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Matt Gaetz shared nude photo on House floor of woman he said he had slept with, report says

Congressman is under DOJ investigation over alleged relationship with 17-year-old girl

Graeme Massie
Los Angeles
Friday 02 April 2021 00:44 BST
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Rep. Gaetz To Stay On House Committee Amid Sex Investigation
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Matt Gaetz allegedly shared a nude photo on the House floor of a woman he said he had slept with, a report says.

The Florida Republican congressman is accused of showing photos and videos of women to other lawmakers, according to CNN.

Mr Gaetz, 38, had a reputation on Capitol Hill of bragging about his sexual relationships, multiple sources told the news network.

CNN says its sources include two people actually shown the material, who said that Mr Gaetz showed them pictures of women and talked about having sex with them.

One of the videos reportedly showed a naked woman with a hula hoop.

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“It was a point of pride,” one of the sources said of Mr Gaetz’s behaviour.

There is no suggestion that any of the pictures or videos are linked to the ongoing Department of Justice investigation into Mr Gaetz.

The DOJ opened a probe into the pro-Trump congressman under former attorney general Bill Barr before the end of the ex-president’s time in office.

Investigators are said to be looking at the nature of Mr Gaetz’s relationship with a 17-year-old woman and if it broke federal sex-trafficking and prostitution laws.

Mr Gaetz has confirmed the investigation is ongoing but strongly denied any wrongdoing on his part.

He has claimed that he is also the victim of a $25 million extortion plot relating to the investigation.

“Over the past several weeks my family and I have been victims of an organized criminal extortion involving a former DOJ official seeking $25 million while threatening to smear my name,” Mr Gaetz said in a statement.

“We have been cooperating with federal authorities in this matter and my father has even been wearing a wire at the FBI’s direction to catch these criminals.”

The Independent has reached out to Mr Gaetz’s office for comment.

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