# Matt Gaetz being investigated for sex with 17 year old girl (DOJ declines to charge 2023-02-15) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 30, 2021, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052 "2021-03-30T22:13:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/101 "2021-04-02T17:56:09Z")
latest : setup a game to see how many women they can sleep with other guys involved too. > ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/102 "2021-04-02T18:02:46Z")
Gaetz went to Wm & Mary law school, which is one of the better ones in the country. How can he be that fucking stupid? He’s got texts and large sums of money with his fingerprints on them. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/103 "2021-04-02T18:15:42Z")
Dubya went to both Yale _and_ Harvard, and he’s an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/104 "2021-04-02T18:25:35Z")
That link isn’t working for me - it says that the account owner has limited who can see their tweets, and then invites me to join Twitter. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/105 "2021-04-02T18:36:34Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > So Carlson and his wife were at a dinner with Gaetz and some woman. Far be it from me to want to defend Tucker Carlson but unless he or his wife actually asked how old Gaetz’s date was, how would they know? Just how reliably can you tell the difference between a 17-year-old dressed up for dinner and a 21-year-old? You’d assume she was 21 and think “Jesus Christ, Matt’s a creep” but not say anything, you’d just be polite, eat your lamb and potatoes au gratin, and have one hell of a fun/creeped out conversation with your spouse on the ride home. It’s the most preposterous way to try to blackmail someone. He has nothing real to pin on Carlson (or his wife.) > [@asahi](#): > > Gaetz went to Wm & Mary law school, which is one of the better ones in the country. How can he be that fucking stupid? Some men just can’t stop all the blood from rushing out of their brains and into their dicks. I have long ago lost count of the number of guys I know whose brains shut off when sex was involved. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/106 "2021-04-02T18:54:45Z")
When Gaetz went on Fucker Carlson’s show, he said that public records would show that he never traveled with anybody under age. The Washington Post can find no public records which would prove that. And the Gaetz team refused to provide any. > **[Analysis | Matt Gaetz’s claim that ‘travel records’ debunk the allegations...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/04/01/matt-gaetzs-claim-that-travel-records-debunk-allegations-against-him/)** > > As a House member, Gaetz is not required to file disclosures concerning his private life and expenses. So his records show nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/107 "2021-04-02T18:55:03Z")
Here’s a better one, from a verified account from MSNBC News, rather than some random: > ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/108 "2021-04-02T19:09:27Z")
Gleefully anticipating the inevitable Law&Order: SVU episode. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/109 "2021-04-02T19:38:32Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > inevitable Law&Order: SVU episode Have they already done Epstein? 'cause I can just see a combo 2-parter. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/110 "2021-04-02T19:44:25Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > Gleefully anticipating the inevitable Law&Order: SVU episode Are you kidding? They did this [25 years ago on the original](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0629373/)! ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/111 "2021-04-02T19:51:41Z")
never mind ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/112 "2021-04-02T20:01:49Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Just how reliably can you tell the difference between a 17-year-old dressed up for dinner and a 21-year-old? Presumably, this is what gaetz himself is going to say at some point. And… while of course it’s no excuse, let alone for sex trafficking, and yes of course it creeps me out to think of him chasing girls anywhere near that young, I’ll admit its plausible to me for a guy to not realize a girl is under 18. Regarding the story about Tucker, I’ll make a second prediction: there’s more to it. Whether it implicates Tucker, we’ll see, but if I learned one thing in the Trump era it’s that there’s always more scandal and corruption. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/113 "2021-04-02T20:06:25Z")
Dub ain’t nearly that dumb, and I was no fan of the guy. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/114 "2021-04-02T20:07:13Z")
I’m guessing the guy also does some serious drugs, which are known to mess around with the wiring of brains. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/115 "2021-04-02T20:15:46Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > Presumably, this is what gaetz himself is going to say at some point. > And… while of course it’s no excuse, let alone for sex trafficking, and yes of course it creeps me out to think of him chasing girls anywhere near that young, I’ll admit its plausible to me for a guy to not realize a girl is under 18. Sure, but, as long as people aren’t just pretending to be ignorant, there’s no reason for anyone to buy such a defense. Not after this performance. It’s the type of thing you’d offer as your first defense, if it were true. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/116 "2021-04-02T20:26:57Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Some men just can’t stop all the blood from rushing out of their brains and into their dicks. I have long ago lost count of the number of guys I know whose brains shut off when sex was involved. An erect penis has no conscience. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/117 "2021-04-02T20:45:15Z")
When the staff start to go, that’s usually the sign that the end is nigh. They have to think about their own careers, and going down with a sinking ship is not a good career move. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/118 "2021-04-02T20:57:33Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > When Gaetz went on Fucker Carlson’s show, he said that public records would show that he never traveled with anybody under age. The Washington Post can find no public records which would prove that. And the Gaetz team refused to provide any. Ah, the ol’ “If I was a sex trafficker I would’ve written it down” defense. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/119 "2021-04-02T21:05:58Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > > [@Mijin](#): > > > > Presumably, this is what gaetz himself is going to say at some point. > > And… while of course it’s no excuse, let alone for sex trafficking, and yes of course it creeps me out to think of him chasing girls anywhere near that young, I’ll admit its plausible to me for a guy to not realize a girl is under 18. > > Sure, but, as long as people aren’t just pretending to be ignorant, there’s no reason for anyone to buy such a defense. Not after this performance. > > It’s the type of thing you’d offer as your first defense, if it were true. - [https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/strict\_liability](https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/strict_liability) > In both [tort](https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/tort) and [criminal law](https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/criminal_law), strict liability exists when a defendant is liable for committing an action, regardless of what his/her intent or mental state was when committing the action. In criminal law, possession crimes and **statutory rape** are both examples of strict liability offenses. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/120 "2021-04-02T21:13:32Z")
“I thought she was 18!” wouldn’t keep him out of jail, but it might give voters enough of a fig leaf to vote for him again when he gets out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052.md?page=7)