card game 7s
Saints vs. Raiders Predictions & Picks: Odds, Moneyline, Spread – Week 17Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa has ordered an intensified search for four adolescent boys who disappeared during a military operation, as public anger over the incident flared weeks ahead of elections. But, in a radio interview on Monday, Noboa also said that a "technical analysis" was needed before the incident could be called a forced disappearance, despite prosecutors saying it was being investigated as an illegitimate use of force. Demonstrations were planned on Monday to call attention to the case. Many Ecuadoreans suspect soldiers kidnapped the four boys, aged between 11 and 15, who went missing two weeks ago while they were out playing football. The father of two of the boys, Luis Arroyo, told the TV channel Ecuavisa he received a call from a man who put one of his sons on the line. The boy said that soldiers had abruptly arrived, firing in the air and forcibly taking them, and that they had been beaten. Noboa, on the social media platform X, said on Sunday: "I have ordered the intensification of all actions necessary to locate the four children and to find those responsible so they answer for their acts." Ecuador's joint chief of staff, Admiral Jaime Vela, "ruled out... any involvement" of military personnel in the boys' disappearance. Vela said the armed forces would not interfere in the investigation, "nor will they cover up any event." Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo has attributed the boys' disappearance to "criminal groups" and alleged the case was being used for "political interests." The disappearance has sparked widespread indignation in Ecuador, where kidnapping, extortion, and murders are now commonplace. Noboa, 37 and US-born and educated as the heir to a banana fortune, is looking to win a four-year mandate in the February 9 general elections. He is currently serving out the final months of the term of his predecessor, Guillermo Lasso, who called an early election to avoid impeachment. Noboa has boosted the use of security forces to battle powerful drug gangs in Ecuador and sworn to turn back the tide of violence engulfing the once-peaceful South American country. – TIMES/AFP Ads Space Ads Space
Lend your ears to podcasts of 2024 that stand out from the packCover Five: What to make of wild week around Nebraska football, and 5 biggest impact signees
BOSTON — UConn coach Jim Mora pulled a move that would make Bill Belichick proud while preparing the Huskies to play the notoriously churlish former New England Patriot's next team in his old backyard. Mora and his players were more than 45 minutes late for what was scheduled as a 30-minute media availability a day before Saturday's Fenway Bowl against North Carolina. Mora then gave a non-apology straight out of Belichick's playbook. "We practice at a certain time the day before a game," Mora said. "And we stuck to the script." A six-time Super Bowl winner in New England with Tom Brady, Belichick was fired after going 4-13 in 2023, leaving him just 14 wins short of matching Don Shula's all-time record for NFL victories. Unable to land a pro job at the age of 72, Belichick signed on with North Carolina — his first college gig — when they fired 73-year-old Mack Brown. Belichick hasn't taken over on the Tar Heels' sideline yet; interim coach Freddie Kitchens — another ex-Cleveland Browns coach — will lead them in the Fenway Bowl. But the future Hall of Famer's potential return to a football field in Boston has been the biggest story ahead of Saturday's game. Belichick did not attend media day, and Fenway Bowl executive director Brett Miller tried to preempt questions about him by asking reporters "to keep questions focusing on the players and coaches out here today." "I don't need to beat around the bush any more than that," he said in comments that would have been cryptic if it weren't so obvious to everyone who he meant. "I know there's probably a lot of questions that you guys have about next year, particularly one side. Please do your best to keep it to these guys, because they've earned the right to be here." The request wasn't completely successful, with Kitchens taking a question about Belichick specifically and saying he talks to his new boss every day. Earlier this month, Kitchens said: "He asks questions; I answer the questions." "I'm going to try to soak in all I can from him, and be a better coach because of it," Kitchens said after Belichick was hired. "I love Carolina, I want what's best for Carolina, and I know that right now at this moment in time, coach Belichick is what's best for Carolina. "At the end of the day, he's a ballcoach," he said, "and I enjoy working for ballcoaches." This was already a long season, one in which the Tar Heels saw their high hopes deflate quickly, one in which they had to suffer through the impossible task of burying a teammate, one in which they watched the coach who brought them here fired and an NFL legend hired to replace him. “It’s definitely been a challenge,” wide receiver J.J. Jones said. “I think this past season was probably one of the most mentally challenging seasons I’ve had since I’ve been here. We’ve had a lot of things to go wrong off the field and on the field. ... At the end of the day, we’re here to play one more football game. I know this is my last football game in the Tar Heels uniform, so I’m going out there and giving it my all.”
