Two ladies informed Home ethics panel Gaetz despatched Venmo funds “for intercourse” and requested about “occasion favors,” their legal professional says

Two ladies interviewed by the Home Ethics Committee about former GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, President-elect Donald Trump’s choose to be legal professional basic, testified that Gaetz paid them instantly and repeatedly in Venmo transactions “for intercourse,” and that these transactions had been obtained by the committee, an legal professional for the ladies informed CBS Information. The legal professional, Joel Leppard, additionally mentioned the ladies testified that Gaetz inquired in textual content messages about “occasion favors” and “nutritional vitamins” at upcoming events, which was understood to be code for medication.

Leppard, who relies in Orlando, mentioned his shoppers testified that they attended events from 2017 to January 2019 the place Gaetz was current and intercourse and drug use happened. In an interview Monday with CBS Information chief Washington correspondent Main Garrett, Leppard mentioned considered one of his shoppers testified earlier than the Home Ethics Committee that she witnessed Gaetz having intercourse with a 17-year-old lady towards a sport desk at a July 2017 occasion. Gaetz was sworn into Congress in January 2017, so the entire occasions the ladies allege happened whereas he was a member of the Home. 

Officers with the Trump transition workforce didn’t reply to requests for remark Monday. One supply conversant in Gaetz’s authorized place questioned the credibility of the ladies and argued their recollections wouldn’t have withstood cross examination in court docket, had it come to that.

Gaetz, who has denied all wrongdoing, together with having intercourse with a minor, has blasted the committee’s investigation towards him and on Thursday known as the testimony about him a “false smear.”

Gaetz’s conduct was additionally investigated by federal prosecutors, however they ended the probe in 2023 with out submitting prices.

Because the Home Ethics Committee weighs whether or not to launch its report, which investigated allegations that Gaetz engaged in sexual misconduct, illicit drug use and bribery, Leppard mentioned his shoppers need the general public to know they’re telling the reality. 

One among his shoppers mentioned in a textual content to Leppard, “‘No matter what number of occasions he tries to distract from the reality, the general public deserves to know that what all of us skilled was actual and truly occurred.'”

“My shoppers should not political; they did not vote within the final two elections — they do not care a technique or one other,” Leppard informed Garrett. “However they do need the general public to know that they don’t seem to be mendacity. They didn’t come ahead willingly — they’ve by no means spoken to anybody and not using a pressure of a authorized subpoena.”

He continued, “And if the American folks would know, then they may determine if that is the particular person they need to be the following legal professional basic.”

One among Leppard’s shoppers is amongst no less than 4 ladies who’ve informed the committee they had been paid to attend events with medication and intercourse the place Gaetz was current, in response to a number of sources conversant in the matter. Her account corroborates the testimony of the then-minor, who informed the committee that she had intercourse with Gaetz when she was 17 years previous.

On the July 2017 occasion the place his consumer alleges this occurred, Leppard mentioned she and others had been “on the occasion in an effort to present leisure, to be joyful, to be energetic and supply sexual favors for the gents that had been current.”

“The expectation was that they might have sexual activity,” Leppard mentioned his shoppers testified about these events. “They testified to the Home that — and the Home really had their Venmo transactions, PayPal transactions, of Consultant Gaetz.” 

Leppard mentioned the Home panel requested the ladies about Gaetz’s PayPal and Venmo transactions.

“‘What was this for? What was this for,'” Leppard mentioned his shoppers had been requested. 

“‘This was for intercourse,'” he mentioned they responded. “‘This was for intercourse. This was for intercourse.'”

Leppard mentioned the funds had been usually between $200 and $500 at a time. 

He mentioned his shoppers additionally testified that typically, somebody aside from Gaetz would make a cost on his behalf. On no less than one event, in response to Leppard, that was Nestor Galban, a Cuban immigrant who’s near Gaetz and whom Gaetz has known as his “son.” He mentioned different funds on Gaetz’s behalf had been made by Gaetz affiliate Joel Greenberg, who was convicted in 2022 of intercourse trafficking of a minor and different crimes.

Leppard mentioned his consumer who testified that she noticed Gaetz having intercourse with the 17-year-old additionally informed the panel she didn’t consider Gaetz was conscious of her age on the time. 

“My consumer, no less than, testified that he didn’t know her age,” Leppard mentioned. 

Leppard’s consumer testified that she knew the 17-year-old lady and her age, and mentioned the 2 attended highschool collectively. 

His consumer testified that she had intercourse with Gaetz after arriving on the July 2017 home occasion. Later through the occasion, his consumer testified, she was strolling exterior when she noticed Gaetz having intercourse together with her good friend, the 17-year-old, towards the gaming desk. 

Leppard mentioned considered one of his shoppers supplied greater than 100 texts involving Gaetz to the committee. Incessantly, Leppard mentioned, the texts his consumer supplied confirmed Gaetz must be reminded to pay. 

“There was numerous texts requesting cost, like, ‘Hey, when are you going to pay me?'” Leppard mentioned. “Or, ‘I do not need to be that lady, however are you able to please go forward and pay me what we agreed upon?’ Textual content messages alongside these strains. The texts the Home was extra considering was those the place Consultant Gaetz was seemingly requesting that medication be current.”

“So, in my line of labor as a prison protection legal professional, nobody ever requests, ‘Are you able to give me some medication, please?'” Leppard mentioned. “They normally use code phrases. And so Consultant Gaetz would use phrases like, ‘Are you able to guarantee that there are occasion favors current?’ Or, ‘Who’s in command of occasion favors?’ He used the time period ‘occasion favor mecca’ when he was referring to a different particular person who was bringing occasion favors. He additionally used the time period ‘nutritional vitamins,’ I consider.”

Nonetheless, Leppard’s shoppers informed the Home panel they may not particularly recall whether or not they had seen Gaetz use marijuana or different medication. 

The texts additionally included a “lot of optimistic emojis,” Leppard mentioned, like hearts, and “optimistic statements” forwards and backwards between Gaetz, his shoppers and others. Leppard characterised the connection with Gaetz as an advanced one, but in addition considered one of friendship, and he additionally informed Garrett that his shoppers knew Gaetz’s girlfriend on the time. 

“At the very least considered one of my shoppers testified that, in a way, they had been required to please Mr. Gaetz earlier than going out and attending their [Electronic Dance Music] present,” Leppard mentioned of 1 alleged event about which his consumer testified. “And that was one thing that was of specific curiosity to the Home. Consultant Gaetz’s girlfriend texted them, and so they basically took care of their duties, and in a while, they went to see their present.” 

Leppard mentioned his shoppers have “been by way of heck” and are fearful that in the event that they testify earlier than the Senate or anyplace else publicly, “they won’t be protected of their jobs.”  

The Home Ethics Committee had deliberate to vote Friday, Nov. 15, on releasing its report, however the assembly was canceled after Trump introduced his intention Wednesday to nominate Gaetz, after which just a few hours later, the Florida Republican abruptly resigned from Congress. The panel is now set to satisfy Wednesday, two sources informed CBS Information. 

Home Speaker Mike Johnson mentioned Friday he would “strongly request” that the Home Ethics Committee withhold the report on its investigation into Gaetz. The committee has equal illustration amongst Democrats and Republicans — 5 Democrats and 5 Republicans. 

Democratic and Republican senators who would vote on Gaetz’s affirmation as legal professional basic have mentioned they need entry to the ethics panel’s report.