Rep. Matt Gaetz insists he will not quit Congress, denied accusations he had sex with a 17-year-old girl and believes he's being targeted by political enemies because he 'loathes the swamp.'
In a column for the Washington Examiner published on Monday, the embattled Florida Republican predicted that 'some of my feckless colleagues in Congress' will call for him to step down.
'No, I am absolutely not resigning,' he wrote in one of his first public comments about the allegations.
Gaetz, starting his fifth year in Congress, has been battling to preserve his political career since reports last week that he is under federal investigation for possible sex crimes.
There is also a string of lurid allegations against him including claims he was involved in a Harry Potter-themed sex game, paid for sex using Apple Pay and showed Congressional colleagues naked photos of women during session.
Democrats have called for an ethics investigation over the nude images and Republicans have said they will call on him to resign if he is indicted, according to reports.
'The Biden Justice Department would rather investigate me for adult, consensual sex than for his shady business dealings, than others for illegal leaks, or a former Justice Department official for the evident extortion of a congressman. Go figure,' he said.
Rep. Matt Gaetz said Monday he will not leave Congress and denied accusations that he had sex with an underage girl, suggesting that he's being targeted by political foes because he 'loathes the swamp'
Engaged since New Year's Eve to Ginger Lucky (left), he wrote: 'My lifestyle of yesteryear may be different from how I live now, but it was not and is not illegal.'
As a Trump ally, Gaetz has so far received almost no public support from his congressional Republican colleagues and none from the former president.
The 38-year-old Gaetz is under scrutiny by federal prosecutors over whether he had sex with a 17-year-old and other underage girls and violated federal sex trafficking laws. That's according to people familiar with the investigation who spoke on condition of anonymity because they could not discuss details publicly.
Gaetz, who has not been charged with any crimes, denied the accusations Monday.
'First, I have never, ever paid for sex,' he wrote. 'And second, I, as an adult man, have not slept with a 17-year-old.'
Engaged since New Year's Eve, he wrote: 'My lifestyle of yesteryear may be different from how I live now, but it was not and is not illegal.'
He added: 'Washington scandal cycles are predictable, and sex is especially potent in politics. Let me first remind everyone that I am a representative in Congress, not a monk, and certainly not a criminal.
Gaetz also criticized Democrats, including Nancy Pelosi, who defended Bill Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky scandal (left) and referred to Cuomo's ten accusers
'Nancy Pelosi once defended President Bill Clinton after he got an intern to fellate him in the Oval Office.
'But when it comes to the allegation that I, a grown man, paid for an adult girlfriend's expenses? Well, consider that a bridge too far for the power-hungry hypocrites.
'I want to be clear about something as we process the leaks and lies from the past week. To this point, there are exactly zero credible (or even non-credible) accusers willing to come forward by name and state on the public record that I behaved improperly toward them, in the manner by which Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo has ten accusers.
'Instead, CNN, the New York Times, Politico, and others are just repeating false allegations about a congressman who loathes the swamp and fights both sides of it on a daily basis.'
Gaetz used his column to attack Democrats, news organizations and others, saying his enemies are 'just repeating false allegations about a congressman who loathes the swamp and fights both sides of it on a daily basis.'
Trump has remained silent on the allegations despite the two men being close allies, Gaetz publicly supporting him in his impeachment trials and Gaetz getting engaged at Mar-a-Lago in December. Pictured Trump and Gaetz
He also predicted: 'Im sure some partisan crooks in Merrick Garland´s Justice Department want to pervert the truth and the law to go after me.'
The FBI, the Biden administration's Justice Department and 'the Cheney political dynasty' were among the entities Gaetz accused of unjustly targeting him. Gaetz helped lead an unsuccessful battle early this year to depose Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, from her job as No. 3 House GOP leader.
'Folks won't be surprised that bizarre claims are being made about me shortly after I decided to take on the most powerful institutions in the Beltway: the establishment; the FBI; the Biden Justice Department; the Cheney political dynasty; even the Justice Department under Trump,' he added.
'Yes, just like the mafia, the D.C. swamp protects its 'made men.' Since I'm taking my turn under the gun, let me address the allegations against me directly. First, I have never, ever paid for sex. And second, I, as an adult man, have not slept with a 17-year-old.'
He also pointed out criticism from 'anti-Trump cheerleaders' Meghan McCain and Bill Kristol.
Gaetz's article was published the same day a former congressional aide told reporters he was interviewed last week by the FBI.
Nathan Nelson, a military adviser who left Gaetz's office in October, said he was questioned about whether he'd left that job because he knew of Gaetz's 'involvement in illegal activities.'
'I´m here this morning to state that nothing could be farther from the truth. Neither I nor any other member of Congressman Gaetz's staff had any knowledge of illegal activities,' Nelson said at his home in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.
Nelson provided no specific details about the FBI's questioning. Without detailing them, he said he believes the charges against Gaetz are false.
Ginger Luckey and Matt Gaetz. Gaetz got engaged to food analyst Luckey, 26, in December at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago
Rep. Matt Gaetz's former head of military affairs, Nathan Nelson, said Monday that he was interviewed by the FBI last week, but the pretext of the interview was based on false claims, Nelson said, so he believed that salacious claims against Gaetz are also false
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