although Ellicott has so far avoided any charges regarding sex trafficking of a minor, which Greenberg pleaded guilty to last May, he was present for the call that Greenberg made to Gaetz on Sept. 4, according to two people briefed on the matter. The call, they said, was short—and Gaetz was the one who ended it.

 

[lpetrich]

Matt Gaetz says "women who look like a thumb" shouldn't complain about abortion rights | Salon.com

"Have you watched these pro-abortion, pro-murder rallies?" Gaetz asked attendees of the Summit. "The people are just disgusting. Why is it that the women with the least likelihood of getting pregnant are the ones most worried about having abortions?"

"Nobody wants to impregnate you if you look like a thumb. These people are odious from the inside out," Gaetz continued in his speech. "They're like 5′2,″ 350 pounds, and they're like, 'Give me my abortions or I'll get up and march and protest.' "I'm thinking, march? You look like you've got ankles weaker than the legal reasoning behind Roe V. Wade," Gaetz continued: "They need to get up and march for like an hour a day, swing those arms, get the blood pumping, maybe mix in a salad."

This isn't the first time that he's made arguments like that about pro-choice activists.

In May, the Florida congressman Tweeted "How many of the women rallying against overturning Roe are over-educated, under-loved millennials who sadly return from protests to a lonely microwave dinner with their cats, and no bumble matches?"

Tom Malinowski on Twitter: "OK, I'm not going to say every Republican is like Matt Gaetz -- though there will be more like him in the next Congress.
But look at how the audience reacts to this brain-dead misogyny, at a conference meant to showcase the youthful future of the GOP." / Twitter
noting
Aaron Rupar on Twitter: "Gaetz: "Why is it that the women with the least likelihood of getting pregnant are the ones most worried about having abortions? Nobody wants to impregnate you if you look like a thumb." (vid link)" / Twitter
With video of him saying that from the Turning Point conservative conference.

 

[lpetrich]

'Be offended': Gaetz stands by controversial comments on female abortion rights protesters | WEAR

"These people are odious on the inside and out," Gaetz said Saturday at the summit. "They're like 5'2, 350 pounds and they're like, 'Give me my abortions or I'll get up and march and protest.' And I'm thinking, 'March? You look like you got ankles weaker than the legal reasoning behind Roe vs Wade.' A few of them need to get up and march. They need to get up and march for like an hour a day, swing those arms, get the blood pumping, maybe mix in a salad."

He later stated:

'm very pro-life and I make no apology for it. I'm grateful that Roe has been overturned and that Dobbs is now the jurisprudence on abortion. I find these people that go out in these pro-abortion, pro-murder rallies odious -- and just, like, ugly on the inside and out. I make no apology for it. I don't believe that every person who disagrees with my perspective on life is an ugly person. But the ones that are out there protesting and marching on Justice [Brett] Kavanaugh's home, trying to threaten the court, trying to impose a 'night of rage' on our nation's Capitol -- which us what they advertised -- that's just pure ugliness. I see that ugliness on the inside, I see it on the outside. Even in the horrible circumstance where an abortion may happen, it is nothing to celebrate and it is nothing to cheer.

Then some follow-up questions.

hannel 3: Is it safe to say that, based off your comments, you're suggesting that these women at these abortion rallies are ugly and overweight?
Gaetz: "Yes"
Channel 3: What do you say to people who think those comments are offensive?
Gaetz: "Be offended."

Olivia Iverson on Twitter: "@RepMattGaetz doubled-down on his comments in our interview this morning.
Q: You're suggesting that these women at these abortion rallies are ugly and overweight?
A: Yes
Q: What do you say to people who think those comments are offensive?
A: Be offended. (vid link)" / Twitter
With video of him saying all that.

 

[Playball40]

And yet, the MFCKR is still in office.

 

[Jarhyn]

And yet, the MFCKR is still in office.

The problem is that resigning is no longer the least painful option.

 

[lpetrich]

Teen Uses Matt Gaetz’ Body-Shaming Insults To Raise $1.1M For Abortion Access – Deadline

(Him on abortion defenders being 5'2", weighing 350 lbs, and looking like a thumb...)

