Federal investigators are looking more closely at a trip Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz and “several young women” took to the Bahamas in 2018 to see if it was part of a plan to loosen medical cannabis laws in Florida, reports CNN.
Florida politician makes Florida man look normal
The investigation is part of the Justice Department’s larger investigation into allegations that Gaetz accepted gifts like escorts and vacations as part of a “pay-to-play” scheme for political influence, as well as accusations that he involving Gaetz’s payments to 17-year-old girl to (illegally) move her across state lines.
Gaetz has been heavily involved in medical cannabis, which was legalized in 2016 when he was a member of the Florida House of Representatives, introducing and sponsoring key pieces of legislation and advocating for federal legalization. He has close ties to Dr. Jason Pirozzolo, who has invested heavily in cannabis and who accompanied Gaetz to the Bahamas in 2018.
Neither of them have been charged with anything at this time, according to CNN.
Millennial marijuana
In 2019, Gaetz went head-to-head in debate with former Trump press secretary Kellyanne Conway, who took Trump’s anti-cannabis stance.
“I have worked to be a positive influence with the President on marijuana reform. To my friend, Kellyanne Conway, I would say, “OK, boomer,’” he said, arguing that the legalization debate is generational, not partisan.
Gaetz cries fake news
Like all those in the Trump orbit, Gaetz was similarly glib in his defense of the new allegations and played the conspiracy card: “CNN is the Deep Fake,” he tweeted in response.
It turns out you can be right on an issue and still be an absolutely reprehensible human.
We shall see if he Gaetz what he deserves.
