The women of Rep. Matt Gaetz’s (R-Fla.) congressional office are breaking their silence about allegations of sexual misconduct against him.
In a statement released on Thursday, the group of women came to his defense, “After the shocking allegations last week in the press, we, the women of Congressman Matt Gaetz’s office, feel morally obligated to speak out. During Congressman Gaetz’s time in office, we have been behind the scenes every step of the way.”
They continued, “We have staffed his meetings. We have planned his events. We have traveled with him. And we have tracked his schedule. Congressman Gaetz has always been a principled and morally grounded leader. At no time has any one of us experience or witnessed anything less than the utmost professionalism and respect. No hint of impropriety. No ounce of untruthfulness.”
When discussing their experiences in the office, the women say they are “not only respected” but they also “have been encouraged time and time again to grow, achieve more, and, ultimately, know our value.”
INBOX: The Women of U.S. Congressman Matt Gaetz’s Office Speak Out in Defense of Rep. Gaetz pic.twitter.com/Cr5mIw787L
— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) April 8, 2021
The women explained, “In our professional ecosystem, women are given every opportunity to advance and utilize our talents to help the country in the best possible way. On every occasion, he has treated each and every one of us with respect. Thus, we uniformly reject these allegations as false.”
Promising to “stand with him,” the group of women declared, “While we recognize the scrutiny we will face for making this decision, we take comfort in the hope that more Americans and elected officials will stand up and refuse to remain silent.”
Late last month, The New York Times reported the Department of Justice is investigating whether Gaetz “had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old and paid for her to travel with him.”
Sources also told CNN Gaetz bragged about his relationships with women and showed lawmakers photos and videos of nude women he had allegedly slept with.
Gaetz has since denied the allegations.
Former President Donald Trump spoke out about the allegations against Gaetz in a statement on Wednesday, as IJR reported.
“It must also be remembered that he has totally denied the accusations against him,” Trump said.
