General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums***Breaking*** The NYT has documents of Gaetz's thousands of dollars of payments to sex workers
SheltieLover
(59,599 posts)Guessing not...
Dennis Donovan
(25,503 posts)polly pureblood
(37 posts)IDGAF. You're against sex work? I'm talking about women (usually) choosing to do it. For some it's a leg 🦵 up. The low-wage hamster wheel existence is a dead end. Of course substance abuse is probably rampant but I once saw a fascinating video about a sex worker who was very on the ball, not getting high, saving her money.
617Blue
(1,610 posts)getting worse and worse
Response to 617Blue (Reply #4)
Post removed
Fullduplexxx
(8,254 posts)Is spending thousands of dollars on hookers
meadowlander
(4,717 posts)To me that's the key point, whether you think it should be or not. You're nominating someone to be the chief law enforcement officer in the land - maybe don't pick someone who has done tons of illegal shit.
I support legalizing marijuana but wouldn't support an AG who smoked tons of pot when it was illegal because he thought he was above laws he personally disagreed with. That shows a fundamental misunderstanding about how "the law" works.
DemocratSinceBirth
(100,283 posts)For the analogy to be apt the Attorney General candidate wouldn't be your garden variety weed smoker but a weed trafficker.
skypilot
(8,932 posts)*
RandiFan1290
(6,399 posts)mercuryblues
(15,099 posts)You're at the I'm not a witch phase.
DemocratSinceBirth
(100,283 posts)Response to DemocratSinceBirth (Reply #20)
polly pureblood Spam deleted by MIR Team
DemocratSinceBirth
(100,283 posts)The Attorney General is responsible for enforcing the laws. How can a habitual law breaker enforce the laws?
polly pureblood
(37 posts)If I am not mistaken, Eric Holder was raiding marijuana farms in California during Obama's administration.
Ex: https://www.democraticunderground.com/1014801804
DemocratSinceBirth
(100,283 posts)polly pureblood
(37 posts)states' rights. We will have a different country in the future with a de-emphasized federal government.
DemocratSinceBirth
(100,283 posts)Dave Bowman
(3,596 posts)Oh, you mean like the civil war which was about slavery although repubes like to claim that it was about states' rights, right, pureblood?
DemocratSinceBirth
(100,283 posts)So he thinks it should be unlawful for two people of the same gender to marry but it should be lawful for him to pay thousands and thousands of dollars to have women trafficked to him to sate his desires.
bucolic_frolic
(46,970 posts)Skittles
(159,240 posts)while defending a SEX TRAFFICKER
WTF
Prairie Gates
(3,032 posts)No cognitive dissonance too dissonant.
Of course the United States Attorney General should have a history of paying 18 and 19 year old women for sex and engaging in orgies. Of course! What are you, some kind of prude?
The fucking shamelessness of it. The absolute brazen dishonesty and lack of a moral compass.
Irish_Dem
(57,309 posts)We do not follow Netherlands' laws or customs.
canuckledragger
(1,922 posts)paleotn
(19,177 posts)Autumn
(46,280 posts)polly pureblood
(37 posts)NBC News reported that a 17-year-old girl came to an exclusive sex party (invitation only) with her 19-year-old girlfriend. That suggests they were both sex workers. The older girl saw her friend having sex with Gaetz. She believed that he didn't know she was underage. This is crucial because he also did not have sex with her after that (at least when she was still a minor). Is he a sex addict? Very possibly if he's involved this scene to begin with. But there are also alcoholics and potheads. I don't want more restrictions and laws.
Autumn
(46,280 posts)That is under the legal age of consent.
polly pureblood
(37 posts)for a crime they didn't know they were committing.
RandiFan1290
(6,399 posts)Dave Bowman
(3,596 posts)JustAnotherGen
(33,538 posts)Was pretty quick!
kacekwl
(7,504 posts)Right ?
Autumn
(46,280 posts)statutory rape. Go to the store. Ask 20 guys what statutory rape is. 20 guys are going to tell you that having sex with anyone under the age of 18 is statutory rape. Gaetz being a lawyer , fucking damn well knows that.
paleotn
(19,177 posts)Ms. Toad
(35,515 posts)Knowledge of age is completely irrelevant. If you have sex with someone legally unable to consent, it is rape.
Straw Man
(6,771 posts)for a crime they didn't know they were committing.
Yes, you can. And by "you" I mean the legal system.
Pleading ignorance of the law is not a valid defense. It were, no one would ever be convicted of anything. There is no "Was that wrong?" clause.
Skittles
(159,240 posts)DO YOU REALLY THINK THIS ASSHOLE IS SUITABLE TO BE ATTORNEY GENERAL? I remember when repukes nixed a female candidate for failing to pay taxes on a nanny!!!
