Should Matt Gaetz face criminal charges now that the House Ethics committee has released their findings?

Sure….

Should? Yes. Will? Likely not.

Should he? YES! but most republicans seem to be above the law.

DeSantis will not let that that happen in Florida ! ! ! !

He’s the sort of person a criminal might pick to be Attorney General.

No. Thats perfectly acceptable behaviour for republicans

Probably.

What’s more important to me is I feel this is another sign that far right extremist billionaires who want to control the country use politicians who can be controlled via threats, bribes, and extortion. It’s a conspiracy theory that lives loud in my head.

Nope. The ethics panel is not a legal system…they are the group that looks at the by-laws of their little cabal. They do not apply the same standards to all parties, they are not a legal trial basis…nothing. You could say they could turn their findings over to the DoJ, but you can bet that was already done and the DoJ, the Gestapo for the Dems, couldn’t see enough of a case to push. This report makes good PR for the Dems and that is about it. The real question is why they released it at all. He is no longer in the House so their jurisdiction ended. The only reason to release it is to try to preemptively discredit him if he decides to shine a light on those remaining.

The real question is: If Gaetz were not a politician (and a notorious one at that), would his misdeeds be enough to get him arrested?

In other words, as a regular guy, would:

a) taking minors across a state line for sex
b) using drugs
c) paying prostitutes
d) statutory rape

be enough to have him arrested and charged.

The answer is clearly YES.

@elbanditoroso And yet the DOJ did not see enough evidence to bring charges. This was already investigated by them. And be honest: can you see this DOJ not going after a vocal Republican if they had the chance?

And it is interesting to me that this report was released after Gaetz was talking about being a possible Special Counsel appointed to look into insider trading by Congress.

Absolutely. There is enough evidence to bring forward minimum the statutory rape.

He is such a sleezeball. He stepped aside because he clearly he knew this would all come out. Does anyone have a conscious anymore?

@seawulf575 Yes, the timing is totally an aspect because he clearly had to be stopped before he waltzed into any more power.

Corruption is corruption. Party lines should not matter on things like this. Remember Bob Menendez? It took 18 years to get him his due.

^Exactly this. Corruption at all levels and parties needs to stop.

I am curious about those who so vehemently defend those who get accused (and often. convicted of) various things like this if they aspire to commit these acts, or have already, and figure that it’s just no big deal?

This is why vigilantes like Luigi exist. There is a 2 tiered legal system where the rich and powerful rarely face justice.

Luigi’s family is rich and powerful. Frankly, I’m not spending much time parsing the ins and outs of this crime. I’d rather see more focus on systemic change of the health care industry.