{"id":2288065,"date":"2024-07-02T14:54:02","date_gmt":"2024-07-02T18:54:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gaetzs-friendship-with-convicted-sex-trafficker-comes-back-to-hunt-him-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-07-02T14:54:57","modified_gmt":"2024-07-02T18:54:57","slug":"gaetzs-friendship-with-convicted-sex-trafficker-comes-back-to-hunt-him-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gaetzs-friendship-with-convicted-sex-trafficker-comes-back-to-hunt-him-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Gaetz&#8217;s friendship with convicted sex trafficker comes back to hunt him- Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgaetzs-friendship-with-convicted-sex-trafficker-comes-back-to-hunt-him-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2288065&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses the Florida Patriots PAC launching an ad targeting Rep. Matt Gaetz for his friendship with\u2063 convicted sex\u2064 trafficker Joel Greenberg. The ad highlights their \u200bclose relationship and allegations of Gaetz grooming Greenberg for political \u2062office. It also mentions \u200dGreenberg&#8217;s cooperation \u2062with the House Ethics \u2064Committee \u200cinvestigation into Gaetz&#8217;s\u2063 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/two-more-men-linked-to-netflix-doc-charged-with-sexual-misconduct-with-minors\/\" title=\"Two More Men Linked To Netflix Doc Charged With Sexual Misconduct With Minors\">alleged sexual misconduct<\/a>. The Department of Justice previously investigated Gaetz for various charges but \u200cclosed the case without \u2062charges. The House Ethics Committee has since reopened its investigation. Gaetz denies all allegations and \u2062criticizes the \u2063committee for\u2063 what he believes are frivolous investigations.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><a class=\"tdb-logo-a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" title=\"Washington Examiner\"><span class=\"tdb-logo-img-wrap\"><\/span><span class=\"tdb-logo-text-wrap\"><span class=\"tdb-logo-text-title\">Washington Examiner<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\">\n<div class=\"tdb-search-form-inner\"><input class=\"tdb-head-search-form-input\" placeholder=\" \" type=\"text\" value name=\"s\" autocomplete=\"off\"><button class=\"wpb_button wpb_btn-inverse btn tdb-head-search-form-btn\" title=\"Search\" type=\"submit\"><span>Search<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><a class=\"tdb-logo-a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" title=\"Washington Examiner\"><span class=\"tdb-logo-img-wrap\"><\/span><span class=\"tdb-logo-text-wrap\"><span class=\"tdb-logo-text-title\">Washington Examiner<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Gaetz\u2019s friendship with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lawyer-for-epstein-victims-maxwells-potential-mistrial-a-gut-punch\/\" title=\"Lawyer For Epstein Victims: Maxwell\u2019s Potential Mistrial A \u2018Gut Punch\u2019\">convicted sex trafficker<\/a> comes back to haunt him<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-author-name-wrap\"><span class=\"tdb-author-by\">By<\/span> <a class=\"tdb-author-name\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/author\/avilches\/\">Ailin Vilches Arguello<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><time class=\"entry-date updated td-module-date\" datetime=\"2024-07-02T14:42:12-04:00\">July 2, 2024 2:42 pm<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/florida\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Florida<\/a> Patriots <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pacs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>PAC<\/a> has launched a new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=w1AahJWvebI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>ad<\/a> targeting Rep. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/matt-gaetz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Matt Gaetz<\/a> (R-FL) for his \u201cclose friendship\u201d with a convicted sex trafficker.<\/p>\n<p>The ad begins by saying, \u201c2017: Congressman Matt Gaetz forms a close friendship with future convicted sex trafficker Joel Greenberg.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In 2021, Joel Greenberg, a former Florida <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tax\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>tax<\/a> collector, received an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/1457548\/former-matt-gaetz-associate-joel-greenberg-sentenced-to-11-years\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/friday-afternoon-update-intel-leaker-hearing-and-theranos-founders-appeal\/\" title=\"Friday Afternoon Update: Intel Leaker Hearing And Theranos Founder\u2019s Appeal\">11-year prison sentence<\/a><\/a> for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/sex-trafficking\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>sex trafficking<\/a> and wire <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/fraud\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>fraud<\/a> after pleading guilty to six of 33 federal charges.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ron-kind-campaign-treasurer-donor-mount-defense-of-alleged-rub-and-tug-tied-to-wisconsin-dem\/\" title=\"Ron Kind Campaign Treasurer, Donor Mount Defense of Alleged \u2018Rub-and-Tug\u2019 Tied to Wisconsin Dem\">ad features photos<\/a> of Gaetz and Greenberg together, including at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/white-house\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>White House<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGaetz allegedly grooms Greenberg for higher political office, then makes payments to him,\u201d the narrator says. \u201cGreenberg reportedly uses a sugar daddy app to find <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/college\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>college<\/a> girls and pays for sex on Congressman Gaetz\u2019s behalf.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s a close friendship with the real Matt Gaetz,\u201d the ad ends.