Jeff Tiedrich: how the fuck is Matt Gaetz getting away with it

[bigtree]

Jeff Tiedrich @itsJeffTiedrich Feb 16
hey, I wrote a thing: "how the fuck is Matt Gaetz getting away with it" is a topic I try to explain. be sure to read all the way to the end because I conclude with some hopeful news about The People Vs Rapey McForehead

per CNN and elsewhere: “DOJ officially decides not to charge Matt Gaetz in sex-trafficking probe.”

oh come the fuck on. seriously? but what about the Venmo receipts? WHAT ABOUT THE PART WHERE HE BEGGED FOR A FUCKING BLANKET PARDON, for fuck’s sake?

I’m right there with you. But unfortunately, there are serious problems building a provable case against Gaetz and his big stupid forehead. and most prosecutors won’t bring an indictment unless they’re 100% certain of winning in court.

and, from an optics standpoint, bringing stupid smirking insufferable Gaetz to trial and losing would be worse letting him skate.

let’s get into the nuts and bolts of this.

read: https://jefftiedrich.substack.com/p/how-the-fuck-is-matt-gaetz-getting

(Jeff...) by the way, if you want to hear actual experts discussing this case, let me point you toward today’s, (Feb 15th) Daily Beans podcast, which includes an interview with Dave Aronberg, State Attorney for Palm Beach County.

[niyad]

1. I hope that a 'gator gets ole matty. hmmm, on second thought, poor 'gator.

[Arthur_Frain]

25. My money is on on underage targets relative.

Some righteous uncle could rid us of this troublesome congressman.

Not that I’m advocating that, unfortunately our justice system seems paralyzed, and I expect as a result we will see an uptick in vigilante-ism.

[niyad]

28. I shall have sparkling wine chilling!

[jaxexpat]

35. MAGA-ism is vigilante-ism.

Matt will skate because he supplies the rope.

[czarjak]

39. Unfortunately, the uncle would probably just be jealous?

[Autumn]

2. In other words if you are sleazy lie about everything, gets friends who lie about everything

and Boom... you are safe from any repercussions.

[bigtree]

4. look at what Greenburg was caught lying about in the past

Last edited Sat Feb 18, 2023, 01:15 PM - Edit history (1)

...how can a prosecution get past that, especially without cooperation from the victims?

We can see that there WERE repercussions from Greenburg's testimony against others, which was supported by actual evidence credible enough in court for convictions.



more detail: https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flmd.378539/gov.uscourts.flmd.378539.154.0.pdf

Unfortunately, in this case, even with additional child sex crime prosecutors brought in, they couldn't see their way through to a conviction on the evidence provided by Greenburg, nor were they able to coroborate any of it.

emptywheel @emptywheel Feb 15
RE: The Venmo payments.
1) DOJ is not going to charge a congressman for paying for sex. Nor should they. UNLESS
2) Unless they can prove he knew he was paying for sex from a 17-yo.
Gaetz didn't write memos saying, "Payment for underage sex" in his Venmo.

...but, yeah, Autumn. You're mostly on to it about their cabal of corruption. Thing is, though, perps have been used in successful prosecutions before, but with more corroborating evidence than in this case.

I can't imagine at all that these prosecutors, some of who basically revived this investigation, feel good about it. But what would they do, drag the reluctant, recalcitrant victim through an intrusive court process she doesn't want to be subjected to, all to dirty up Gaetz in a losing prosecution?

That's how I see this.

[stopdiggin]

8. it wasn't a solid case

and all of the "I'm outraged" in the world doesn't change the fact that your 'investigators' (and experienced prosecutors) recommended against charging.

And, know what? Prosecutors (and police) get an absolute nut off when they have an opportunity to go after that 'arrogant, entitled, spoiled rich kid' (and/or politician) - when they have a case they can prove. So please don't hand me the 'wealth and connections' rhubarb. They would have been tickled to death to see this smarmy little sh*t in the docket.

[Fullduplexxx]

3. Rich white guy privilege. Daddy's wealthy , republican d.a.

[bigtree]

6. an uncooperative victim

...being placed by Greenburg and detractors alike at the forefront of their efforts to take down Gaetz.

The urge and desire to take Gaetz down is completely understandable, but Greenburg was making a political ploy against an opponent when he initiated all of this against Gaetz, just as he'd done in the past, all at the expense of this woman - 17-years old at the time of the accusation - for his own political gain.

That's what's at the heart of this, a woman unwilling to be subjected to the court process. Much less, some privilege that would do very little to protect Gaetz against a cooperating victim, no matter what was in Greenburg's past conduct.

[Fiendish Thingy]

5. Thanks for posting this clear headed reality check

Not that it will stop the reality deniers from expounding various conspiracy theories, but at least it’s one more source to counter the mythical narratives.

[bigtree]

7. I put Jeff up there as a buttress for the facts

...hoping this unrelenting critic of republicans like Gaetz might dissuade folks from viewing this incredibly flawed internet-prosecuted case as some DOJ fault.

[Fiendish Thingy]

9. Well, I rec'd for "Rapey McForehead" alone.

But yes, putting the facts out there in humorous, palatable form may help diffuse some of knee-jerk blaming of DOJ.

[ms liberty]

12. Lol, me too. n/t

[2naSalit]

40. +1

[GGoss]

48. Me Three

[republianmushroom]

10. money, politic and DoJ not wanting to appear politicized.

[sarcasmo]

11. Matt's dad is big time in Florida politics. I'm 100 percent certain Daddy, squashed this charge.

[bigtree]

14. with no evidence at all

...you're accusing this Democratic administration's DOJ prosecutors of 'squashing his charges.'

Conspiracy nonsense, not evidenced by anything. Just isn't.

[sarcasmo]

16. 500 dollar Venmo payment to the underage female, no charge. I never mentioned the DOJ.