The comments garnered a lot of media attention, including a Newsmax piece that Gaetz retweeted to his 1.4 million Twitter followers with a photo of liberal activist Olivia Julianna, who’s 19 and with a group called Gen Z for Change, with the words “Dander raised.”

Olivia Julianna 🗳 on Twitter: "In honor of Matt Gaetz publicly body shaming me, I’ll be fundraising for the @genzforchange abortion fund.
The Gen-Z for Choice fund splits donations across states where services are most needed.
You can donate to the link below " / Twitter

Olivia Julianna 🗳 on Twitter: "
ABORTION FUND UPDATE
Since we started fundraising last night because of Matt Gaetz hateful comments, we have now raised over $70K for abortion funds across the country!!!" / Twitter

Olivia Julianna 🗳 on Twitter: "Correcting because the number of donors is smaller than we think!!!
It was 42,000 individual donations were spread across 50 abortion funds. The wording was confusing! Just wanted to be transparent." / Twitter

The ReidOut on Twitter: ".@0liviajulianna on raising $330,000 for abortion access off of Matt Gaetz's trolling her: "We are starting to see more and more Republicans like Matt Gaetz make these childish attacks because they know that these women are mobilizing across the country..." #TheReidOut (vid link)" / Twitter
Joy Reid interviewing interviewing Olivia Julianna

Hillary Clinton on Twitter: "Well done, Olivia! (link)" / Twitter
noting
Matt Gaetz Body-Shamed a Teen — Who Then Launched a Fundraiser for Abortion Rights | Teen Vogue
noting
Olivia Julianna 🗳 on Twitter: "Well @mattgaetz, I have to hand it to you. I didn’t think you cared about us abortion rights activists, but your spotlight on me has helped raise $50K for abortion funds in the last 24 hours! So I made you a special thank you card It almost feels like #MattGaetzIsProAbortion (pic link)" / Twitter

Dear Matt,

Although your intentions were hateful, your public shaming of my appearance has done nothing but benefit me. I have gained substantial amount of support across platforms, and now because of YOUR HATRED, l've also helped facilitate $50,000 in donations to abortion funds. Your hateful comments towards me will quite literally help pay for abortion services.
Lol. Get rekt.

Sincerely,
Olivia Julianna
A proud abortion rights activist

Olivia Julianna 🗳 on Twitter: "Thank you @JoyAnnReid!
We raised $1.1 million in under 72 hours because of a rude comment.
Imagine what we can do with a solid year of planning to elect democrats across the country. We’ve been working to do just that. Can’t wait to share (vid link)" / Twitter

 

[lpetrich]

Fresh off of that defeat, Rep. Matt Gaetz put his foot in his mouth yet again.

Matt Gaetz Tries To Link 'Lesbian Rapes' To Gay Adoptions | Crooks and Liars

During this morning's Civil Rights and Post-Roe America hearing, Rep. Matt Gaetz attempted to link lesbians and gay adoptions to his attack on abortion rights.

Somehow if America allows women to have control of their own bodies it hurts the gays, because then gay couples wouldn't have enough children to adopt.

 

[blastula]

Glass houses, Gaetz.

 

[lpetrich]

Matt Gaetz Sparks Outrage Over Hosting High School Event: 'Absolutely Vile'

Florida GOP Representative Matt Gaetz, who is being investigated by the Justice Department in connection with the sex trafficking of a 17-year-old girl, has sparked outrage after it emerged he would host a high school event in his state.

Gaetz is due to appear Tuesday night at the annual Academy Night at Niceville High School, where students typically learn about how they can attend U.S. service (or military) academies.

 

[ZiprHead]

 

[southernhybrid]

What I want to know is why so many of these Republican criminals aren't at least being charged with their crimes. Justice for All! What a joke.

 

[Patooka]

I thought the tweet Zipr provided was just a sarcastic one. Something like "Gaetz asked for a pardon but we're not sure what for so we're going to assume trafficking". Nope;

Report: Former Trump aide says Gaetz sought pardon related to sex-trafficking inquiry

A former White House aide testified that Rep. Matt Gaetz sought a preemptive pardon regarding a Justice Department sex-trafficking investigation

www.pnj.com

The person was so sure of it they were willing to testify that it happened. Man, how fucking furious must Gary Hart feel about modern day politics.