Dave Bowman
(3,596 posts)And it is called Statutory rape.
cliffside
(491 posts)"Is he a sex addict? Very possibly if he's involved this scene to begin with. But there are also alcoholics and potheads. I don't want more restrictions and laws."
Welcome to DU, your time here will hopefully be limited.
DemocratSinceBirth
(100,283 posts)1.) I don't make the laws. 2.) The Attorney General's job is to execute the law. 3) Prostitution is illegal across the United States, save some counties in Nevada. 4.) One of the sex workers was a minor.
Skittles
(159,240 posts)REPUKES ROUTINELY JUDGE THE MORALS OF OTHERS
Biophilic
(4,736 posts)So very busy.
BeerBarrelPolka
(1,219 posts)I think Polly wants a cracker
Biophilic
(4,736 posts)Dave Bowman
(3,596 posts)blm
(113,817 posts)Like to call themselves pure bloods.
Biophilic
(4,736 posts)boston bean
(36,486 posts)This thread has reminded me of that poster.
gay texan
(2,860 posts)PCIntern
(26,888 posts)dpibel
(3,318 posts)Account status: Posting privileges revoked
niyad
(119,875 posts)on Saturday.
mainer
(12,178 posts)That changes everything. Consensual adult sex, even for pay, shouldnt be a crime.
Prairie Gates
(3,032 posts)And around the world. Adult and minor. A big problem. It is part of the job of the Attorney General to oversee agencies that seek to stop sex trafficking of minors and adults. To himself be involved in an interstate sex trade is a very big fucking deal when it comes to his judgment and ability to enforce the laws on this. I'm fucking speechless at the people waving this off. Would you want this guy teaching high school because the women he paid for sex and interstate travel were 18? Are you even fucking serious?
mainer
(12,178 posts)Are you going to criminalize prostitution? What does consensual sex have to do with human trafficking?
Should we be in peoples bedrooms? Wheres the right to privacy?
DemocratSinceBirth
(100,283 posts)JohnSJ
(96,520 posts)Prairie Gates
(3,032 posts)And it's ho-hum, whatever, he can oversee agencies that seek to stop sex trafficking, whatever, it was consensual, tra la.
I feel like I'm in the fucking Twilight Zone! What the actual fuck?
Thank you for being a voice of reason here. My God.
DemocratSinceBirth
(100,283 posts)When he was accused of having sex with a minor he said he didn't know. When he was accused of paying to have these women delivered to him he said the money was travel expenses for friends. This is all in the public domain.
Klarkashton
(2,063 posts)Otherwise it's possible jail.
proud patriot
(101,134 posts)NOT ... immediately checked the stinky profile .. Good Job DU team
paleotn
(19,177 posts)What? You've watched Pretty Woman too many times? Or is there something else going on?
bucolic_frolic
(46,970 posts)jojog
(402 posts)He paid a 3rd party who was trafficking.
Autumn
(46,280 posts)DemocratSinceBirth
(100,283 posts)That makes him a GROOMER.
Autumn
(46,280 posts)DemocratSinceBirth
(100,283 posts)Autumn
(46,280 posts)What pigs.
DemocratSinceBirth
(100,283 posts)I'd like to believe we wouldn't support a Democrat who is a sex trafficker
Autumn
(46,280 posts)speak easy
(10,503 posts)when he had sex with her the first time(s).I would be pretty hard to establish grooming when (1) he did not know she was underage and (2) she was already a sex worker.
DemocratSinceBirth
(100,283 posts)As to sex workers there are sex workers that are pre-pubescent.
speak easy
(10,503 posts)Statutory rape is a state offense. Disqualifying - yes. Federal? No.
DemocratSinceBirth
(100,283 posts)He violated Florida law when he had sex with a child:
794.05Unlawful sexual activity with certain minors.
(1)A person 24 years of age or older who engages in sexual activity with a person 16 or 17 years of age commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. As used in this section, sexual activity means oral, anal, or vaginal penetration by, or union with, the sexual organ of another or the anal or vaginal penetration of another by any other object; however, sexual activity does not include an act done for a bona fide medical purpose.
(2)The provisions of this section do not apply to a person 16 or 17 years of age who has had the disabilities of nonage removed under chapter 743.
(3)The victims prior sexual conduct is not a relevant issue in a prosecution under this section.
(4)If an offense under this section directly results in the victim giving birth to a child, paternity of that child shall be established as described in chapter 742. If it is determined that the offender is the father of the child, the offender must pay child support pursuant to the child support guidelines described in chapter 61.
History.RS 2598; s. 1, ch. 4965, 1901; GS 3521; s. 1, ch. 6974, 1915; s. 1, ch. 7732, 1918; RGS 5409; s. 1, ch. 8596, 1921; CGL 7552; s. 1, ch. 61-109; s. 759, ch. 71-136; s. 1, ch. 96-409; s. 5, ch. 2014-4.