[bigtree]

23. that's just untrue

...the 'Venmo payment' did not come with an attribution to ANYTHING, much less "this is payment for sex with an underage girl.'

Just a false asertion made by Greenburg and his defense counsel in a bid to reduce his sentence in his own criminal prosecution.

[Rebl2]

15. Yep

[barbtries]

13. i think it's wrong

that prosecutors won't bring a case unless they're certain they'll convict

1. you can never know what a jury will do
2. justice demands that you try when you have enough evidence to proceed

sometimes you just have to roll the dice. I OBJECT to prosecutors making the decision on whether or not to try a case based on their perceived odds of winning. That's not what it's about supposedly - it's supposed to be about justice

from a mother whose daughter's killer was charged with murder but ended being offered a deal for 2 lesser felonies and spent 2 years and 3 months in prison. In CA the family has no say in what the prosecutor decides to do.

[gab13by13]

18. Gaetz thought he was guilty.

[bigtree]

21. that's something you read in an article, or something someone said outside of court

...apparently didn't hold up under prosecutors' scrutiny in investigations.

Not this unsupported prattle about some credible evidence left on the table by the prosecutors.

[barbtries]

22. probably knew it.

and still does.

[bigtree]

19. the 'dice' in this prosecution would be the girl

...a victim related to investigators by Greenburg.

A woman who prosecutors were unable to convince to cooperate.

I'm not seeing the point in dragging the reluctant victim through court just to make this lousy case against Gaetz, most likely to acquittal.

[barbtries]

24. so I didn't read that part in the OP

but later in the thread. I agree with this. it's unfortunate that she didn't want to proceed but if that was the basis for the decision not to prosecute it is understandable.

[FakeNoose]

17. Usually the best witnesses are the victims themselves, am I right?

Greenburg was never a victim, he was a participant (sort of) and his testimony turned out to be tainted. Or at least questionable. So prosecutors need to convince the victims - the young women (who were underage at the time) - to testify and put Matt Gaetz behind bars.

[bigtree]

20. they had brought in prosecutors who specialized in recalcitrant underage victims

...of sex crimes.

I'm going to reason that they cared a great deal about those crimes alleged to have been committed, and worked, unsuccessfully, to get that testimony.

[Ford_Prefect]

26. Notwithstanding the reluctant witnesses IMO Gaetz has something on some of the people he procured

for and they are influencing the situation behind the scenes. Rather like Epstein or the DC Madam.

[PatSeg]

27. "Rapey McForehead"

Oh, now that is priceless!

[skydive forever]

32. I think that

Stephanie Miller coined that phrase. If you don't know who she is, look her up. Her and her show kept me sane during the tRump years.

[PatSeg]

44. Sounds like something she would come up with

I used to listen to her years ago when I was living in Sacramento. Made my commute much more enjoyable. Back then (early 2000s), my favorites were Stephanie Miller and Thom Hartmann. I rarely listen to the radio these days as I'm at home all the time.

[Beastly Boy]

29. Whataboutism does not replace admissible evidence when it comes to prosecuting a case

That's not complicated.

[bigtree]

31. many of us learn about the court system from these cases

...in our time.

Sucks to have to explain things like this, knowing what a creep the accused is. Court cases are fraught with these types of challenges to convictions, mostly because of the Bill of Rights, and the provisions for defense against prosecution, especially from the State.

[Kablooie]

33. This is a prelude to Trump not being indicted.

It’s impossible to prevent, 100%, any MAGA jurors. Only one who ignores all evidence and declares not guilty would be enough to let him go free.
That’s just one of the problems.

[bigtree]

36. Trump has a lot more against him than a recalcitrant victim brought forward by a proven liar

...that cynicism doesn't carry over.

(this has run its course. I'm going back to touch-up painting the walls and door frames)

[CaptainTruth]

34. I have learned that sometimes, no matter how much I want to see a person prosecuted...

...there is simply not enough credible compelling evidence to convince a jury "beyond a reasonable doubt," & no amount of complaining by keyboard warriors will change that.

[KS Toronado]

37. If Greenburg was credible enough in other cases

he should have been credible enough against Gaetz, it's amazing how liars can become honest when facing
prison time when turning state's evidence gets them a free "Get out of Jail" card.

My money is on money & power behind closed doors in a republican State, Rs look after fellow Rs
no matter how dirty and guilty they are. See.... circled wagons around George Santos.

[bigtree]

38. that's false on its face

...the other information he provided about financial crimes was backed up by material evidence, unlike the sex accusations which came with a recalcitrant alleged victim.

Such as in the one accusation successfully charged and convicted:

"...and he provided an important document to this investigation that the United States otherwise would not have had without his cooperation."

Corroborating evidence. That's what you need to make a perp's accusations stick.

Making this about every other cynicism you have is just... that.

[KS Toronado]

41. You lucky enough to sit in on their closed door meetings?

[bigtree]

42. the 'everybody's corrupt' argument

...all these sex crimes prosecutors looking to let Gaetz off.

[KS Toronado]

43. Never said that, one political party tends to be though

and they control Florida like Fascist would.

[KS Toronado]

45. Wonder if Liam is on to something?

Matt Gaetz must be cooperating with the DOJ as a witness against someone more powerful than him,
otherwise that cockroach would be on trial by now. - Liam Nissan tweet

Almost have to be Тяцмp

[Sewa]

46. You didn't answer the question

Are you involved in the investigation? Is someone at the DOJ feeding you information about the investigation?

[bigtree]

47. are you sitting in the catbird seat?

...are you lifting the oxcart out of the ditch?

Are you tearing up the pea patch? Are you hollering down the rain barrel? Are you scraping around the bottom of the pickle barrel? Are you sitting in the catbird seat?