Sealed testimony from three witnesses in a high-profile intercourse scandal case reportedly alleges Rep. Matt Gaetz attended a 2017 celebration that included intercourse, medicine and a nude, underaged lady.
Representatives of Gaetz and the legal professional of the alleged host of the celebration say the claims are meritless.
Again in March 2021, the New York Instances broke the story that Gaetz was being investigated by the U.S. Justice Division over allegations that he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old lady and paid for her journey.
Gaetz has vehemently denied the allegations, and the DOJ in the end declined to file any felony prices in opposition to the congressman. Nonetheless, the allegations – which did result in a conviction and 11-year-prison sentence for Gaetz’s pal and political ally Joel Greenberg – have dogged Gaetz and prompted an investigation by the U.S. Home Ethics Committee.
Now, federal court docket filings submitted Thursday evening mark “the primary time that sworn testimony has been referenced in public court docket filings alleging that the congressman attended one of many long-rumored events tied to an alleged underage intercourse scandal,” the Washington-based media outlet NOTUS reported in a narrative printed early Friday morning.
The story referenced testimony from A.B., the 17-year-old on the middle of the scandal, and two different girls who claimed Gaetz was at a Lake Mary-area “intercourse celebration” on July 15, 2017.
In response to emailed questions from the Information Journal asking if Gaetz attended the celebration and was conscious of any illicit medicine, sexual exercise, or improper exercise involving the juvenile, a spokesperson for Gaetz mentioned, “Congressman Gaetz has by no means participated within the actions mirrored within the NOTUS reporting. If folks mentioned in any other case, they’re both confused or mendacity. This specific reporter used to work on the Each day Beast liberal publication and predicted the congressman’s arrest in 2021. Apparently he needed to discover different work.”
The testimony claiming Gaetz attended the celebration was taken from depositions and affidavits cited in a lawsuit between Greenberg’s household and the alleged host of the celebration, Christopher Dorworth.
Dorworth, a former state consultant, filed a federal defamation lawsuit in 2023 in opposition to A.B., Greenberg and several other of Greenberg’s relations, and he has accused them of “conspiring with Joel’s intercourse trafficking sufferer, A.B., to falsely accuse Dorworth and Gaetz of sexual misconduct.”
Alex Andrade, a Pensacola legal professional with Moore, Hill & Westmoreland, P.A., is representing Dorworth within the litigation, and he mentioned there are “disputed problems with truth” across the testimony, in addition to proof that contradicts the testimony. He additionally urged folks to “bear in mind the supply” of the claims in opposition to his consumer, noting that Greenberg had admitted to paying an underaged lady for intercourse and mentioned he inspired her to offer false testimony in opposition to his consumer, in addition to that the DOJ had reportedly not pursued a felony case in opposition to Gaetz as a result of the witnesses within the case had been unreliable.
Andrade can be a member of the Florida Home of Representatives, serving elements of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties within the Florida Panhandle.
What did witnesses say about Matt Gaetz attending a intercourse celebration?
Filings to an Orlando U.S. District Court docket present each camps accused the opposite of working in unhealthy religion.
A.B.’s testimony was given in a June 24 deposition, and the transcript was included as Exhibit 1 within the Greenberg’s movement for entitlement to legal professional’s charges, prices, and sanctions. The movement was made late Thursday evening, roughly two weeks after Dorworth voluntarily dismissed the federal civil swimsuit to as an alternative pursue it in state court docket.
Different reveals included within the movement had been testimony taken from a lady recognized as Okay.M. in a June 21 deposition, and an affidavit from a lady recognized as B.G. dated Sept. 3. The transcripts and affidavit are sealed to the general public, and the movement that cites them are closely redacted.
Nonetheless, it is clear that attorneys for the Greenbergs used the testimony to bolster their assertions that Dorworth’s defamation claims had been frivolous and false.
Gaetz seemingly obtained caught within the crossfire.
“In 2017, Chris Dorworth − a former state legislator turned lobbyist − reveled within the status of linked pals, like Congressman Matt Gaetz, entertaining them with events that includes illicit medicine and younger girls,” the movement mentioned.
