On Tuesday, Donald Trump reaffirmed his stance, stating he would not be retracting his contentious nomination of former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz for the position of attorney general.
When questioned by reporters in Texas about whether he would reconsider Gaetz given the controversies linked to his candidacy, the president-elect responded emphatically, “No.”
The decision caught many, including several Republican senators, off guard last week.
Previously, Gaetz had been under investigation by the Department of Justice regarding allegations related to sex trafficking. Although the inquiry was eventually closed without any charges filed against him, it did lead to the conviction of Joel Greenberg, Gaetz’s associate and tax collector for Seminole County, on related charges.
Currently, Gaetz is facing scrutiny from a House Ethics Committee investigation, which is examining allegations that he engaged in sexual activities with a minor and that he financially compensated individuals for sex. Gaetz has categorically denied all accusations.
Reports indicate that the committee received testimony from a witness who claimed to have seen Gaetz in a compromising situation with a 17-year-old girl at a gathering.
Shortly after Trump announced Gaetz as his candidate for attorney general, Gaetz resigned from Congress, which effectively concluded the investigation since the House Ethics Committee cannot investigate individuals not serving in Congress.
It remains uncertain if the details of the committee’s investigation will be made public, although an attorney representing the then-minor has advocated for its release.
Joel Leppard, a lawyer representing two women alleging that Gaetz paid them for sexual encounters, has participated in multiple media discussions shedding light on their testimonies to the committee.
“She testified in front of the House that as she was making her way to the pool area, she looked to her right and witnessed … her friend engaging in sexual activities with Representative Gaetz. At that time, her friend was only 17,” he recounted during an interview with CNN on Monday evening.
Leppard mentioned that his clients disclosed to the committee that Gaetz’s payments for sexual encounters continued from the summer of 2017 through early 2019.
“These interactions occurred at various Airbnbs, private residences, and even at political events,” Leppard stated during a conversation with OutFront anchor Erin Burnett. “There were trips to New York and the Bahamas as part of these events, happening intermittently, possibly over ten times from July 2017 to early January 2019.”
Leppard indicated to ABC News that one such situation took place in New York in 2019, where Gaetz allegedly financed the travel of two women (across state lines) to attend his Fox News appearance, go to the Broadway show Pretty Woman: The Musical, and engage in sexual activities with him.
Gaetz continues to strongly reject the allegations (as expected).
