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Text Messages Show Matt Gaetz’s ‘Wingman’ Arranging Meetings Involving the Congressman, Women and Drugs

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Text messages and Facebook messages obtained by ABC News show Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz’s wingman, Joel Greenberg, arranging meetings with women for himself and the congressman through “sugar daddy” websites.

Greenberg, who pleaded guilty in May to sex-trafficking of a minor and several other federal charges, reportedly has been cooperating with prosecutors. Investigators believe it was Greenberg who met women through online “sugar daddy” websites and then introduced the women to Gaetz, who also had sex with them.

According to ABC News, Greenberg “has provided investigators with years of Venmo and Cash App transactions and thousands of photos and videos, as well as access to personal social media accounts.”

In one of the text message exchanges obtained by the network, from 2018, Greenberg appeared to arrange payment for a woman and ask whether she took drugs.

“I have a friend flying in and we are trying to make plans for tonight. What are your plans for later.” Greenberg reportedly wrote to the woman, referring to Gaetz. “And how much of an allowance will you be requiring :)”

The woman responded by saying she had “a friend who introduced (her) to the website that (she) could bring,” adding that she typically charges “$400 per meet.”

Greenberg then sent the woman a photo of Gaetz taking a selfie with students at Pea Ridge Elementary and wrote, “My friend,” ABC News reports.

“Oooh my friend thinks he’s really cute!” the woman responded.

Greenberg told the woman that Gaetz was “down here only for the day,” and that “we work and and play hard.”

“Have you ever tried molly,” he wrote, referring to the drug MDMA.

The woman ask if Gaetz used the same website that he had used to meet her.

“He knows the deal :),” Greenberg responded, adding that he would book a “suite Downtown.”

In another Facebook message exchange, also from 2018, Greenberg organized a gathering involving Gaetz and women he had been paying for sex at the home of Jason Pirozzolo — the Florida hand doctor who is also a subject of the FBI’s sprawling probe — which he referred to as “our safe place.”

“You should come meet the group,” Greenberg wrote to an unidentified Florida media entrepreneur. “I think it would be a wise investment of time. You might already know Jason Pirrazolo … but I’d like for you to meet Congressman Matt Gaetz. Gaetz is a wild man, but great dude.”

Greenberg added that the gathering would include “6-7 chicks” and “just 3-4 guys.”

Gaetz has not been charged with any crime and has repeatedly denied allegations related to the ongoing federal probe.

In a statement to ABC News, Gaetz spokesman Harlan Hill said: “After months of media coverage, not one woman has come forward to accuse Rep. Gaetz of wrongdoing. Not even President Biden can say that. That others might invite people unbeknownst to a U.S. Congressman to functions he may or may not attend is the everyday life of a political figure. Your story references people the congressman doesn’t know, things he hasn’t done and messages he neither sent nor received. Rep. Gaetz addressed the debunked allegations against him — and their origin in an extortion plot — during his Firebrand podcast episode last week. People should download and watch.”

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CRIME

Seattle Police Didn’t Provide Access to Lawyers 96% of the Time: Report

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4 months ago

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December 26, 2023

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The Seattle Police Department violated the law and didn’t give people under 18 access to a lawyer when it was supposed to 96% of the time, according to a new report released Friday by the city’s Office of the Inspector General.

The OIG audited the Seattle Police Department on its compliance with two laws, a city-level law called the MiChance Dunlap-Gittens Ordinance and a similar state law, RCW 13.40.740. The laws require police give those under 18 years old access to a public defender before the youth waives their right to remain silent. Police also must provide attorney access when requesting consent for a search, according to the OIG.

The OIG examined 89 arrests and found 50 cases where the laws applied. In those cases, access to an attorney was only provided twice. The OIG broke the interactions into four categories: Custodial Interrogation, which made up half of the cases; Consent to Search, 3 cases; Detained and Questioned, 7 cases; and Arrested, No Evidence of Questioning, 15 cases. Both of the instances where attorney access was provided were in this last category.

