“Damaging Testimony” Against Matt Gaetz Reportedly Accessed by Hacker
U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz is photographed inside the Rayburn House Office Building Feb. 27, 2019. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
A hacker has reportedly accessed sensitive documents containing “damaging” testimony against President-elect Donald Trump’s attorney general nominee, Matt Gaetz. According to a report by The New York Times, the breach involved a secure link shared among lawyers whose clients had testified against the former Florida congressman.
“The film is said to include sworn testimony by a woman who said that she had sex with Mr. Gaetz in 2017 when she was 17, in addition to testimony by a second woman who said that she had witnessed the encounter,” the Times reported. The publication added that the hacked materials have not yet been made public.
The Department of Justice previously investigated Gaetz for allegations of sex trafficking but dropped the case last year without filing charges. Gaetz has consistently denied all accusations of misconduct. The breach occurred just days after Gaetz’s resignation from Congress, which coincided with Trump’s announcement of his nomination for attorney general.
His resignation came a day before the House Ethics Committee was set to vote on releasing its report on allegations against him. According to the Times, the documents were downloaded on Monday by an individual using the pseudonym “Altam Beezley.” The person gained access at 1:23 p.m., but subsequent attempts to contact them led to an automated response stating the recipient did not exist.
The hacked documents reportedly include sealed information from both the Department of Justice and the House Ethics Committee. The Ethics Committee is expected to meet Wednesday to determine whether its report on Gaetz will be released.
The origins of the hacked materials appear to stem from a separate civil lawsuit filed by Christopher Dorworth, a Florida businessman and former associate of Gaetz. Dorworth sued both the woman who accused Gaetz of having sex with her as a minor and Joel Greenberg, a former Gaetz ally currently serving an 11-year prison sentence for federal sex trafficking charges involving the same woman.
While the extent of the breach’s impact remains unclear, the unauthorized access raises concerns about the confidentiality of legal proceedings and the potential ramifications for Gaetz’s nomination process. The situation has further fueled scrutiny of Gaetz amid his controversial nomination for one of the nation’s highest legal positions.
