Protecting a Predator: Trump Backs Matt Gaetz
In another sign that the President-elect doesn’t care about women, he has tapped Matt Gaetz to be the next Attorney General

In another display of the corruption that will seemingly permeate the upcoming Trump administration, the President-Elect has decided to nominate former Congressman Matt Gaetz for Attorney General. The move, which has provoked controversy among Democrats and Republicans, comes amid a House investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct against the former congressman involving a 17-year-old girl. Said investigation was set to conclude with a report to be released by the House just two days before Gaetz’s resignation. While it is unclear if Gaetz will be confirmed by the Senate, the fact that he is under consideration is yet another sign that Trump’s second term will be an unmitigated disaster.
The Allegations Against Matt Gaetz
Regarding the many issues that come with Matt Gaetz, it is important to remember that he is innocent until proven guilty. That said, many of the allegations seem, at the very least, to be credible, if not downright proven.
Previously, the former congressmen faced a federal investigation after one of his associates, who was facing legal troubles of his own, offered testimony suggesting that Gaetz had sex with a 17-year-old. The associate, Joel Greenberg, had been paying multiple women, including the minor, to go to parties with him and have sex. Greenberg’s lawyer, according to The New York Times, provided prosecutors with additional evidence, arguing that they proved Gaetz had sex with a minor.
Then-Congressmen Gaetz denied the allegations.
The Justice Department’s investigation into these revelations lasted two years, but it ended without pressing any charges against Gaetz. However, that wouldn’t be the end of the allegations.
Per The New York Times:
The House Ethics Committee began an investigation into Mr. Gaetz in 2021 when The New York Times reported that he was under federal investigation. But because there was an ongoing Justice Department investigation, the committee paused its inquiry until after federal prosecutors wrapped up their work.
Over the past year and a half, the committee has examined a range of allegations about Mr. Gaetz, including whether he showed nude photos of women to other members on the floor of the House; whether he used illegal drugs; whether he had sex with the 17-year-old and knew she was being paid; and whether he misused campaign funds for personal purposes.
Mr. Gaetz blamed Kevin McCarthy, the House speaker at the time, for reviving the investigation. Mr. Gaetz said the inquiry was retribution for his being a thorn in the side of House Republican leaders.
The panel interviewed several of the women who Mr. Greenberg said had sex with Mr. Gaetz, including the 17-year-old. The panel also subpoenaed Mr. Greenberg for documents he had related to Mr. Gaetz, some of which surfaced in a related civil suit that was later dropped.
In response to questions about the subpoena, Mr. Scheller refused to say what documents may have been handed over but said: “Mr. Greenberg has fully responded to all congressional requests.”
When Mr. Gaetz resigned his House seat following Mr. Trump’s announcement, the panel lost jurisdiction over him, and the investigation ended. On Thursday, lawmakers in both parties called on the panel to release its report.
If Gaetz was involved with a minor, then he would be exposed to federal sex trafficking laws and would likely be expelled from the House and could even face criminal charges. However, with the resignation by Gaetz, the House is now struggling to determine whether or not they will release the report as originally planned.
This is especially pertinent now as The Washington Post reports that a woman testified to the House Ethics Committee that Gaetz paid her for sex and that she personally witnessed Gaetz having sex with her friend, who was 17 at the time. In addition, a second woman has come forward, also represented by the same lawyer, and testified that Gaetz had paid her for sex at drug-fueled parties. All of this is to say that Trump’s decision to nominate Gaetz before he has ascended to office shows he either doesn’t mind the controversy or expects it to pass without much concern.
Release the Report
Thus far, the American public is not aware of the contents of the House’s report. With the loss of its jurisdiction over Gaetz, the House’s normal basis for releasing the report has been lost. However, these are not normal circumstances, and whether or not it is an embarrassment to the President-elect, who has been found civilly liable for rape, is irrelevant.
Matt Gaetz is on his way to becoming one of the most powerful men in the country. As attorney general of the United States and the country’s chief law enforcement officer, he would be in charge of the Justice Department. Whether the House likes it or not, it is now sitting on crucial information about a man who would be making critical decisions about enforcing federal law. Whether or not that man is a sexual predator is relevant to the future and quality of American law enforcement.
Even now, lawmakers across both parties are calling for the report to, at minimum, be released to the Senate so they can consider it during Gaetz’s confirmation hearings. At a time when the nation is already struggling to put faith in its government, allowing Gaetz to ascend to one of the highest offices in the land without seriously challenging him on these allegations is beyond unacceptable.
I am hoping that the House and Senate will do the right thing, but then again, I remember what happened with Kavanaugh.
Originally published at https://theprogressiveamerican.com on November 18th, 2024.
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