Michael Smerconish scored a major hit on his Sirius radio program when he hosted Bob Kent, an ex-Air Force officer, who has been named as one of the individuals allegedly involved in seeking $25 million from the Gaetz family — a demand that the family alleges was an extortion effort. On the program, Kent confirmed that he did ask for $25 million while insisting that there was no extortion or threat.
I discussed the controversy with Smerconish on his radio program before the Kent interview. We discussed how bizarre it is to have a written demand for $25 million that references potential criminal charges against Gaetz and the possibility of a pardon from President Joe Biden. Usually extortionists do not lay out the deal in writing like an investment prospectus.
The funds were being purportedly sought to secure the release of Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent who disappeared in Iran in 2007. Levinson was believed to have been working for the CIA and, at the time of the demand, he was already believed to have died in Iranian custody.
Kent confirmed the request made to Gaetz’ father, Don Gaetz, and the involvement of former DOJ lawyer David McGee, who served as the Levinson family’s attorney. He also admitted that he told Don Gaetz how the money would “generate good will” for his son. However, he insisted that “I explained that in no way am I trying to extort him and that if he decides not to help us, he’ll never hear from me again.”
It is also notable that Kent was working with Florida businessman Stephen Alford, who reportedly was convicted of fraud.
That brings us to the document obtained by the Washington Examiner. It was allegedly sent by Kent. This includes an express promise that, with the $25 million, his son will be guaranteed a spot on the plane bringing back Levinson and a presidential pardon “alleviating all of this legal issues.”
Gaetz now has confirmed that the demand was made and he has the communication on an apparent quid pro quo pitch. However, that does not “alleviate” his legal jeopardy. If charged with sex trafficking, a judge could exclude the alleged extortion demand and evidence on the basis that it would not be a defense to the charge itself. Even if Gaetz was being blackmailed, the existence of such a conspiracy would not alter the fact that he allegedly committed sex trafficking crimes. Thus, the jury might never know of the countervailing narrative.
There remains the question of whether Gaetz did have relations with a 17-year-old. He vehemently denies that claim. The FBI presumably has this evidence. If he did not have a relationship with an under-aged girl, the remaining charges would involve prostitution claims in arranging for the travel and compensation of adult women for sex. Such charges are far less series than sex trafficking under-aged girls, but there is still much that we do not know about the focus of this investigation.
This is why, as with figures like Andrew Cuomo, demands for a resignation or expulsion for Gaetz are premature until we can see actual evidence and confirmed actual facts. There is much that has been reported that is deeply disturbing, including Gaetz’ alleged history of bragging about such sexual encounters or participating in juvenile games tied to sexual relations. That may offer compelling evidence that he is a terrible person, but that would not make him necessarily stand out in Congress. The question is whether he is criminally not morally culpable. That demands a modicum of proof and patience.
‘Zero women have come out with sexual allegations against Matt Gaetz. Yet, Cuomo – 9 women, Lincoln Project –young men, Bill Clinton – we lost count, Jeffrey Epstein – the public deserves to know his blackmail list, but the deep state won’t tell.
They just falsely accuse Gaetz.’
@mtgreenee
anonymous – If Gaetz is just a fine, christian servant, why this? Matt Gaetz sought preemptive pardon in final weeks of Trump’s presidency.
Seems prudent. Talk to Speaker of the House Tom Delay, Senator Ted Stevens, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, General Flynn, All victims of corrupt Democrat prosecutions, aided by corrupt Judges, later overturned when the corruption was exposed.
Do you see a pattern
Matt Gaetz sought preemptive pardon in final weeks of Trump’s presidency.</i
Yet another lie pushed by the propaganda Dem media, President Trump says Gaetz never asked him for a pardon. So somebody is going to have to produce evidence to the contrary.
Greene took a vacation from her boy toys at the gym to tweet this?
Why is it illegal for someone to have sex with a 17-year-old but okay for a doctor to prescribe hormones to someone that age or younger who thinks he or she should be the opposite sex?
Those who accuse, must prove.
And then the law must be applied fairly and equally.
Prove bad behavior and then, if proven act accordingly, including criminal charges or requiring resignation or recall.
Give the dirty Intelligence agencies a chance, will ya? It takes time to make up proof.
There was a past senator who was re-elected year after year after year, etc. with salacious stories trailing behind him.
