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Gaetz's father backs up son Matt's claims of extortion over DOJ probe of involvement with teen
Politico ^ | 03/31/2021 01:25 PM EDT | MATT DIXON and BETSY WOODRUFF SWAN

Posted on 03/31/2021 11:08:47 AM PDT by conservative98

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Rep. Matt Gaetz’s father, Don, a former Florida Senate president, said he is working with the FBI, including wearing a wire on more than one occasion as part of an investigation into an alleged extortion plot that the pair said was organized by former federal prosecutor David McGee.

“The FBI asked me to try and get that information for Matt and an indication we would transfer money to Mr. David McGee,” Don Gaetz said in an interview late Tuesday, without specifying what information he was referring to.

McGee, who is now in private practice with a Pensacola, Fla.-based law firm, did not respond to a POLITICO request seeking comment, but told other media outlets there is no truth to the alleged extortion plot.

Don Gaetz said in the interview he wore a wire during a meeting earlier this month with McGee and said he was set to meet Wednesday with Stephen Alford, a local developer who he said is also part of the alleged extortion scheme. During that meeting, Don Gaetz said, he was again set to wear a wire and try to get Alford to talk about payments he allegedly was to make to McGee, but the meeting fell apart when news broke that his son was being investigated by the Justice Department. Alford did not respond to text messages seeking comment.

In separate interviews, Don and Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) acknowledged a Justice Department probe involving the younger Gaetz, 38, into whether he had improper involvement with a 17-year-old girl. The Gaetzes say they are the target of an extortion plot seeking money to keep the DOJ investigation quiet.

The allegations dropped as the younger Gaetz's profile has been rising. The Donald Trump devotee rode the former president's coattails into prominence and frequent conservative media appearances during Trump's presidency after having been elected to Congress in 2016. While his name is frequently on lists for higher office, Axios reported this week that Gaetz has considered leaving Congress to take a job at conservative news outlet Newsmax.

Matt Gaetz denied any involvement with the teen. The New York Times on Tuesday reported that the Justice Department was investigating whether the lawmaker had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old and had paid for her to travel with him across state lines. He told the Times he is the subject but not the target of the DOJ investigation.

Those actions could violate federal sex trafficking laws, according to The Times, which cited three people briefed on the matter. Gaetz has not been charged with any crime.

Then-U.S. Attorney General William Barr was briefed on the Gaetz probe and did not take issue with it, a source familiar with the matter told POLITICO.

Barr and the Office of the Attorney General received multiple briefings on the Gaetz probe, beginning in the summer of 2020, a second person familiar with the probe said. They encouraged Florida prosecutors to move as quickly as they needed to and take whatever steps were appropriate. The briefings were consistent with Barr's memo requiring notification to department leadership on probes of candidates. The briefing was important because — among other reasons — Barr didn't want to accidentally appear anywhere with Gaetz, the person said. At one point, Barr was scheduled for a meet-and-greet with Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee. But DOJ canceled his appearance at the event when they saw that Gaetz, a member of that committee, had RSVP'd for it.


TOPICS: Chit/Chat
KEYWORDS: 202103; 20210325; 20210330; alford; barr; beggsandlane; billbarr; davemcgee; davidmcgee; dongaetz; extortion; gaetz; gaetzfather; gaetzsexscandal; iran; irandeal; levinson; mattgaetz; mcgee; robertlevinson; stephenalford; stepvealford; stevealford; williambarr
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To: All
7-E79-C0-A5-5139-4-CF9-9-FB0-A9-A8-ACD3-C995


That’s a Felony for each time.

21 posted on 03/31/2021 11:28:02 AM PDT by AnthonySoprano (‘’’)
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To: All


There was No Penalty for the Trump Coup, so, of course, they use their sisters at WAPO and NYT and keep on trucking.


22 posted on 03/31/2021 11:35:16 AM PDT by AnthonySoprano (‘’’)
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To: GMMC0987
I wish I could assume that the FBI and DOJ aren’t complicit in the extortion attempt.

It's much more likely they are targeting, or even framing, Gaetz.

23 posted on 03/31/2021 11:35:35 AM PDT by Fido969 ( Sc)
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To: kenmcg

So much for innocent until proven guilty. Thanks for turning American justice on its head. Do you work for CNN?


24 posted on 03/31/2021 11:37:20 AM PDT by Dr. Thorne
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To: conservative98

Now that you mention it. I think he said that with the Dominion voting machine interview as well.


25 posted on 03/31/2021 11:42:18 AM PDT by GOP Poet (Super cool you can change your tag line EVERYTIME you post!! :D. (Small things make me happy))
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To: conservative98
he was again set to wear a wire and try to get Alford to talk about payments he allegedly was to make to McGee, but the meeting fell apart when news broke that his son was being investigated by the Justice Department.