 

[ZiprHead]

Career prosecutors recommend no charges for Gaetz in sex-trafficking probe Investigators see credibility challenges for two main witnesses in a probe of the congressman’s alleged past dealings with a then-17-year-old

 

[southernhybrid]

Career prosecutors recommend no charges for Gaetz in sex-trafficking probe Investigators see credibility challenges for two main witnesses in a probe of the congressman’s alleged past dealings with a then-17-year-old

Yeah. I heard that recently. Too bad, but I can understand if the witnesses aren't believable, no sense it trying to prosecute. It might just like Matt look better.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Career prosecutors recommend no charges for Gaetz in sex-trafficking probe Investigators see credibility challenges for two main witnesses in a probe of the congressman’s alleged past dealings with a then-17-year-old

Yeah. I heard that recently. Too bad, but I can understand if the witnesses aren't believable, no sense it trying to prosecute. It might just like Matt look better.

Are they not credible or is this a Republican prosecutor?

 

[Derec]

Career prosecutors recommend no charges for Gaetz in sex-trafficking probe Investigators see credibility challenges for two main witnesses in a probe of the congressman’s alleged past dealings with a then-17-year-old

Good decision. It is absurd to make "sex trafficking" out of a consensual relationship, even if the other party was (barely) a minor.

 

[Hermit]

Career prosecutors recommend no charges for Gaetz in sex-trafficking probe Investigators see credibility challenges for two main witnesses in a probe of the congressman’s alleged past dealings with a then-17-year-old

Good decision. It is absurd to make "sex trafficking" out of a consensual relationship, even if the other party was (barely) a minor.

I thought laws regarding age of consent* applied to everybody. Silly me.

*The age of consent is the age at which a person is considered to be legally competent to consent to sexual acts. Consequently, an adult who engages in sexual activity with a person younger than the age of consent is unable to legally claim that the sexual activity was consensual, and such sexual activity may be considered child sexual abuse or statutory rape. The person below the minimum age is considered the victim, and their sex partner the offender, although some jurisdictions provide exceptions through "Romeo and Juliet laws" if one or both participants are underage, and are close in age.​

 

[Patooka]

if one or both participants are underage, and are close in age.

In this instance Matt Gaetz was quite literally twice the girl's age when it happened. Also people don't seek pardons if they think they did nothing wrong.

 

[southernhybrid]

Career prosecutors recommend no charges for Gaetz in sex-trafficking probe Investigators see credibility challenges for two main witnesses in a probe of the congressman’s alleged past dealings with a then-17-year-old

Yeah. I heard that recently. Too bad, but I can understand if the witnesses aren't believable, no sense it trying to prosecute. It might just like Matt look better.

Are they not credible or is this a Republican prosecutor?

I read the article and got the impression that the biggest problem might be with Greenberg, the man who pleaded guilty to numerous crimes, as well as making claims about Gaetz. The problem is that Greenberg appears to be a liar, making his credibility questionable. I have no idea if the prosecutors are conservatives. It simply appears that the primary witness isn't credible and that would tend to make it very difficult to get a guilty verdict. It might even make Gaetz look like a victim. While I'm not happy to see Gaetz get away with a possible crime, it makes sense not to try and prosecute someone if the evidence is skimpy and the primary witness has proven to be a liar. Of course, that doesn't mean that if more evidence comes out, things might change.

Greenberg has been providing investigators information about Gaetzsince last year, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Greenberg’s credibility would be a significant challenge for any prosecution of Gaetz, in part because one of the crimes Greenberg admitted to was fabricating allegations against a schoolteacher who was running against him to be a tax collector. Greenberg had sent letters to the school falsely claiming the teacher had an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student — a similar allegation to the Gaetz case.

 

[Angry Floof]

The truth will come out eventually, and hopefully in time for Gaetz to be held to account. And remember, the first time they tried to hold Epstein to account, crooked prosecutors gave him a sweet deal so he could avoid prison and continue preying on little girls.