November 21st 2024.
According to the lawyer representing two women who claim they were paid for sex by former congressman Matt Gaetz, their clients have provided the House Ethics Committee with "numerous" photos from their encounters with the Florida Republican. These photos include images from a supposed trip to New York in 2019, during which the women say they engaged in sexual activities with Gaetz. The lawyer, Joel Leppard, shared this information with CNN's Erin Burnett on "OutFront" on Tuesday.
Leppard also stated that the women were reimbursed for their travel expenses by Gaetz and that they were present with him at a Fox News studio while he filmed a TV appearance. In addition to the photos, the women also provided the committee with selfies that Gaetz allegedly sent them. Leppard revealed that the women also admitted to sending nude photos to Gaetz, sometimes at his request.
Gaetz, who was recently chosen by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as his attorney general, resigned from Congress last week, effectively ending the ethics investigation into him. The committee had been looking into allegations of misconduct, including sexual misconduct and drug use. They are now considering whether to release a report on their findings.
When asked if the women ever felt pressured by Gaetz, Leppard shared that one of his clients testified that she felt the need to "please" the congressman before attending an electronic music show during their trip to New York. CNN has reached out to Gaetz for comment, but he has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
Leppard's account of the testimony sheds light on the evidence collected by the House committee during their investigation, which was separate from the criminal investigation by the Justice Department. The federal prosecutors ultimately decided not to charge Gaetz, a fact that he has been using to support his denial of the accusations. He and his spokesperson have both stated that the Department of Justice cleared him of any wrongdoing.
As the Senate prepares to consider Gaetz for the attorney general role, Democrats and some Republicans are calling for access to the House panel's report. However, there have been delays in its release, and House Speaker Mike Johnson has expressed opposition to its release. Leppard also mentioned that there were other witnesses who testified before the House panel, and he believes that the evidence they have gathered is overwhelming.
According to Leppard, the committee asked the women about records of payments they allegedly received from Gaetz, which were mostly made electronically. He shared that one of his clients was paid over $6,000 and the other over $4,000 by the congressman. However, Leppard stated that this is only a fraction of the evidence available, as the House has obtained thousands of documents related to the case.
CNN's Annie Grayer contributed to this report. The-CNN-Wire & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
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