I understand statute of limitations. But there should be a hard limit on the time the federal govt can investigate a crime. It is becoming plain, that the federal govt is using its power to “freeze” those not in favor with the federal govt. This investigation in sex with a minor should be resolved in 30 days.
We learned a lot about the abuse the FBI heaped on General Flynn and his family. The federal govt has turned into the agency the founders warned against.
There is.
Its 5 years unless the applicable statute says otherwise.
So they have up to 5 yrs to investigate and charge for most federal crimes.
However there’s an exception. Its if there’s a conspiracy. The clock is stopped until the end of the conspiracy. Take Hillary’s email server. If there’s been a conspiracy, and you can prove it to the courts… you can still go after her because the 5 yrs doesn’t start until the end of the conspiracy.
Its 5 years unless the applicable statute says otherwise.
Thats to file a criminal charge. What I’m talking about is the FBI holding people for ransom by being under a constant investigation, with no grand jury, to indictments no charges. For more than a year.
Turley has pointed out this is a simple investigation. There is evidence, or not. To keep people in the constant position of ‘under investigation’ is harrassment.
I am still in the dark. Who is making the claim Gaetz had sex with a 17 year old?
Presumably the Office of the Attorney General (aka The Feds). It’s too bad and kind of pathetic that Trump couldn’t ever find an AG who would ever pay attention to him like what the sock puppet that Biden has.
Uh, didn’t Tucker or Hannity tell you that the investigation into Gaetz was started by Bill Barr’s DOJ?
Natacha, if Gaetz is guilty he should be prosecuted.
But 5 will get you 20 that you don’t feel the same way about Dementia Joe’s son who idiotically kept pics of himself having sex and doing cocaine with his 14 year old niece on his laptop.
In one of the pics he’s doing cocaine off of her a$$. So that is the scum that Joe Biden raised. Hunter fell right to the bottom of the tree.
“Dementia Joe’s son who idiotically kept pics of himself having sex and doing cocaine with his 14 year old niece on his laptop.”
You keep making this claim, but you never provide evidence.
@Natacha…
How many people work in the DoJ and FBI?
So do you think Wray knew about it?
At the same time… what are the specific allegations?
The interesting thing is the blackmail / extortion. Something doesn’t smell right.
Hunter Biden’s damage control team.
We must believe the accusers even if they don’t really exist.
Was it extortion when a bunch of rich well connected criminals paid Guiliani and Dershowitz a lot of money because they had connections to Trump and got pardons for those people?
I mean, this is just another way someone was trying to help out the Gaetz family by showing them a way to make the rich family’s son’s legal problems go away. Of course, this guy’s offer was kind of speculative and bizarre and there was no guarantee Biden is going to hand out corrupt pardons like Trump did.
You may not like the Presidential Pardon Power, but its constitutional, and it is normal to hire legal counsel to prepare Pardon requests.
But follow your mentor Don Quixote to the next windmill.
Is it a lie and false narrative pushed by idiot simpelton democRat supporters to destroy someone that opposes the disastrous democRats…of coarse it is…..And we can always pick out the simpelton democRats because they always need to blame legitimate President Trump for everything and prove they are just triggered idiots.
There is so much unknown and unproven that it is next to impossible to draw any conclusions other than that at this point, and at this point only, Matt Gaetz is innocent of any allegations made against him.
As for presuming that the FBI has evidence, I would be very cautious. The FBI has a history of fabrication of evidence and omission of exculpatory evidence.
This should definitely be investigated but if it is found to be a fraudulent smear, people should not be able to hide behind the public figure libel defense. If he is shown to be guilty, he should face the legal consequences.
I have a little sympathy for hi. If it is just degenerate behavior as he was one of the few defenders of Katie Hill when her sexual peccadilloes became public. At least he wasn’t acting holier than thou.
Gaetz supported Trump. That’s enough for the media and the Democrats, but I repeat myself. He must be destroyed.
Absolutely that is the motivation. Having hetero consensual sex with a seventeen year old is probably legal in at least half of the US where the age of consent varies from state to state. A nothingburger malum prohibitum witch hunt to keep the icons of the opposition on their back feet and to suppress dissent of the reigning administration.
Transporting a 17 y.o. across state lines for sex is a felony.
There are also allegations of paying women for sex and using illegal drugs with them.
