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    • Matt Gaetz’s ‘sex party’ allegations disputed by congressman
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    Matt Gaetz’s ‘sex party’ allegations disputed by congressman

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    Sealed testimony from three witnesses in a high-profile sex crimes case alleges that Rep. Matt Gaetz attended a party in 2017 that featured sex, drugs and a naked underage girl.

    Representatives for Gaetz and the attorney for the alleged party host say the claims are baseless.

    In March 2021, the New York Times broke the story that the U.S. Department of Justice was investigating Gaetz over allegations that he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl and paid for her travel.

    Gaetz has vehemently denied the allegations, and the DOJ ultimately declined to bring criminal charges against the congressman. Still, the allegations — which led to a conviction and 11-year prison sentence for Gaetz’s friend and political ally Joel Greenberg — have dogged Gaetz and prompted an investigation by the U.S. House Ethics Committee.

    The federal court documents filed Thursday night mark “the first time an affidavit alleging the congressman attended one of the highly anticipated parties related to an alleged underage sex scandal has been referenced in public court documents,” Washington-based media outlet NOTUS reported in a story published early Friday morning.

    The story cited testimony from AB, the 17-year-old at the center of the scandal, and two other women who alleged that Gaetz attended a “sex party” in the Lake Mary area on July 15, 2017.

    In response to emailed questions from the News Journal asking whether Gaetz attended the party and was aware of any illegal drugs, sexual activity or inappropriate activities involving the minor, a spokesperson for Gaetz said: “Congressman Gaetz never participated in any of the activities alleged in the NOTUS report. If anyone claims otherwise, they are either confused or lying. This particular reporter used to work at the liberal publication Daily Beast and predicted the Congressman’s arrest in 2021. He apparently had to find other employment.”

    The testimony that Gaetz was at the party is based on statements and affidavits cited in a lawsuit between Greenberg’s family and the party’s alleged host, Christopher Dorworth.

    Dorworth, a former state representative, filed a federal defamation lawsuit in 2023 against AB, Greenberg and several of Greenberg’s family members, accusing them of “conspiring with Joel’s sex trafficking victim, AB, to falsely accuse Dorworth and Gaetz of sexual misconduct.”

    Alex Andrade, a Pensacola-based attorney with Moore, Hill & Westmoreland, PA, is representing Dorworth in the lawsuit and he said there are “disputed factual issues” surrounding the testimony, as well as evidence that contradicts the testimony. He also urged people to “remember the source” of the claims against his client, noting that Greenberg admitted to paying an underage girl for sex and said he encouraged her to give false testimony against his client, and that the DOJ reportedly did not file a criminal case against Gaetz because the witnesses in the case were unreliable.

    Andrade is also a member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing parts of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties in the Florida Panhandle.

    What did witnesses say about Matt Gaetz attending a sex party?

    Documents filed in a US court in Orlando show both sides accusing each other of acting in bad faith.

    AB’s testimony was given in a deposition on June 24, and the transcript was included as Exhibit 1 in Greenberg’s motion for attorneys’ fees, costs and sanctions. The motion was filed late Thursday night, about two weeks after Dorworth voluntarily dismissed the federal civil lawsuit in favor of filing it in state court instead.

    Other evidence included with the motion included testimony from a woman identified in a June 21 deposition as KM, and a sworn statement from a woman identified as BG, dated September 3. The transcripts and the sworn statement have been withheld from the public, and the motion citing them is largely redacted.

    Yet it is clear that the Greenbergs’ attorneys used the testimony to support their claims that Dorworth’s defamation claims were frivolous and false.

    It appears Gaetz has been caught in the crossfire.

    “In 2017, Chris Dorworth, a former state legislator turned lobbyist, enjoyed the prestige of celebrity friends, such as Congressman Matt Gaetz, and entertained them with parties featuring illegal drugs and young women,” the motion said.

