Orlando Sentinel: “Before he resigned in disgrace last year, Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg doled out dubious contracts to a number of Republican politicians, political strategists and other allies, many with links to the scandals that have rocked Florida politics this month, according to audit documents, emails and other records reviewed by the Orlando Sentinel. The records also provide further details of Greenberg’s friendships with two of the powerful figures buffeted by the controversies: U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz and lobbyist Chris Dorworth.”

“Greenberg, the records show, took a taxpayer-funded trip to Miami to meet with Gaetz and received an invitation from Dorworth to a VIP experience at an event with former President Donald Trump in which Dorworth promised, ‘They will feed us all booze and give us a ride as well as an escort to our luxury boxes.’ Viewed together, the records depict a Seminole County Tax Collector’s Office that turned into a source of money for people either personally close to Greenberg or plugged into GOP politics. Auditors, hired by Seminole commissioners to probe Greenberg’s spending after he resigned last year, found ample evidence of potential ‘misuse of taxpayer dollars’ and a series of vague consulting contracts for which they found no evidence of work. ‘We consider most of these contracts to be either excessive or unnecessary,’ the auditors wrote.”

“Among the people who got such consulting deals from Greenberg: Matt Morgan, a former professional wrestler who would soon run for Seminole County Commission against an opponent of Dorworth’s proposed mega-development, known as River Cross. Megan Zalonka, a woman who, according to a LinkedIn profile and social media posts, was simultaneously working for Jason Pirozzolo. Pirozzolo, a medical marijuana investor and GOP fundraiser, is now reportedly being scrutinized by federal investigators over a trip to The Bahamas with Gaetz, in which Pirozzolo, a pilot, allegedly paid for travel and female escorts.Eric Foglesong, a political consultant who provided support to a mysterious independent candidate who filed to run – but then did no campaigning – in a high-stakes state Senate election. Greenberg was arrested last year in the early stages of an investigation that at first appeared centered on attempts to smear an opponent of the River Cross development who had filed to oppose Greenberg for re-election but has since sprawled in many directions. Most notably, investigators are now reportedly targeting Gaetz over allegations that he and Greenberg paid for women – and at least one underage girl – to travel and have sex with them. Investigators have also learned of an alleged conversation between Gaetz and Dorworth about the state Senate race controversy, according to the New York Times. Gaetz has broadly denied any wrongdoing and specifically said that he has never paid for sex nor had sex as an adult with an underage girl.”