Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) demanded that sexual offenders be held accountable for their actions on Monday.
Gaetz’s comments were made on the floor of the House in support of a bill that would end mandatory arbitration for workplace sexual harassment claims. However, his passion and timing were unusual as Gaetz is at the center of an investigation regarding allegations of child sex trafficking, bribery and obstruction of justice.
Gaetz’s close friend and so-called wingman, Joel Greenberg, pleaded guilty last year to several crimes, including procuring an underage girl for sex with other men. One of them was reportedly Gaetz. Greenberg is cooperating with authorities.
Gaetz, 39, was allegedly among a group of men in a suspected cash-for-sex network led by Greenberg. According to The Daily Beast, Gaetz paid several female escorts for sex at various points.
Last month, one of Gaetz’s ex-girlfriends testified in Florida before a grand jury that is investigating the lawmaker for possible sex crimes.
At the time of this writing, he hasn’t been charged with a crime and denies any wrongdoing.
As for the bill under discussion in the House, under the current law, women sexually harassed at work must go through arbitration — not court — if they file a complaint.
“For tens of millions of American workers [the] courthouse door is locked,” said Gaetz.
Keeping complaints in arbitration makes it more likely that sex harassers will “evade consequence as the result of predatory behavior,” he said.
The bill ending mandatory arbitration and allowing workplace sex harassment victims to demand a court hearing was passed by the House Monday 335-97. While 97 Republicans voted against the bill, 133 of them joined the Democrats to support it.
The legislation now heads to the Senate, where it’s expected to pass and be signed into law by President Joe Biden as early as this week.
Check out Gaetz’s speech in the video clip above.
