Matt Gaetz ‘snorted cocaine with escort who had “no-show government job” at Republican fundraiser after-party’
MATT Gaetz was reportedly spotted snorting cocaine with an escort who had a "no-show government job" at a fundraiser after-party two years ago.
The illicit powder snorting allegedly took place in October 2019, when the Florida congressman retreated to the Westgate Lake Resort in Orlando for an afterparty with other women after headlining the “Trump Defender Gala," according to a report from .
Two witnesses told the Daily Beast that amateur Instagram model and cannabis legalization spokeswoman Megan Zalonka were in the hotel room’s bathroom together when she took out cocaine from a makeup bag and prepped lines on the countertop.
Gaetz reportedly deducted the hotel bender as a campaign expense, having his donors essentially pick up the tab, according to the Daily Beast.
Gaetz and Zalonka allegedly had an ongoing relationship that involved giving her money in exchange for sex, according to two witnesses who spoke to the Daily Beast, although the news outlet could not independently confirm that Gaetz and Zalonka had sex on the night of the alleged cocaine incident.
"She was just one of the many pieces of arm candy he had," one source who claimed to be familiar with Gaetz and Zalonka’s reported relationship told the publication.
Gaetz is reportedly under investigation by the Department of Justice over alleged sexual misconduct and claims he broke sex trafficking laws.
He’s and has also dismissed previous reports that he and his former party wingman and Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg had sex with a woman who reportedly was 17 years old at the time.
Gaetz also insists he will not resign his seat in Congress.
Zalonka is allegedly also tied to Greenberg who offered her what the Daily Beast claimed based on numerous sources was a taxpayer-funded "no-show" position where she earned money to the tune of $7,000 to $17,500.
The claims were backed up by a review of "corresponding government records," according to the Daily Beast.
Four people who were privy to Zalonka’s arrangement told the outlet that the woman never worked at Greenberg’s office and it remains vague as to what sort of services she supplied.
“I have no idea what they were doing. And employees wouldn't know what they were doing. Totally a no-show job,” Daniel O’Keefe, who spearheaded a forensic audit into Greenberg’s alleged self-enriching schemes, told the Daily Beast.
“There's no work product, no evidence work was done. It's just unbelievable."
The publication found that Zalonka was paid $4,000 in mostly $500 installments from Greenberg’s Venmo while he was serving his first term in office back in 2017.
The memo fields of those specific Venmo payments included $500 for what was marked as “Stuff.”
Another $500 transfer was “Orher stuff” [sic], and there was reportedly $1,000 for “Pool,” according to the publication.
The former civil servant also allegedly paid two $500 payments in November of that year for “Food” and for “Appetizers,” according to the Daily Beast.
Gaetz didn’t respond to the coke and escort accusations laid out in the report.
Harlan Hill, president of the Logan Circle Group, a public relations firm the congressman has reportedly retained, wouldn’t delve into any specifics about the report's claims and further demanded the public and the news media respect his personal life.
“Congressman Gaetz won’t be commenting on whether he dated or didn’t date specific women. The privacy of women living private lives should be protected.” Logan Circle Group told the publication in a statement.
Attempts to reach Zalonka after multiple weeks were unsuccessful, according to the Daily Beast.
When presented with the party allegations as well as allegations concerning her alleged no-show government job and her relationships with both Gaetz and Greenberg, Zalonka’s attorney said the publication’s allegations in the report were not “accurate” and added that his client “is not speaking to any media outlet.”
The walls may be closing in because already, Greenberg is reportedly cooperating with a federal probe.
Greenberg is set to appear in federal court in Orlando, Florida, on Monday for a change of plea hearing, according to court documents.
Greenberg has reportedly already copped to six federal crimes including sex trafficking a minor, production of a false identification document, aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, and stalking, according to .
Prosecutors claimed that he and unidentified others had paid a 17-year-old for sex and providing her with drugs.
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In documents, obtained by the Times, Greenberg allegedly admitted that he "introduced the minor to other adult men, who engaged in commercial sex acts" with her.
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Greenberg also agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department's investigations, according to the outlet.
The last time a sitting Congress member resigned for a cocaine-related incident was back in 2014 when Rep Trey Radel pleaded guilty to misdemeanor cocaine possession, according to USA Today.