    An exhibit filed with the motion, a document submitted by attorneys for Greenberg’s ex-wife, Abby Greenberg, states: “Discovery to date in this case reflects that on Saturday, July 15, 2017, Plaintiff, Christopher Dorworth, hosted a party at his residence at 1520 Whistable Court; Lake Mary, Florida … with the following guests in attendance: (1) AB; ​​(2) KM; (3) BG; (4) Matt Gaetz; (5) CF; (6) Christopher Dorworth; (7) (redacted); (8) Joel Greenberg; (9) Joe Ellicott; (10) Mike Fischer; (11) an unidentified male; and (12) two unidentified females.”

    AB, then a high school student, took her mother’s car to the meeting, the document said. Once there, she was “seen naked in the presence of Christopher Dorworth,” according to the affidavit of the witness identified as KM

    KM also reported that “those attending the party at the Dorworth Residence, including, but not limited to, AB, ‘had access to the bedrooms at the Dorworth Residence to engage in sexual activity’ and had ‘alcohol, cocaine, ecstasy (also known as molly) and marijuana.'”

    ‘Sex party’ allegations still controversial

    Andrade said both the Greenbergs’ request for fees and costs and the accompanying exhibits were improper and were filed after the case had already been dismissed and remanded to state court.

    “The (Greenberg) family’s motion for costs contains scandalous and obscene factual statements, the vast majority of which were never presented to this Court prior to the dismissal of this case; all of which are disputed by Plaintiff,” Andrade wrote in a motion to the court Friday. “… These disputed factual issues remain the subject of active litigation in state court, a proceeding which such rulings by this Court could improperly prejudice.”

    An order issued Friday by the judge in the case appeared to support Andrade’s position.

    “Since Plaintiff (Dorworth) dismissed this case without prejudice pursuant to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure … on September 5, 2024, the record in this case has received an additional 14 entries,” U.S. District Judge Daniel C. Irick wrote in an order Friday “ordering only legal motions.”

    “The majority of the documents filed with the court relate to the right to attorney fees. Defendants seek fees pursuant to Florida’s RICO law and the inherent powers of the court. However, while it appears that many of Defendants’ filings relate to their attempts to use disclosure documents to bolster their claims for fees, many of Plaintiffs’ filings relate to whether this court currently has jurisdiction to hear the claims for fees.”

    In a written statement to the News Journal, Andrade wrote: “To reiterate, there is nothing in the improperly filed motions filed by Defendants to which we need to respond; they are disputed issues of fact; and we look forward to pursuing our claims for defamation and false claims of criminal conduct in the state court case. We are confident that we will prevail on these facts in the state court case, and we maintain that the state court case is the only proper case in which these facts should be fought.”

    What does the sex party scandal mean for Matt Gaetz?

    If history is to be believed, these recent allegations will do little to deter Gaetz in his efforts to retain his seat in Florida’s 1st Congressional District.

    During the August primaries, Gaetz easily defeated challenger Aaron Dimmock with 72.55% of the vote.

    Gaetz has not faced a serious challenge since he was first elected to the seat in 2016, defeating a field of six other candidates in the Republican primary. In every primary since 2016, Gaetz has won with more than 60% of Republican voter support.

    His main primary challenge came in 2018 against Cris Dosev, who received 30% of the vote, the highest percentage of any candidate challenging Gaetz since 2016.

    Gaetz is running in the November election against Democratic candidate Gay Valimont, who released a statement Friday addressing the sex scandal allegations.

    “While I have always been committed to focusing on the issues that matter most to our community, the revelations in these court records are deeply disturbing and cannot be ignored. Witnesses have testified and credible allegations have emerged that implicate Congressman Gaetz in a scandal so horrific that it undermines our shared values ​​of safety and dignity,” Valimont said.

    “These allegations go beyond political debate; they point to a deep crisis that demands accountability. I want to recognize the courage of the young individuals involved, whose lives have been irrevocably impacted. We have a moral obligation to protect our most vulnerable citizens. As your representative, I will address head-on issues that undermine the integrity of our communities and the well-being of our constituents.”

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