The first Congress member to appeal to Matt Gaetz to resign

The first Congress member to appeal to Matt Gaetz to resign

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“Matt Gaetz must resign,” Kinzinger tweeted Thursday night, link to a Daily Beast article on allegations against Gaetz, the details of which CNN did not confirm.
The moderate Republican from Illinois has been a regular critic of his own party, especially the embrace of Donald Trump and the former president’s lies about election fraud.

No charges have been filed against Gaetz, and he denied all allegations against him. The Republican in Florida has scrutinized these allegations and has a well-known, in-your-face strategy that has been perfected by Trump over the past four years, fueling his unconventional rise.

Hours after the news of the investigation became known, he went on Fox News to deny any wrongdoing, claiming he was the victim of an extensive extortion scheme. Then he wrote an op-ed in which he stated that he would “absolutely” not resign. Gaetz’s campaign sent out fundraising prayers blaming the media for trying to take him down.

Few GOP allies spoke on his behalf, and most Republicans remained silent while the federal investigation hung over his head.

Federal investigators are trying to determine if Gaetz traveled and women were provided in exchange for political favors as part of a broader investigation, people familiar with the investigation told CNN.

The investigation includes investigations into a trip to the Bahamas and whether, according to the sources, women were paid to travel for sex with the Republican congressman in Florida. This is a possible federal crime.

CNN reported earlier that investigators also investigated allegations that Gaetz had sex with a minor girl who was then 17 and with other women who obtained drugs and money in violation of sex trafficking and prostitution laws.

Lawyers for Gaetz declined to comment.

CBS News, which first reported on the trip to the Bahamas, said in a spokesman: “Rep. Gaetz has never paid for sex and has not had sex with a minor girl. What started with screaming headlines about ‘sex trafficking’, have now been turned into a general fishing practice on holidays and adult relationships. “

Investigators are considering Gaetz’s association with several associates in Florida who, according to sources, have benefited politically in exchange for offering benefits to members of Congress, including escorts, travel and campaign donations.

The investigation includes allegations by witnesses and other evidence that Gaetz may have used cash and drugs in his dealings with young women, CNN reported earlier.

This story has been updated with additional background.

Annie Grayer and Sunlen Serfaty contributed to this story.

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