Gaetz

A jury found him guilty in civil court. A criminal jury can think the person is guilty but it's not beyond a reasonable doubt.

Civil trials require far less evidence to be found guilty. And the jury feels far less pressure casting a guilty verdict when the only penalty is a billionaire coughing up some dough.
 

A new chapter in the Matt Gaetz saga has unfolded with the release of court documents that paint a grim picture of the former congressman's alleged conduct. The documents reveal that Gaetz, once a rising star in Republican politics and Donald Trump's initial pick for US attorney general, allegedly engaged in sexual acts with a 17-year-old girl in 2017. The revelations also describe a drug- and sex-fueled party where Gaetz reportedly paid the teenager for sex, raising fresh questions about his political future and personal reputation.

The woman at the center of these allegations was described by her attorney, Laura B. Wolf, as a vulnerable high school junior living in and out of a homeless shelter with one of her parents. She worked at McDonald's and was saving money to buy braces for her teeth. To supplement her income, she turned to a "sugar dating" website, SeekingArrangement.com, which connects older men with younger women. On this site, she reportedly met Joel Greenberg, a former Florida tax collector and political ally of Gaetz, who is now serving an 11-year prison sentence for sex crimes.

Greenberg allegedly paid the teenager $400 during their first meeting on his boat and gave her ecstasy to try. Court records indicate that Greenberg had sex with the girl seven times before she turned 18, sometimes paying her extra to take drugs during intercourse. The teenager also attended a party at the home of ex-Florida legislator Chris Dorworth, where Gaetz was present. According to the House Ethics Committee report, there is "substantial evidence" that Gaetz had sex with the girl at this party and paid her $400 in cash, as reported by the New York Post.

The party described in the documents was rife with alcohol, cocaine, and young women. The teenager testified that she danced and swam naked at the gathering and had sex with Gaetz twice that night, either on a pool table or an air hockey table, as reported by The Daily Beast. She also reported witnessing Gaetz using cocaine during the event. According to the Independent, the House Ethics Committee's report states that the girl was under the influence of ecstasy at the time and that Gaetz paid her for sex, a claim he has vehemently denied.
 
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