Congressman Matt Gaetz says he is ‘not a monk’ in ‘bizarre’ response to sex trafficking allegations

Republican congressman Matt Gaetz has issued a “bizarre” rebuttal to allegations that he engaged in child sex trafficking, writing in a piece for The Washington Examiner that he “is not a monk and certainly not a criminal”.

The op-ed comes after it was revealed that the Florida politician is under investigation by the FBI in relation to the accusation, which he denies.

In the article, Gaetz writes: “Nancy Pelosi once defended President Bill Clinton after he got an intern to fellate him in the Oval Office. But when it comes to the allegation that I, a grown man, paid for an adult girlfriend’s expenses? Well, consider that a bridge too far for the power-hungry hypocrites.”

The intern in question was 22 when Mr Clinton had an affair with her, while Gaetz faces claims that he allegedly trafficked a 17-year-old for sex.

The congressman went on to add that there are “exactly zero credible (or even non-credible) accusers” which have come forward in relation to the allegations, saying that US news outlets are just “repeating false allegations about a congressman who loathes the swamp and fights both sides of it on a daily basis”.

He continued: “Folks won’t be surprised that bizarre claims are being made about me shortly after I decided to take on the most powerful institutions in the Beltway: the establishment; the FBI; the Biden Justice Department; the Cheney political dynasty; even the Justice Department under Trump.

“Yes, just like the mafia, the D.C. swamp protects its ‘made men.’ Since I’m taking my turn under the gun, let me address the allegations against me directly. First, I have never, ever paid for sex. And second, I, as an adult man, have not slept with a 17-year-old.”

Gaetz’s article also goes on to see him confirm that he is “absolutely not resigning” in response to the allegations.

“My personal life is and always has been conducted on my own time and my own dime. Consensual adult relationships are not illegal,” he said.

After Gaetz shared the article on Twitter, claiming the DOJ want to “pervert the truth”, users were quick to ridicule the congressman:

Gaetz’s article concludes by saying that President Joe Biden’s justice department (DOJ) “would rather investigate me for adult, consensual sex” than the Democrat’s son, Hunter.

This is despite the inquiry into him commencing at the end of former president Donald Trump’s first and final term.