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"w1AahJWvebI\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"New anti-Gaetz ad\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/w1AahJWvebI?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>In February, Greenberg\u2019s attorney confirmed to the <em>Hill<\/em> that he would be cooperating with the House <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ethics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Ethics<\/a> Committee investigation into the alleged sexual encounter between Gaetz and a minor, which is part of the committee\u2019s inquiry into the Florida Republican\u2019s alleged <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/sexual-misconduct\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>sexual misconduct<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/drugs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>drug<\/a> use.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republican-investigating-dhs-secretary-for-alleged-dereliction-of-duty\/\" title=\"GOP Investigating DHS Secretary for Alleged Neglect of Duty\">committee began investigating<\/a> several allegations against the congressman in 2021.<\/p>\n<p>However, it was later deferred to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Department of Justice<\/a>, which investigated accusations of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/lobbying\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>lobbying<\/a> violations, sex trafficking, obstruction of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/justice\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>justice<\/a>, and sex with a minor.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/doj\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>DOJ<\/a> closed its case against Gaetz last year without bringing charges, citing concerns about the credibility of two witnesses, including Greenberg.<\/p>\n<p>In June, the House Ethics Committee reopened its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3049573\/house-ethics-allegations-gaetz-investigation-drops-bribery-charges\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>investigation<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Gaetz has denied all allegations before the committee and recently criticized it for \u201copening new frivolous investigations.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey are doing this to avoid the obvious fact that every investigation into me ends the same way: my exoneration,\u201d he <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/repmattgaetz\/status\/1802803825826304266?s=46&#038;t=Gepuixs8AegS3Gcy3aXO2g\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>posted<\/a> to X.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><strong>CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is Soviet,\u201d Gaetz added. \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kevin-mccarthy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Kevin McCarthy<\/a> showed them the man, and they are now trying to find the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/crime\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>crime<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The House Ethics Committee has closed four probes into me, which emerged from lies intended solely to smear me. Instead of working with me to ban Congressional stock trading, the Ethics Committee is now opening new frivolous investigations. They are doing this to avoid the\u2026<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RepMattGaetz\/status\/1802803825826304266?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 17, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>It is not known who is behind the Florida Patriots PAC, but it has been promoting positive messages about Aaron Dimmock, who is challenging Gaetz in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republican-party\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Republican<\/a> primary next month.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><a class=\"tdb-logo-a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" title=\"Washington Examiner\"><span class=\"tdb-logo-img-wrap\"><\/span><span class=\"tdb-logo-text-wrap\"><span class=\"tdb-logo-text-title\">Washington Examiner<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<p><\/body><\/html><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Florida Patriots PAC has released an ad targeting Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) for his close relationship with convicted sex trafficker Joel Greenberg. The ad highlights their friendship and allegations of Gaetz grooming Greenberg for higher political office and making payments to him. Greenberg&#8217;s cooperation with the House Ethics Committee investigation into Gaetz&#8217;s alleged sexual misconduct and drug use is also mentioned. Despite previous investigations by the Department of Justice and the House Ethics Committee, Gaetz has denied all allegations and criticized the committee for opening new investigations. The Florida Patriots PAC has been promoting positive messages about Gaetz&#8217;s primary challenger, Aaron Dimmock<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3166,"featured_media":2288066,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AP24137757623619-1024x651.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[3687,22710,3624,33706],"class_list":["post-2288065","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-convicted","tag-friendship","tag-gaetz","tag-sex-trafficker"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AP24137757623619-1024x651.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2288065","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3166"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2288065"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2288065\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2288066"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2288065"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2288065"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2288065"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}