Only if you are paying her and it’s against consent. And under federal laws that are applicable it’s not ‘strict liability’. This stinks to high heaven of a setup, let’s see how it plays out. if Gaetz was guilty, he likely never goes on Tucker based on advice from counsel. As well, why didn’t they negotiate something and pay to make it go away if true? His dad is worth several hundred million.
Something about this is just too cozy with the DoJ and FBI. And the guy he’s supposed to have done this with is a total fraudster.
60 minutes just did a hit piece on Florida governor DeSantis claiming pay for play. Even Democrat leaders in the state of Florida say that is absolutely false.
DeSantis gave the vaccine to those institutions ready to give it to the public. If DeSantis didn’t permit all of those companies to get the vaccine a lot of people that have had the vaccine would still be waiting.
The press including well known shows such as 60 Minutes cannot ever be trusted without verification. They are more concerned with their own politics than they are with the news.
OTOH, if Gaetz was being frisky with 17 year old boyz, then that would be just peachy. Hey, if 17 is past the Age of Consent, all being with a 17 year old means is questionable taste!
She was just seventeeeeen! You knoooow what I mean. . .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwBdWVTR-o8
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
“There remains the question of whether Gaetz did have relations with a 17-year-old. He vehemently denies that claim. The FBI presumably has this evidence.”
*************************
If the FiBBers had the Mann Act evidence, they would have arrested him by now. The feds love a good raid. Gaetz is walking and the Leftist Press, as usual, is holding the bag. One wonders how the Fourth Estate can stand up with all the egg on their faces. More chicken ovum than an explosion at the Waffle House at 5:00 am.
Call them The Pearly Gates.
Why ask Gaetz the elder for the money? As fast as the federal reserve is printing trillions of unsecured debt, who’s going to miss 25 mil?
“That may offer compelling evidence that he is a terrible person, but that might not necessarily make him stand out in Congress.” Every so often JT throws in a classic one-liner that makes me smile. Gaetz is being targeted because he is the most viable presidential candidate the GOP has who would or could satisfy pro and never Trumpers alike. It may be that Cuomo is being targeted for the same reason although it is more likely that the left simply wants someone crazier for Governor of NY who would work in tandem with Mayor DeAwful to completely destroy the state and open the door to totalitarian rule. Either way, all eyes are on 2024 at this point.
I agree. Why? Kavanaugh. If the Democrats were telling any truth about Gaetz, that would be a mere coincidence.
Bill Barr’s DOJ started the investigation. That is an inconvenient truth to you Trumpsters.
Barr also did Russian Collusion and that went nowhere. Your point?
Rosenstein was the one who appointed Mueller. Barr wasn’t appointed til later, and the SCO investigation ended soon after Barr was confirmed.
You think spouting a bunch of meaningless facts somehow reveals you to be a big brain. Barr presided over the conclusion of the investigation… and it went nowhere because it was all based on lies.
It actually did go somewhere because a bunch of people were charged and convicted, including Trump’s campaign manager. And I guess the ‘nowhere’ you referred to misinterprets a) Barr’s active efforts to reframe the conclusions of the Mueller report, and b) Mueller’s refusal to venture beyond the confines of being unable to charge a sitting president as being anything more than “individual one”. Quite the infuriating prospect for many of the lawyers on the Mueller team, especially since they were pressing for an actual interview with trump and to be able to look into trump’s finances which Mueller blocked them from doing.
i am however endlessly entertained by your use of the phrase “a bunch of meaningless facts”. Bahahahahahahahaha!!!
EB
Interesting take deboluccia. Gaetz isn’t the only one being attacked. Gov. DeSantis got a hit job from 60 minutes this past weekend.
They are not only attacking these up and comers, they are also going after the State of Florida, because it is making their Democrat controlled states look as bad as they are.
@Turley,
You’re making some assumptions which aren’t in evidence.
I get that you have to do this in order to hold your hypothetical, however if you re-read what you wrote, you presume Gaetz is guilty of ‘sex trafficing’ only to admit that you have no evidence of this.
In fact, what you wrote paints Gaetz as guilty of ‘something’ with no evidence except that there are allegations of an investigation which apparently has been going on for a year. Were there actual evidence, Gaetz being a Republican… he would have had his house raided at 6:00 am, and perp walked in front of CNN news crews. (ala Rodger Stone)
I suggest that you check your liberal sensibilities and swing back to a neutral point of view.
It is unfortunate that Turley is a Professor of Law contaminating young minds with a bent that destroys America.