He violated federal law when he paid to have sex workers delivered to him. The allegation is he had multiple sex workers delivered to him:
Act 18 U.S.C. § 1591
Sex trafficking is illegal in the US under Act 18 U.S.C. § 1591, or the Commercial Sex Act. It is illegal to recruit, entice, obtain, provide, move or harbor a person or to benefit from such activities knowing that the person will be caused to engage in commercial sex acts where the person is under 18 or where force, fraud or coercion exists1. Sex trafficking is also a federal crime when it involves conducting the activities of a sex trafficking enterprise in a way that affects interstate or foreign commerce or that involves travel in interstate or foreign commerce2. Sex trafficking is defined as the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, obtaining, patronizing, or soliciting of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age34.
speak easy
(10,503 posts)Current as of January 01, 2024 | Updated by FindLaw Staff
(a) Whoever knowingly--
(1) in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides, obtains, advertises, maintains, patronizes, or solicits by any means a person; or
(2) benefits, financially or by receiving anything of value, from participation in a venture which has engaged in an act described in violation of paragraph (1),
knowing, or, except where the act constituting the violation of paragraph (1) is advertising, in reckless disregard of the fact, that means of force, threats of force, fraud, coercion described in subsection (e)(2), or any combination of such means will be used to cause the person to engage in a commercial sex act, or that the person has not attained the age of 18 years and will be caused to engage in a commercial sex act, shall be punished as provided in subsection (b).
https://codes.findlaw.com/us/title-18-crimes-and-criminal-procedure/18-usc-sect-1591/
DemocratSinceBirth
(100,283 posts)The allegations are that Gaetz had sex with a minor which is a violation of a Florida statute and he facilitated the transport of multiple women across state lines to have sex with him. He ran afoul of both state and federal laws. To put it colloquially not only did he bang a minor but he facilitated the transport of multiple women across state lines so he could bang them.
speak easy
(10,503 posts)I never disputed that -Gaetz is a low life criminal.
"he facilitated the transport of multiple women across state lines to have sex with him"
is not in itself a Federal crime.
DemocratSinceBirth
(100,283 posts)If X pays Y to travel for the purpose of commercial sex X is in violation of federal human trafficking laws. Would you like me to cite the specific language? Matt Gaetz is a Diddy style freak who had sex with a minor and facilitated the transport of other individuals to engage in commercial sexual activity. He's no different than a pimp who hires a hooker to have sex with random johns in a sleazy airport motel.
speak easy
(10,503 posts)The requirement is "a reckless disregard of the fact, that means of force, threats of force, fraud, coercion" or knowledge that the girl is under 18.
Mens rea.
hadEnuf
(2,698 posts)Gimme a break
HereForTheParty
(109 posts)and not a damn thing comes of it.
Ms. Toad
(35,515 posts)Whether he knew she was 17 is legally irrelevant (assuming the age of consent in the state was 17). The entire point of statutory rape laws is that individuals below the statutory age are now legally capable of giving consent, so having sex with them is - by law - rape.
DemocratSinceBirth
(100,283 posts)Prairie Gates
(3,032 posts)"Senator, I did not know she was 17 at the time that I was fucking her in public by the pool. Moreover, I did not pay her directly. I paid her pimp."
DemocratSinceBirth
(100,283 posts)When I was a young man I used to go to this dive bar. One of the guys that worked there had sex with a young woman on the pool table after it closed. I would add it was consensual, they were both of the age of majority, and no money was passed.
Autumn
(46,280 posts)I can't imagine any way the couch could give consent.
Ms. Toad
(35,515 posts)That's was literally fake news.
Yavin4
(36,362 posts)This won't matter.
Prairie Gates
(3,032 posts)Pinback
(12,884 posts)dhol82
(9,438 posts)keithbvadu2
(40,083 posts)Ligyron
(7,890 posts)He wanted to investigate how much shit he could get away with and still remain in Congress.
paleotn
(19,177 posts)Torpedoes in the water. Gaetz is doomed. Donny already has an out.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/19/trump-matt-gaetz-confirmation-senate
But no worries. Donny will pony up someone just as egregious, only less flamboyant in his egregiousness.
applegrove
(123,111 posts)I think that is what it was.
Botany
(72,473 posts)
. Michael Cohen too and the National Enquirer paid Karen McDougal, $150,000 @ the behest
of Trump. I wonder if Russia paid that money back to the National Enquirer?
Gaetz will fit right in with Trump.
JohnSJ
(96,520 posts)for a Democrat privy to the report to release it Whether it is done anonymously or not doesn't matter.
the republicans sure would.
cliffside
(491 posts)might have been posted already but FWIW
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/20/us/politics/matt-gaetz-venmo-payments-sex.html?unlocked_article_code=1.bk4.KucE.81hAlqIU89Oh&smid=url-share
AverageOldGuy
(2,052 posts). . . Print them on the front page with huge headlines or STFU.