The man, Rep. Matt Gaetz, accused of trying to blackmail millions of his family – and being blamed for recent allegations of sexual misconduct – admitted in a bizarre interview on Monday that he had asked the father of the Republican of Florida for an international conspiracy to “rescue” an American citizen. generally believe it is dead in Iran.
Air Force veteran and ‘research consultant’ Bob Kent confirmed to Michael Smerconish, personality of Sirius Radio, that he had approached Gaetz’s stepfather, former Florida Senate President Don Gaetz, for a loan of $ 25 million to ask. The funds would redeem the release of Robert Levinson, a former agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who disappeared in Iran more than a decade ago. Levinson’s own family believes he is dead, but Kent has insisted he has evidence that Levinson is alive and still a hostage of the Islamic Republic, although credible experts have denied his allegations.
Kent said he was aware at the time that Matt Gaetz might have ‘legal issues’ and that he suggested the congressman would use ‘good will’ to help the mission. Although Kent did not say it outright, it appears to be the recent allegations that the legislature paid women for sex – including possibly a minor girl – and misuse of campaign funds.
“Matt Gaetz needs good publicity, and I need $ 25 million to save Robert Levinson,” Kent told Smerconish.
Kent described a series of improbable alleged events that he said led him to ask Gaetz’s father for money: namely that he had misinterpreted a ‘joke’ by a federal agent who said the US government would believe that Kent’s intellectual activities of a military connected to Iran, Kent was able to locate Levinson. Kent said his team tried to rescue the US operator last year and that it lost “four people” to Iranian forces.
Despite linking his request for money with an allusion to congressional allegations, and despite working on the project with Stephen Alford, the fraudster in Florida, he insisted he did not want the Gaetz tribe do not blackmail.
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“I never threatened the man – it was actually the opposite: I told him if he decided not to help us, he would never hear from me again,” Kent said of his meeting with Don Gaetz. “I can not help how it sounds.”
Nevertheless, Kent said Gaetz’s father initially interpreted the overture as an extortion attempt. But Kent claims that the local Republican power broker then became receptive and offered to approach then-President Donald Trump with the material.
Kent said he maintains he is not interested in helping the U.S. government. He claims he took note a week ago from Levinson family’s lawyer David McGee that Don Gaetz would register his adventure in the Middle East – only to have the younger Gaetz come forward a day later, claiming the consultant sits behind reports that the congressman allegedly trafficked a 17-year-old girl.
“Last Monday I got a call from David saying that Don had agreed to fund the project, and I’ll send you money on Tuesday,” Kent said. “That evening, Congressman Gaetz came on the news.”
In another interview Monday night with CNN’s Chris Cuomo, Kent reiterated that this was not an extortion attempt, but that he mentioned the potential legal issues of the congressman because he needed the goodwill of the government. ‘
Asked why he wrote to the Gaetz family that a charge sheet was imminent and whether he realized it could be an implied threat, Kent merely said that there was ‘no threat’ and that he had ‘nothing to do with it’. the charge sheet has to do ‘or an investigation.
Kent also claims that if the congressman really believes he is being blackmailed, ‘he could keep quiet and go to the FBI’, but that he ‘exposed the Levinson family to extra sadness, and he exploited it and tried to attract attention of himself. ”
He added: ‘Robert Levinson is an ingredient of Matt Gaetz, and you know. The congressman only aggravated the Levinson situation. If he lives, he now affects his predicament. “
Cuomo also further stressed Kent on specific details he included in his letter to the Gaetz family, namely Kent’s allegations that the FBI was allegedly aware of photos regarding the congressman and underage prostitutes.
“How confident are you in what you are told?” Wonder Cuomo aloud.
‘So you can never trust rumors. These are just rumors circulating in North Florida among the legal and journalists, ‘Kent replied, adding:’ I have no information about a federal investigation. It was just rumors that did the rounds. ”
In the end, when asked if he was concerned about something he said on tape in conversations with Don Gaetz, Kent insisted he hoped “the father wore a wire.”
Neither the congressman nor a lawyer of his father responded immediately to a request for comment. Like Kent, they denied any wrongdoing.
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