Octopus Overlords

Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican known for his fierce allegiance to former president Donald Trump, had been under Justice Department investigation for months for a possible sex crime when two men approached his father with a proposal, people familiar with the matter said.

The men had learned of the investigation, they wrote to Don Gaetz, and wanted to offer an opportunity to help his son, the people said. He could give a huge sum of money to fund their effort to locate Robert A. Levinson — the longest held American hostage in Iran whose family has said they were told he is dead. If the operation was a success, he would win public favor and help alleviate Matt Gaetz’s legal woes.

But Don Gaetz, a prominent Florida Republican who once led the state Senate, viewed the communication suspiciously, the people said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe a continuing and politically sensitive probe. The investigation into Matt Gaetz’s alleged crime — he is suspected of having sex with a 17-year-old girl, as well as funding her travel — was not public knowledge. Fearing his family was being extorted, Don Gaetz contacted the FBI.

...

The men who approached Gaetz’s father, people familiar with the matter said, had no apparent connection to the sex crimes investigation of his son, other than having somehow learned about it before it was publicly reported. But when news of law enforcement’s interest in Gaetz surfaced Tuesday, the congressman asserted that the allegation was “rooted in an extortion effort against my family for $25 million,” and he identified by name a former federal prosecutor who he said was part of the effort.

While the Justice Department investigates possible sex crimes, the FBI is separately examining whether the request to his father about Levinson might constitute extortion, with Gaetz and his family as possible victims. A Justice Department spokesman declined to comment.

The Washington Examiner on Wednesday published a text message and a document that purports to outline the proposal to Don Gaetz.

The materials show that Bob Kent, a former Air Force intelligence analyst, told the former Florida lawmaker in a mid-March text he had a plan that could make Gaetz’s “future legal and political problems go away,” and claimed that Levinson was still alive.

The next day, according to the Examiner, the analyst met with Don Gaetz and gave him a proposal, titled “Project Homecoming,” which made specific claims about the sex-crimes investigation and other lurid allegations against Matt Gaetz, and proposed a plan to make the case go away.

“Our strategy for Congressman Gaetz to mitigate his legal, and political, troubles would be for him, or someone else, to arrange for the funds required to obtain the immediate release of Robert Levinson from captivity in Iran,” the proposal said. “In exchange for the funds being arranged, and upon release of Robert Levinson, Congressman Gaetz shall be given credit for facilitating the release of Mr. Levinson.”

hepcat wrote: ↑Wed Mar 31, 2021 9:09 pm How Gaetz is able to look at his reflection in a mirror each morning and resist punching himself silly is beyond me.

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Wed Mar 31, 2021 9:01 pm I'm still trying to process that he announced yesterday morning that he was considering not running again and/or leaving the House early to join a "news" agency. In the history of modern politics, has any member of Congress ended their appointment early to take up a broadcasting job? Any job?

That alone should tell you this is absolutely bonkers.

Unagi wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:06 am Wow. I couldn’t disagree more.
He looks -nothing- like a Bond villain to me.

He looks 100% Frat Boy, and ‘Bond villain’ has never once looked ‘frat boy’ to me.

Bond villains are supposed to look like there is some intelligence behind the screen.

Gaetz looks like the kind of guy who’s full of shit and couldn’t find his way to the airport.

Zaxxon wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:07 am

Unagi wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:06 am Wow. I couldn’t disagree more.
He looks -nothing- like a Bond villain to me.

He looks 100% Frat Boy, and ‘Bond villain’ has never once looked ‘frat boy’ to me.

Bond villains are supposed to look like there is some intelligence behind the screen.

Gaetz looks like the kind of guy who’s full of shit and couldn’t find his way to the airport.

Frat boy playing a Bond villain.

hepcat wrote:How Gaetz is able to look at his reflection in a mirror each morning and resist punching himself silly is beyond me. He must have a strong will. Or he just avoids mirrors.

Unagi wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:06 am Wow. I couldn’t disagree more.
He looks -nothing- like a Bond villain to me.

He looks 100% Frat Boy, and ‘Bond villain’ has never once looked ‘frat boy’ to me.

Bond villains are supposed to look like there is some intelligence behind the screen.

Gaetz looks like the kind of guy who’s full of shit and couldn’t find his way to the airport.

Unagi wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:06 am Wow. I couldn’t disagree more.
He looks -nothing- like a Bond villain to me.

He looks 100% Frat Boy, and ‘Bond villain’ has never once looked ‘frat boy’ to me.

Bond villains are supposed to look like there is some intelligence behind the screen.

Gaetz looks like the kind of guy who’s full of shit and couldn’t find his way to the airport.

The Justice Department is investigating whether Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz misused campaign funds to pay for travel and other expenses, CNN's Evan Perez reported on Thursday.

The scrutiny is part of a broader investigation into if Gaetz had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old in 2019 and paid for her travel, which would violate federal sex trafficking laws.

News of the inquiry first broke on Tuesday, when The New York Times reported that the Justice Department has been looking into Gaetz for months.

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 4:21 pm Using campaign money for travel seems rather pedestrian in comparison to what's been floated so far.

The Justice Department is investigating whether Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz misused campaign funds to pay for travel and other expenses, CNN's Evan Perez reported on Thursday.

The scrutiny is part of a broader investigation into if Gaetz had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old in 2019 and paid for her travel, which would violate federal sex trafficking laws.

News of the inquiry first broke on Tuesday, when The New York Times reported that the Justice Department has been looking into Gaetz for months.

pr0ner wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 7:24 pm

Holman wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:04 pm Thoughts and prayers.

Anyone betting he’ll still be in Congress three weeks from now?

Holman wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:04 pm Thoughts and prayers.

Anyone betting he’ll still be in Congress three weeks from now?

Andrew Cuomo has been mentioned at least 17 times on Fox News and Fox Business just this morning. Matt Gaetz hasn't been mentioned a single time on either network for almost two full days.

Holman wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:04 pm Thoughts and prayers.

Anyone betting he’ll still be in Congress three weeks from now?

malchior wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:18 pm

Holman wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:04 pm Thoughts and prayers.

Anyone betting he’ll still be in Congress three weeks from now?

It's a toss up. Our country is deeply unserious after all. He may very well get re-elected for all we know post conviction.