Attacking comments made here — without any specifics to support the attacks makes the attacker appear to have an ulterior motive. Can you add supporting facts to your comment?
“The funds were being purportedly sought to secure the release of Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent who disappeared in Iran in 2007. Levinson was believed to have been working for the CIA and, at the time of the demand, he was already believed to have died in Iranian custody.”
If Levinson was working for the CIA, the the funds should be coming from the federal government. Why would anyone else be asked???
Yes, Prairie, what interested party would repay a LOAN of $25 million that didn’t have the money themselves? Very fishy.
Why not just go “Hat in Hand” to as many ultra-rich folks as it takes to get the money and do it openly and with a simple appeal being an effort to retrieve the guy or his remains from Iran. Why hit Daddy Warbucks up via his Son the Congressman and say what they did?
Something stinks to high heaven here folks….and if you cannot sense that it is far more than a temporary case of Covid you are suffering from.
As I always sat in these types of activities, let it run its course. Regardless of whether it is Cuomo, Gaetz or some other person, a rush to judgement is never good.
It’s shameful that a rich servant of the Lord is being shunned by his fellow GOP servants just because he likes women – and some are on the younger side..
Joe Paterno, Bill Clinton, Hunter Biden, George Mitchell…all child rapists, ho-hum. But an obscure Florida Member of Congress alleged consensual sex with a 17 year old? Fry him!
Despite the distorted accounts in the press, I would not include Paterno, who appeared to be an early, and innocent, victim of me-too/cancel culture, and didn’t Clinton prefer his ladies over the age of 18? Nothing to say regarding Mitchell, but Biden does seem to have strayed, although one would never know it from the interviews by CBS and BBC, which are so fluffy, they float.
These sorts of charges are easy to make, harder to prove, and even harder to dispel once they have taken root. Like so many accusations these days, they stick because the new standard seems to be guilty unless proven innocent if one is in the wrong group. If not, then the Russians are to blame, or white supremacists.
Like the professor, I am curious to see what the evidence shows, especially since it seems that some of Gaetz’ story has been corroborated. If all of it is, then he is has no legal worries, even if it is almost certain that the accusation will be repeated in future by those who would like his seat in the House.
Wow! Joe Paterno? When did this little tidbit surface?
Joe Paterno was not a child rapist
He was not a rapist of any kind, nor did he condone the abuse of children, but the media ran with the allegations and a great many people ended up believing them. Such is the power of the media. Paterno’s football program not only guaranteed winning teams, it guaranteed the people on them an education and a future, more than most coaches of his era could manage. He insisted that his student athletes be both, he contributed to his university, and he lived a life worth emulating. Yet he was crucified. So perhaps it is appropriate that he was slandered at Easter. Now the question is who among the four mentioned in the post was Barabas. . . .
“Paterno’s football program not only guaranteed winning teams, it guaranteed the people on them an education and a future,”
He would not permit players to play when their grades fell below his standards which were higher than the NCAA. When his team was invited on the condition that no blacks play in the game the team under his leadership refused to play and passed a bowl game even though it had no blacks among the starters.
Paedophile State skirted every rule to appear above reproach yet, because of its hubris and hypocrisy, exceeded the corruption of any diploma mill football factory. Yes, football players attended classes- classes designed and scheduled so that only football players could enroll, with standards carefully crafted to minimally meet the accreditation standards, and heavy on the ‘tutors’. NCAA rules allow a player otherwise eligible to enroll in only 9 semester credits for the athlete’s final season- and nearly every football player would enroll in a 9 credit ‘independent study’.
Paterno’s home number was listed in the directory. Why? When the sheriff of Backwater County, Ohio, or Godforsaken, West Virginia, discovered a Paedophile State player on top of a 14 year old girl in a van parked back of a Wal-Mart, a call to JoePerv would result in seats between the 40’s for the Ohio State or Notre Dame game, with 2 nights at one of the better State College (the ‘Sanctuary City for Paedophiles’) hotels.
Farmer, you talk a lot but you don’t provide proof.
The one place where you provided fact regarding rules on the minimum amount of credits one must take, what you forgot is that Penn State was on the quarter system. That means the students take 3 “semesters” in the time others take 2 semesters. Therefore the number of credits taken per “semester” though lower at Penn State is the equivalent of 2 smelters elsewhere accounting for the lower number of credits per semester but not a lower number of credits per year.
