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The Daily Beast

2 Apr, 9 tweets, 4 min read

NEW: The Daily Beast has viewed text messages that got the feds interested in looking into Rep. Matt Gaetz
trib.al/IOvmmwr

Gaetz, facing a reported probe into a pay-for-sex scheme, came to investigators’ attention after an alleged off-hours visit to a Florida tax agency — where the local official was allegedly making fake IDs.
trib.al/IOvmmwr

That tip to the feds came in a text message conversation that Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg, indicted for sex trafficking, had with an employee.

That employee inquired about IDs sprawled all over a desk in the office. trib.al/IOvmmwr

Greenberg attempted to explain why they were both in the office, according to this person.

“Yes I was showing congressman Gaetz what our operation looked like. Did I leave something on?” — text message from Greenberg read. trib.al/IOvmmwr

In a separate incident on July 4, 2019, Greenberg and Gaetz called a state legislator, Rep. Anna V. Eskamani, and left her a peculiar voicemail.

We have obtained a copy of that voicemail.

Listen here: trib.al/IOvmmwr

@Jose_Pagliery

Gaetz and Greenberg are on the voicemail telling Eskamani, who they refer to as “dear Anna,” that she’s “the future of the Democratic Party in Florida!”

Eskamani said she maintained Greenberg at arm’s length for years.

Read more by @Jose_Pagliery: trib.al/IOvmmwr

According to people familiar with the investigation, Secret Service agents were initially interested in Greenberg’s failed attempt to allow Seminole County residents to pay their taxes in Bitcoin trib.al/IOvmmwr

The official in this text message signed a $50,000 settlement with the Office of the Seminole County Tax Collector over claims of unfair retaliation at work. It bars her from making “false or defamatory statements” about her former employer. trib.al/qyhT2BX

Here are texts that purport to show Greenberg helping Gaetz get duplicate IDs—outside of proper channels. When Greenberg later came under investigation for identity theft and stalking, agents approached former employees at the tax office to obtain proof. trib.al/qyhT2BX

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The Daily Beast

@thedailybeast

2 Apr

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In this new episode of @NewAbnormalPod, @mollyjongfast dives into mounting allegations that Rep. Matt Gaetz has been involved with underage women and took them across state lines.
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@mollyjongfast

.@mollyjongfast brought on The Nation’s national affairs correspondent @HeerJeet to discuss the burgeoning scandal.
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EXCLUSIVE: Just days before the world’s most famous rowing race, a star athlete from Oxford University’s Boat Race squad was pulled from the team following allegations of sexual assault made against him by a female rower trib.al/XoQYwM7

The issue? The allegation was leveled in October *last* year.

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The Daily Beast

@thedailybeast

1 Apr

Here’s what we know so far about the Rep. Matt Gaetz scandal and all the twists and turns: trib.al/0H1tWY4

It appears as though someone did try to extort Rep. Matt Gaetz.

His father was told his son’s legal problems could go away if he gave $25 million to help secure the release of Iranian hostage Bob Levinson trib.al/0H1tWY4

To make things stranger, a year ago, Levinson’s family said they were sure Bob was dead.

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The Daily Beast

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EXCLUSIVE: Before news of a federal probe of his alleged sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl, Rep. Matt Gaetz was getting cozy with right-wing media.

He was looking at potential jobs at Newsmax, One America News Network and Fox News trib.al/tVubXUQ

“There is not a single conservative television station I haven’t had a passing conversation with about life after Congress,” Rep. Gaetz told the Daily Beast. trib.al/tVubXUQ

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31 Mar

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