Rep. Matt Gaetz
Matthew (Matt) Gaetz: The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden and McConnell agree on vaccines and infrastructure confrontation Katie Hill: Gaetz “must be held responsible” if real sexual allegations Meghan McCain asks Gaetz to resign MORE (R-Fla.) He reportedly apologized to the White House during the last weeks of President Trump
Donald Trump The Amazing Presidency of Joe Biden The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden and McConnell agree on vaccines, clash over infrastructure Republican battle with MLB intensifies MOREadministration, a revelation that comes when the legislature is the subject of a federal investigation into sex trafficking.
Gaetz apologized to Trump and his unidentified congressional allies, two people familiar with the discussion told the New York Times. The conversation came about the same time Gaetz publicly asked Trump to forgive Republican allies and when the Justice Department investigated the Florida Republican for an alleged relationship with a 17-year-old who violated traffic laws. sexual.
According to the Times, it was unclear whether Gaetz became aware of the federal investigation when he apologized. Gaetz’s request was communicated to a Trump aide and it was also unclear whether Gaetz applied for pardon directly with the then president, the newspaper reported.
Spokesmen for Trump and Gaetz did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Hill.
“Top-level political agents have combined a pardon call from Rep. Gaetz, where he asked President Trump to forgive“ everyone, from himself, to his administration, to Joe Exotic, ”with these false and increasingly bizarre, partisan accusations against him. ” a Gaetz spokesman told the Times.
“These comments have been on record for some time and President Trump has even retweeted the congressman, who tweeted them.”
Gaetz also said last month that he “does not seek forgiveness.”
The Times report is the latest development in a whirlwind scandal around Gaetz.
In addition to the Justice Department investigation, reports have also emerged that Gaetz showed his colleagues nude photos of women with whom he claims to have slept and taken illegal drugs and paid for sex with women.
Gaetz has denied all allegations and said they are part of a smear campaign against his political opponents.
“Washington’s cycles of scandal are predictable and sex is especially powerful in politics,” Gaetz wrote in an editorial published Monday in the Washington Examiner. “Let me first remind everyone that I am a representative in Congress, not a monk, and certainly not a criminal.”