READ MORE: DOJ Report Says Louisville Police Needlessly Use Tasers & Dogs on Civilians

In an appendix, the OIG laid out eight recommendations, including updating the Seattle Police Department’s policy manual, requiring officers to “make a good faith effort” to check the age of the person detained, and to perform regular internal audits on whether or not the law is being followed by officers.

SPD’s chief operating officer, Brian Maxey, said it was sometimes difficult to determine if someone is legally a minor, according to the Times, but admitted that “in some instances there are clear gaps in officers’ understanding of the laws and inconsistencies in practice.”

The law is named for MiChance Dunlap-Gittens, a high school senior shot in 2017 following a botched sting operation. King County sheriff’s detectives investigating a homicide attempted to create a sting to catch a suspect. Dunlap-Gitten was killed when he attempted to flee. The suspect the detectives were after also fled, but was caught by a SWAT team that night, according to the Seattle Times. However, neither teenager was involved at all in the homicide under investigation.

Dunlap-Gittens’ death led to a $2.5 million ruling against King County in 2020. In addition to the victim’s family receiving the money, the sheriff at the time apologized and promised to make her officers wear body cameras and use dash cameras, according to the Times. Shortly following the settlement, the Seattle City Council passed the ordinance. A similar ordinance also went before the King County Council. A year later, RCW 13.40.740 passed the State Legislature.

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CRIME

Giuliani Booking Photo Released

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8 months ago

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August 23, 2023

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Former Trump attorney and former Republican Mayor of New York City, Rudy Giuliani was booked in Fulton County, Georgia Wednesday afternoon on racketeering charges and charges related to attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

He was released on a $150,000 bond after being arraigned on 13 charges.

“Conditions include prohibitions against intimidating co-defendants or witnesses, and against communicating with co-defendants other than through their lawyers. Giuliani must check in with pretrial services every 30 days,” USA Today reports.

READ MORE: ‘Wrong on the Law, Wrong on the Facts’: Fani Willis Smacks Down Jeff Clark’s Legal Move in Scathing Response

Former Trump attorneys Jenna Ellis and Sidney Powell were also booked and their photos have been made public as well.

See all three mug shots below or at this link.

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CRIME

‘Moral Turpitude’: Bill Barr Hammers Donald Trump

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8 months ago

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August 17, 2023

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Former Trump Attorney General Bill Barr delivered one of his harshest criticisms to date of his former boss on Thursday, accusing Donald Trump of “moral turpitude.”

“You know, you don’t get immunity for two years in the run-up to an election just by saying, ‘Hey, I’m a candidate,'” Barr told Fox News’ Neil Cavuto.

“These investigations have been going on for a while, everyone knew about them even before he announced his candidacy,” Barr continued. “So if there’s a chance to get it resolved before the election, it should be because the American people should know these are crimes involved – or potential crimes – involving moral turpitude.”

Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute says moral turpitude is “wicked, deviant behavior constituting an immoral, unethical, or unjust departure from ordinary social standards such that it would shock a community.”

READ MORE: ‘Truly Scandalous: Jim Jordan Slammed by Former Top DOJ Official

Barr also talked about the two federal cases brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith, one for Trump’s efforts to overturn the election, and one for his refusal to return classified and other documents.

“I think the federal cases are legitimate,” Barr said. “At the end of the day, at the core of this thing he engaged in – in the case of the documents – in outrageous behavior where anyone would be prosecuted. I don’t know of any attorney general who could walk away from it.”

“He’s not being prosecuted for having the documents, he’s being prosecuted for obstruction, two egregious instances are alleged so I think that’s a very simple case.”

Barr also said for him, Trump “crossed the line” when “he used this device of impaneling imposter electors, swearing that they were the electors, but the key point there was, they were in tandem with a plan whereby the vice president would use that as a pretext for nullifying the legal and certified votes. So it was a calculated and deceitful plan to remain in office by nullifying and negating certified legal votes.”

Watch the videos below or at this link:

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