# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/121 "2021-04-02T21:25:04Z")
Is there any “good” here aside from the schadenfreude of seeing a particularly noxious GOP rep go down in flames? If he resigns, the noxious GOP governor will just name another noxious GOP rep to take his place, right? And not a single Florida GOP voter will reconsider their support for the party that nominated the creep. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/122 "2021-04-02T21:29:06Z")
I don’t think governors appoint rep replacements, only senators. There’s gonna be a special erection of he resigns. ---
**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, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/123 "2021-04-02T21:30:22Z")
Speak for yourself. ---
**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, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/124 "2021-04-02T21:34:25Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > “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. I wouldn’t be surprised if it could keep him out of jail, too, if people believed him. Strict liability doesn’t leave out prosecutorial discretion. And he could always argue that he never had sex with her. But my point was that he’s already past the point where he’s incriminated himself. Any defense that might seem reasonable to anyone (legally or not) is out the window. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/125 "2021-04-02T21:56:25Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > There’s gonna be a special erection of he resigns. ISWYDT But even so – will his district elect anyone less noxious? ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/126 "2021-04-02T22:07:38Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > As one commentator said, “He has the right to remain silent, but apparently lacks the ability to do so.” Hey that’s a Ron White line. The commentator should give credit ehere it’s due. Source: (NSFW language) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/neUaSTSKFZc/hqdefault.jpg "Official Ron White - I Got Thrown Out of a Bar") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neUaSTSKFZc) ---
**Author:** ![Topologist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/topologist/32/3208_2.png) [@Topologist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Topologist)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/127 "2021-04-02T22:40:50Z")
A [brief poem](https://www.theatlantic.com/books/archive/2021/04/poem-james-parker-florida-man/618495/) about the congressman from Florida. Can also be sung to the tune of “Particle Man.” Possibly NSFW for language. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/128 "2021-04-02T22:43:43Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Hey that’s a Ron White line. The commentator should give credit ehere it’s due. I’ve heard that line, or variants of it, about a million times. Starting decades ago. It’s such an obvious line I don’t think one can say that any one particular comic is the author. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/129 "2021-04-02T22:48:47Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > Ron White said that in one of his routines about being thrown out of a bar. It’s a good line; nice to see someone remembers it. Drunk. In. Public. 😃 ---
**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, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/130 "2021-04-02T22:51:04Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > > [@Morgyn](#): > > > > Ron White said that in one of his routines about being thrown out of a bar. It’s a good line; nice to see someone remembers it. > > Drunk. In. Public. 😃 - Are you Ron “Tater Salad” White? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/131 "2021-04-02T22:52:17Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Are you Ron “Tater Salad” White? You got me! You caught the Tater! ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/132 "2021-04-02T22:52:24Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > If he resigns, the noxious GOP governor will just name another noxious GOP rep to take his place, right? > [@Akaj](#): > > But even so – will his district elect anyone less noxious? There are degrees of noxiousness, and this guy is off the scale, even by Republican standards. He’s about the equal of the orange shit-gibbon that he so enthusiastically defended – rotten to the core. Regardless of how he’s replaced, even Republicans can surely do better than this. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/133 "2021-04-02T22:55:52Z")
I haven’t. Without corroborating evidence, that’s a Ron White line. Nyah. ---
**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, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/134 "2021-04-02T22:56:10Z")
Constitutionally, Representatives must be elected so there will be a special election. It’s a district that went to Trump by 30 points, so there’s little doubt that Republicans will hold it. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/135 "2021-04-02T22:57:23Z")
You caught me. You caught the Tater! Damnit. Should have read the rest of the thread. (I’ve seen this routine a number of times, and I do love it.) ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/136 "2021-04-02T23:10:30Z")
“You can take the roadblocks down now.” ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/137 "2021-04-03T08:35:46Z")
I skipped to the end, and, of course it is far from admirable, but isn’t sex with a 17 year old _legal_ in New York? ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/138 "2021-04-03T08:38:54Z")
The _federal_ age of consent is 18. If the person is under 18 and considered a minor in one state for the purpose of sexual consent, and you transport that person to another state with a lower age of consent solely for the purpose of sexual relations, you trip federal jurisdiction. This is a Mann Act violation. I’m surprised, as an attorney, you were not aware of this. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/139 "2021-04-03T08:41:26Z")
Well, did he transport her? I’m an attorney but didn’t get a full statement of the facts, so I would appreciate holding off on the personal attack. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/140 "2021-04-03T11:13:29Z")
It’s not a personal attack at all. It’s genuine surprise. Whatever my opinion of your ideological stance, you are generally very careful and thoughtful when it comes to matters of law, so I was legitimately taken aback by the disconnect between your statement and the apparent background of the case. But from your comment about not having a statement of the facts, perhaps you’re actually unaware of what’s being alleged. To wit — Gaetz is closely associated with this fellow Joel Greenberg, who has been rapidly accumulating a reputation as a thoroughgoing scumbag. Greenberg is under federal indictment for a wide range of offenses, including bribery, wire fraud, and identity theft, but most particularly to the current narrative, sex trafficking of a minor. Prior to his indictment, he held elected office in Florida and bragged of his social and political connections, including to Gaetz. There is now apparently evidence in the hands of federal investigators that Greenberg procured the services of prostitutes for Gaetz, with some below Florida’s age of consent. Gaetz has attempted to defend himself by claiming he was simply “generous” to his romantic partners, paying for their hotel rooms and airfare as they traveled with him. In his now-notorious interview with Tucker Carlson, he said he had brought one of these women to meet Carlson over dinner (which Carlson denied remembering). Is this helpful? [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=6) [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=8)