Elon Musk has called the sexual assault allegations made against Matt Gaetz “worth less than nothing” amid fierce debate about whether the former Florida congressman should be confirmed as attorney general.
Since President-elect Donald Trump nominated Gaetz to head the Justice Department, there has been public uproar about his alleged sexual misconduct. Gaetz has vehemently denied all wrongdoing and claimed the accusations are politically motivated.
Musk has come to Gaetz’s defense, writing on his platform X, formerly Twitter: “Matt Gaetz has 3 critical assets that are needed for the AG role: a big brain, a spine of steel and an axe to grind. He is the Judge Dredd America needs to clean up a corrupt system and put powerful bad actors in prison. Gaetz will be our Hammer of Justice.
“As for these accusations against him, I consider them worth less than nothing. Under our laws, a man is considered innocent until proven guilty. If AG Garland (an unprincipled douchebag) could have secured a conviction against Gaetz, he would have, but he knew he could not. Case closed.”
As for these accusations against him, I consider them worth less than nothing. Under our laws, a man is considered innocent until proven guilty.
If AG Garland (an unprincipled douchebag) could have secured a conviction against Gaetz, he would have, but he knew he could not.…
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 19, 2024
In the last part of this post, Musk is referring to the fact that the Department of Justice closed its investigation into Gaetz’s alleged role in a sex-trafficking scheme that involved a 17-year-old girl without filing any charges last February.
Gaetz is also the subject of an investigation being carried out by the House Ethics Committee for alleged sexual misconduct, which includes sharing sexual photos and videos on the House floor.
Newsweek has contacted Gaetz’s team via email outside of working hours for comment.
The Committee was due to vote on whether to release its report on Gaetz but, when he resigned as the representative for Florida’s 1st congressional district on November 15, the Committee lost jurisdiction on the case.
House rules say the Committee can still decide whether to release its report, which some Republicans, including Sen. John Cornyn, have pushed for, but others are against it, with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson arguing it could set a precedent for publicly releasing reports of former members.
AP
What We Know About the Department of Justice Investigation Into Matt Gaetz
This investigation into whether Gaetz was linked to a sex-trafficking scheme that involved a 17-year-old girl began in late 2020, under Attorney General Bill Barr.
The only person to be charged as a result of this probe was former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg.
Greenberg is currently serving an 11-year sentence after pleading guilty in 2021 to multiple federal crimes, including sex trafficking a woman when she was a minor and introducing her to other adult men who had sex with her.
Gaetz has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and, in February 2023, the Department of Justice closed its investigation without filing charges against him.
Over the weekend, Florida attorney Joel Leppard told Politico that two women, who testified in the federal investigation, had been paid by Gaetz for sex through Venmo, a mobile payment service.
His clients had attended between five to 10 “sex parties” with the former Florida Representative between 2017 and 2018, Leppard alleged. Gaetz was already in Congress at the time.
Leppard also said one of his clients witnessed Gaetz having sex with another woman who was then 17 years old, at a house party in Florida.
A report from The Daily Beast said it had identified two Venmo transactions Gaetz had in 2018 with Joe Greenberg, an accused sex trafficker, for a total of $900. Greenberg then sent the money to three teen girls in transactions labeled “tuition” and “school,” the outlet said.
Logan Circle Group, a public relations firm that responded on Gaetz’s behalf, told The Daily Beast that the “rumors, gossip and self-serving misstatements of others will be addressed in due course by my legal team.”
What We Know About the House Ethics Committee Investigation Into Matt Gaetz
This investigation began in April 2021 over allegations of sexual misconduct, which included sharing inappropriate photos and videos, and later accusations of drug use, accepting improper gifts and obstructing government investigations.
The probe was deferred while the Department of Justice carried out its own and it resumed in February 2023. The two women who testified in the federal investigation also testified in this one.
Leppard has called on the House Ethics Committee to release its report.
“As the Senate considers former Rep. Gaetz’s nomination for attorney general, several questions demand answers,” Leppard said. “What if multiple credible witnesses provided evidence of behavior that would constitute serious criminal violations?”
Attorney John Clune, who represents the former minor at the center of the probe, also called for the report’s release.
“Mr. Gaetz’s likely nomination as Attorney General is a perverse development in a truly dark series of events,” Colorado-based attorney Clune posted to X. “We should support the House Ethics Committee immediately releasing their report. She was a high school student and there were witnesses.”
Response From Trump’s Team
Alex Pfeiffer, a spokesman for the Trump transition team, told Newsweek on Monday: “Matt Gaetz will be the next attorney general. He’s the right man for the job and will end the weaponization of our justice system.
“These are baseless allegations intended to derail the second Trump administration. The Biden Justice Department investigated Gaetz for years and cleared him of wrongdoing. The only people who went to prison over these allegations were those lying about Matt Gaetz.”
Regardless of whether the Senate confirms Gaetz, Trump potentially could still potentially push through his nominee with a “recess appointment,” a process that would sidestep any confirmation hearings.
