#minorsextrafficking | Gaetz to speak at pro-Trump women’s conference amid sex trafficking probe

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who is currently under federal investigation for possible sex trafficking, is set to speak at a conservative women’s conference at former President Trump’s Miami golf course on Friday.

What’s happening: The Women for America First group will host Gaetz at Trump National Doral golf course, in addition to fellow Florida GOP Reps. Byron Donalds and Kat Cammack.

• Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) will also be in attendance, per the Washington Post.
• Gaetz tweeted on Tuesday, “Thank you to ‘Women for America First’ for the invitation to share my vision for our great nation.”

The state of play: Gaetz has denied allegations of being sexually involved with a 17-year-old, telling Axios in an interview last month that the investigation is “rooted in an extortion effort against my family for $25 million.”

• He is also facing accusations of using campaign cash to pay for unauthorized travel expenses and sharing nude photos of a woman he’d slept with to other lawmakers on the floor of the House.
• Amy Kremer, chair of the pro-Trump nonprofit Women for America First, told the Washington Post in a statement. “We know firsthand what it is like to be treated unfairly by the main stream media.” She defended Gaetz as “innocent until proven guilty.”

Driving the news: Trump issued his first statement on the Gaetz controversy on Wednesday, writing, “Congressman Matt Gaetz has never asked me for a pardon. It must also be remembered that he has totally denied the accusations against him.”