I assume the rest of your information is as inadequate as your information on this specific point.
S. Meyer, you are wrong, and frankly, an idiot. Paedophile State operated on a semester system when I attended as an undergraduate, graduate, and faculty member from the late 1980’s-2001, and to the best of my knowledge, continues to operate on a semester system. I know firsthand the graft and corruption known as Paedophile State football.
I assume the rest of your information is as inadequate as all of your information.
Farmer Boy, I don’t know if Penn State changed its term system to the semester system but Joe Paterno was there during the term system at least in his earlier years as coach. It sounds like you should request a refund. I do not dispute any claims of graft and corruption in the administration of Penn State since I do not know. I only know the Joe Paterno as a coach though mostly in his earlier years.
Check out the facts and hold your insults. Right now your insults are misplaced and an error. I wouldn’t want the word idiot ending up in your court.
Now you can look up and see Penn State originally was on the term system. Then you can add whatever facts you know to be true about Paterno. I’m interested.
https://www.registrar.psu.edu/faculty-staff/scheduling/class-scheduling/semester-begin-end-dates.cfm
From at least 2012, and my own firsthand personal knowledge from 1989-2001, Paedophile State operated and continues to operate on a semester basis.
Paedophile State converted from a quarter system to a semester system in 1983.
https://libraries.psu.edu/findingaids/143.htm
Calendar Conversion Council records, 1947-1984
Calendar Conversion Council records
Dates (Inclusive):
1947-1984
Creator:
Pennsylvania State University. Calendar Conversion Council
Abstract:
The Penn State calendar underwent several changes between 1947 and 1984. President John W. Oswald appointed a Calendar Conversion Council in 1981 to transition the university from a term system to a semester system. The university implemented the semester calendar beginning in the summer of 1983.
Abstract:
The collection contains pre-conversion materials (correspondence and reports prior to 1980); conversion materials, 1980-1984; council administrative records (minutes, reports, 1977-1984); topical files (class schedules, apartment leases, contracts, 1975-1984); program review and revision worksheets to describe course changes; publicity; President, Vice President, and Faculty Senate correspondence and reports documenting faculty opposition; and papers reflecting the effects on the colleges and campuses.
And yes, JoePerv Paterno raped untold number of young boys.
Farmer Boy, Joe Paterno was head coach in the early or mid 1960’s and Penn State was on the term system. I don’t pretend to know information at the later times you mention nor do I find them important except for the fact that you weren’t careful with your facts about the dates at the beginning of the discussion.
That makes me wary when you say “JoePerv Paterno raped untold number of young boys.” without proof. Can you name any he raped? I don’t think so unless perhaps you had an incident you were involved with in some fashion. If you had such evidence I assume that you brought that evidence to the police.
JoePerv liked them young.
The evil of the child sex trade includes college athletics, with its ugly and vile history of profiting from the international child sex trade. Penn State, the ‘Sanctuary City for Paedophiles’, has for decades operated a child sex trafficking enterprise, grooming tens of thousands of innocent children for the sexual depravity of well connected politicians, wealthy donors, and high ranking university administrators, providing the university billions in profits. Penn State bribed the former FBI Director Louis Freeh to whitewash the scandal, and then delivered several young boys to former Democratic Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell for his hideous depravity in exchange for the early release of Pedophile State from NCAA sanctions. Newly unsealed documents revealed George Mitchell’s connection to Jeffrey Epstein https://www.vanityfair.com/…. Does the media possess the journalistic integrity to investigate the George Mitchell-Louis Freeh-Paedophile State-international child sex trade operation?
Farmer, Do you have proof for anything you say? Paterno’s guilt is that he passed the information he knew to those in the administration who were the one’s that should have taken action but they didn’t. He should have gone further and that he apparently didn’t is on him but that fault seems to be quite common though IMO very inappropriate.
Today, however, we see the results of interfering with leftist power. One gets cancelled, companies fire people and a host of other things all because of leftist political philosophy. If that upsets you then I can understand you being upset at Paterno for passing the ball and not following up (though we are not sure he didn’t). If you pass the buck and don’t rise up against the cancel culture of the left then you are nothing more than a hypocrite.
Paterno raped thousands of boys.
Actually, his assistant coach did. Paterno forcibly remained in denial about it.
Farmer, now you are being ridiculous.