An exhibit filed with the movement, a doc submitted by the attorneys of Greenberg’s ex-wife, Abby Greenberg, notes that, “The invention taken on this case thus far displays that on Saturday, July 15, 2017, the Plaintiff, Christopher Dorworth, hosted a celebration at his residence situated at 1520 Whistable Court docket; Lake Mary, Florida … with the next company current: (1) A.B.; (2) Okay.M.; (3) B.G.; (4) Matt Gaetz; (5) C.F.; (6) Christopher Dorworth; (7) (redacted); (8) Joel Greenberg; (9) Joe Ellicott; (10) Mike Fischer; (11) an unidentified male; and (12) two unidentified females.”
A.B., a highschool junior on the time, took her mom’s automobile to the gathering, in keeping with the doc. As soon as there she was seen “bare within the presence of Christopher Dorworth,” in keeping with sworn testimony from the witness recognized as Okay.M.
Okay.M. additionally reported that “the attendees of the celebration on the Dorworth Residence together with, with out limitation, A.B., had ‘entry to the bedrooms within the Dorworth Residence to have interaction in sexual actions’ in addition to ‘alcohol, cocaine, ecstasy often known as molly, and marijuana.'”
Allegations round ‘intercourse celebration’ are nonetheless contested
Andrade mentioned each the Greenbergs’ movement for charges and prices and the related reveals had been improper, and had been filed after the case was already moot and moved to state court docket.
“The (Greenberg) Household’s movement for charges contains scandalous and salacious statements of truth, the overwhelming majority of which had been by no means positioned earlier than this Court docket previous to the dismissal of this case; all of which Plaintiff contests,” Andrade wrote in a movement to the court docket Friday. ” … These disputed problems with truth proceed to be the topic of an lively statecourt continuing, one which such rulings by this Court docket may improperly prejudice.”
An order filed Friday by the decide within the case appeared to assist Andrade’s place.
“Since Plaintiff (Dorworth) dismissed this motion with out prejudice pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Process … on September 5, 2024, the docket on this case has obtained a further 14 entries,” U.S. Justice of the Peace Choose Daniel C. Irick wrote in an order “directing solely authorized motions” on Friday.
“Many of the paper filed with the Court docket pertains to entitlement to legal professional charges – Defendants search charges pursuant to Florida’s RICO statute and the Court docket’s inherent powers. Nevertheless whereas it seems that a lot of Defendants’ filings relate to their makes an attempt to publicly make the most of discovery paperwork to bolster their price entitlement claims, a lot of Plaintiff’s filings relate as to if this Court docket has jurisdiction to entertain the price entitlement claims at this juncture.”
In a written assertion to the Information Journal Andrade wrote, “To reiterate, there may be nothing within the improperly filed motions filed by the defendants to which we’re required to reply, they’re disputed problems with truth; and we stay up for pursuing our claims for defamation and false claims of felony conduct within the state court docket motion. We’re assured that we are going to prevail on these info within the state court docket case, and we keep that the state court docket case is the one correct case the place these info ought to be litigated.”
What does intercourse celebration scandal imply for Matt Gaetz?
If historical past is any indicator, these newest allegations might be of little hinderance for Gaetz as he seeks to retain his seat representing Florida’s First Congressional District.
Within the August main election, Gaetz handily defeated challenger Aaron Dimmock with 72.55% of the vote.
Gaetz hasn’t been significantly challenged since he was first elected to the seat in 2016, beating out a discipline of six different candidates within the Republican main. In every main since 2016, Gaetz has gained with greater than 60% of Republican voters’ assist.
His closest main problem was in 2018 in opposition to Cris Dosev, who obtained 30% of the vote, probably the most of any candidate to problem Gaetz since 2016.
Gaetz will go on to face Democratic candidate Homosexual Valimont within the election in November, who launched an announcement on Friday associated to the intercourse scandal allegations.
“Whereas I’ve at all times dedicated to specializing in the problems that matter most to our group, the revelations contained in these court docket information are deeply disturbing and can’t be ignored. Witnesses have testified, and credible allegations have surfaced that implicate Congressman Gaetz in a scandal so heinous that it undermines our shared values of security and dignity,” Valimont mentioned.
“These allegations transcend political debate; they signify a profound disaster that requires accountability. Iwant to acknowledge the bravery of the younger people concerned, whose lives have been irrevocablyaffected. We’ve got an ethical responsibility to safeguard our most susceptible residents. As your consultant, I willconfront points that have an effect on the integrity of our communities and the well-being of our constituents head-on.”