In other words, it was leaked by someone in DOJ/FBI to protect Alford from recording his guilt.

26 posted on 03/31/2021 11:49:08 AM PDT by montag813 ("Fallen, fallen, is Babylon the Great")
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To: Reno89519

Very clever, leftists.


27 posted on 03/31/2021 11:51:18 AM PDT by MHGinTN (A dispensation perspective is a powerful tool for discernment)
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To: conservative98

The corrupt, biased, incompetent FBI was brought in. That’s all you have to know.


28 posted on 03/31/2021 11:56:40 AM PDT by cicero2k
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To: kenmcg

“The point is, did he have a sexual relationship with a 17year old? Hope he can prove he did not.”

Tis still America.... He does not have to prove he did not, DOJ has to prove that he did.


29 posted on 03/31/2021 12:00:06 PM PDT by DOC44
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To: kenmcg

How does one prove a negative?


30 posted on 03/31/2021 12:06:42 PM PDT by cyclotic (Live your life in such a way that they hate you as much as they hated Rush Limbaugh)
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To: DOC44

This whole thing may be an FBI set-up. Gaetz’s father was told to wear a wire and “asked to say things that are not true to draw out an admission.” Now they have on tape his father incriminating his son. Someone in the FBI leaked the info to the NYT. We know that the FBI is corrupt. They perjure themselves in front of Congress and entrap innocent people. Who is this 17-year-old? Finding her would merit a Pulitzer. McGee knows he can get away with denying this because the FBI will cover for him. “We can neither confirm nor deny the existence or status of an investigation, nor can we offer comment at this time.”


31 posted on 03/31/2021 12:29:10 PM PDT by Vehmgericht (12)
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To: DOC44
DOJ has to prove that he did.

Not for character assassination they don't. Remember, it is the seriousness of the charge that matters, not whether it is accurate or not.

“wiring up” witnesses or cooperating individuals is a two edge sword. If it works, it is excellent for the prosecution...hard to argue against the tape. When it does not work, as in when someone says: i don't know that the F..k you are talking about, it is considered exculpatory evidence, something the prosecution is supposed to disclose. From fragmentary info here, it almost sounds like someone was trying to warn off one of the parties.

32 posted on 03/31/2021 12:33:16 PM PDT by Mouton (The enemy of the people is the media.)
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To: conservative98
HUGE mistake. NEVER trust the FIB!

If Matt, who I think is one of the few REAL conservatives in Washington, is smart, and I believe he is, he will hire a IT company to monitor all of his devices in anticipation of when the DOJ downloads kiddie porn to one of his machines. They're not that creative and if their line is he was dating a 17 year old, they'll assume that will fly in court. His father is, unfortunately, compromised if he actually cooperated with the goons. They could try to tamper with his father's devices and implicate him that way, but I believe Matt is safe as long as he can catch and prove that someone hacked his devices. He's officially a target of the deep state so it will be interesting to see what tactics they use in anticipation of the next target(s)! Hint, Hint...they're you and me, just like Trump said!!

33 posted on 03/31/2021 12:40:32 PM PDT by gr8eman (Elder Non-Binary Sibling is Watching You!)
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To: Mouton

Matt’s a sharp cookie, that’s why he went on Tucker. His Dad, not so much. We’ll see if they can make anything stick to his father. They’ll try!


34 posted on 03/31/2021 12:42:08 PM PDT by gr8eman (Elder Non-Binary Sibling is Watching You!)
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To: montag813

No...it was the Deep State protecting its agent!


35 posted on 03/31/2021 12:44:23 PM PDT by gr8eman (Elder Non-Binary Sibling is Watching You!)
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To: conservative98

Stuff like this is why I always record both my incoming and outgoing phone calls.


36 posted on 03/31/2021 12:54:19 PM PDT by WASCWatch ( WASC)
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To: Fido969

Don’t assume the Liz Cheney bunch aren’t in on it.


37 posted on 03/31/2021 12:59:30 PM PDT by jersey117
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To: conservative98

17? Scratch and sniff Joe Biden must want to ask Gaetz why that old. Couldn’t he find anyone younger?


38 posted on 03/31/2021 1:01:44 PM PDT by chuckee
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To: conservative98
Stephen Alford

Nuff said.

39 posted on 03/31/2021 1:15:39 PM PDT by DaBroasta
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To: conservative98
What a bizarre interview.

Obvious question, that Tucker should have asked: Could the 17 year girl have told him she was older?

Name the girl!

40 posted on 03/31/2021 1:17:44 PM PDT by TChad (The MSM, having nuked its own credibility, is now bombing the rubble.)
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