Florida Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz is reportedly being investigated for potential obstruction of justice and witness tampering charges for participating in a phone call with one of the women who was part of the sex trafficking ring run by Gaetz’s declared “wingman,” Politico reports.
The inquiry stems from a phone call initiated by Gaetz’s ex-girlfriend to a woman who was connected to Joel Greenberg, a friend of Gaetz’s who is a former Seminole County, Florida tax collector. Greenberg pleaded guilty last month in a plea bargain to six crimes, including sex-trafficking a 17-year-old in 2017, and the woman is a witness to Gaetz’s involvement in the various incidents with Greenberg.
Gaetz’s ex-girlfriend was speaking to the woman when she patched Gaetz into the call, and Gaetz had a conversation with the witness. The witness later spoke with prosecutors and told them she talked with Gaetz.
Talking with the witness is not inherently illegal; any charges would depend on what was said on the call and by whom, which presumably the witness told prosecutors.
Gaetz’s legal troubles continue to mount, although he’s asserted that he is innocent of all charges and he’s only being investigated because he’s an ally of Donald Trump, who is also under investigation. He also claims he’s the victim of a blackmail scheme, which would be independent of any bad acts by Gaetz. Gaetz has been accused of various crimes, from illegal use of campaign funds, to child sex trafficking, to lying to investigators.
“Congressman Gaetz pursues justice, he doesn’t obstruct it,” a statement from Gaetz’s office said. “The anonymous allegations have thus far amounted to lies, wrapped in leaks, rooted in an extortion plot by a former DOJ official. After two months, there is still not a single on-record accusation of misconduct, and now the ‘story’ is changing yet again.”