Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday denied a report claiming that Representative Matt Gaetz apologized to the White House (for him and his unidentified congressional allies) amid a federal investigation into Allegations of sexual trafficking in minors.
“Congressman Matt Gaetz has never apologized to me,” the 45th commander-in-chief said in an emailed statement. “It must also be remembered that he has completely denied the allegations against him.”
The New York Times reported Tuesday that Gaetz (R-Fla.) Allegedly drove a pardon effort during the time he was investigated by the Justice Department for an alleged relationship with a 17-year-old girl who violated the laws on sexual trafficking. two sources familiar with the discussions.
According to the newspaper, it was unclear whether Gaetz or the White House was aware of the federal investigation when he made the request, which the aides forwarded to the president, and added that it was also unclear whether police discussed the matter. directly with Trump.
If the information is accurate, the Conservative manufacturer did not tell White House aides that he was being investigated for possible sex trafficking violations when he made the request.
Lawyers and White House officials thought granting him a general pardon would be a bad precedent, so they rejected him, sources told the press.
Citing his own sources, ABC News also reported that Trump was aware of Gaetz’s request, which the White House quickly dismissed.
In recent days, some Trump associates theorized that Gaetz’s request for pardons for him and others was an attempt to hide his own potential legal exposure, the Times reported.
A Gaetz spokesman denied in the Times that the petition was related to the Justice Department investigation.
“Inbound political agents have combined a call for a pardon from Rep. Gaetz (where he asked President Trump to forgive” all of him, his administration, Joe Exotic “) with these false and increasingly bizarre, partisan accusations against him. ” the representative told the newspaper.
“These comments have been on record for some time and President Trump has even retweeted the congressman, who tweeted them.”
Arriving by Politician last week, Gaetz denied that he had asked for the pardon of the then president.
Asked again Tuesday evening, Gaetz said he was on the side of that statement, but warned that he had not read the Times piece.
“The recent false allegations against me are not something I have ever discussed with Trump, pardons or anything else,” he told the dam in his initial denial.
The conflicting lawmaker said he and his other lawmakers had met with Trump to discuss a broader pardon strategy after the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol, an exchange in which he advised the a former president who forgave himself, his family and others for insurrection charges, Politico reported.
Trump was indicted by the House accused of inciting insurrection, but acquitted in the Senate.
Gaetz has denied any allegations of sexual misconduct.
On Monday, in an opinion to the Washington Examiner, Gaetz said he “absolutely did not give up,” as he blamed the scandal on “political opponents.”
He has remained defiant in the face of growing accusations against him, including federal investigations into whether he paid for sex with women, including a 17-year-old girl.
In addition to the Justice investigation into allegedly paying the 17-year-old for sex and luring her to travel, Gaetz has been accused of various misdeeds, including that he used to show photos of naked women with whom he slept in fellow police officers and who played a Harry Potter-themed “sexual challenge” where points would be awarded for various breaks.
Michael Waldman, president of New York’s nonprofit Brennan Justice Center, told ABC News that Gaetz’s request “was so extravagant, apparently, that even President Trump rejected it.”
“It simply came to our notice then. A general pardon to an investigated member of Congress would have been even more extraordinary, “Waldman told the network.
“It’s an open question if a president can give a general pardon in advance, as it amounts to an invitation to go out and break the law,” he added.
Gaetz had previously expressed support for Trump’s presidential pardons.
In a Nov. 24 appearance on Fox News, Gaetz stated that Trump should “forgive Michael Flynn, forgive the Thanksgiving turkey, forgive everyone, from his administration officials, to Joe Exotic, if he will.” must do “.
“Because from the radical left you see a desire for blood that can only be calmed if they come after the people who worked so hard to encourage the Trump administration with the policies, vigor and effectiveness they gave to the American people, “he told Laura. Ingraham. “Therefore, I believe that the President should exercise this power of pardon effectively and soundly.”