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — In losing Sunday’s battle with the Buffalo Bills, perhaps the best team in football, Jerod Mayo won the war. Best I can tell, he’s staying put. For 2025, and maybe beyond. To his angry fan base and incredulous pockets of the New England Patriots’ media corps, remember Mayo’s future doesn’t hinge on winning this season. It’s not about what you want, or what I think. It’s about the Krafts, who hand-picked Mayo to succeed Bill Belichick four and a half years before he actually did, believing in him, and finding reasons to maintain that belief. In the eyes of someone who wants to believe, Sunday supplied enough reason. The Patriots led at halftime, then lost by three as 14-point underdogs. They became the first team since mid-October to hold the Bills under 30 points. Drake Maye outplayed the next MVP of the league for most of the game and took another step toward his destiny as a franchise quarterback, If that sounds like a low bar, that’s because it is. Such is life in Year 1 of a rebuild, a multi-year process ownership has committed to seeing through to the end with their organizational pillars now in place: Mayo, Maye and de facto GM Eliot Wolf. As frustrating as this 3-12 campaign has been, there are always nuggets of optimism amid the rubble of a losing season; particularly if you want to find them. The Krafts do, and so does Maye, who loves his head coach, by the way; calling questions about Mayo’s job security “BS.” “We’ve got his back,” Maye said post-game. Maye’s voice matters. Certainly more than any number of fans or media members. Ever since media-fueled speculation that Mayo could get canned at the end of his first season began rising, the caveat has always been the same: if, a Gillette Stadium-sized “if,” the Patriots bomb atomically down the stretch, ownership could pull the plug on Mayo. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport became the latest to join that chorus Sunday with this pregame report: “The Krafts want to keep Jerod Mayo,” he said. “They believe he is the leader for the organization for the future, and they knew it would be a multi-year process to get this thing right. Now if things go off the rails, if they really start to struggle and he loses the locker room the last couple games of the season, we’ve seen this thing turn. “But as of now, the Patriots believe Jerod Mayo is their leader for the future.” Well, Mayo hasn’t lost the locker room. That’s a fact. To a man, both in public and from those I’ve spoken to in private, Patriots players believe in their head coach. Mayo might be a players’ coach, yes, in the best and worst senses. But the Patriots were a few plays away Sunday from pulling off their largest upset since Super Bowl XXXVI. “I think we’re building something good,” Maye said. The Patriots also played their best half of football this season against their toughest opponent yet. Another fact. Now, to the frustrated, I am with you. To the shocked, I understand. But to the trigger-happy, lay down your arms. Mayo, by all accounts, is returning in 2025. Alex Van Pelt, however, is another story. In the same vein that the Krafts could have viewed Sunday’s performance as a reason to save Mayo — despite his pathetic punt at midfield, down 10 with just eight and a half minutes left — they could have convinced themselves their offensive coordinator is the real problem. After all, team president Jonathan Kraft was visibly exasperated over Van Pelt’s play-calling during the Pats’ loss at Arizona a week earlier. Four days later, Van Pelt told reporters he had yet to hear from his boss. Well, that time may be coming. Trailing by three in the fourth quarter Sunday, Van Pelt called a pass that resulted in an unnecessary lateral and game-winning touchdown for Buffalo. His offense later operated like it was taking a Sunday drive with the game on the line, using up 3:16 of the final 4:19 en route to its final touchdown. Van Pelt, finally, weaponized Maye’s legs in critical situations, something that arguably should have been done weeks ago. Not to mention, Van Pelt’s top running back can’t stop fumbling, and the offensive line remains a hot mess. Call him Alex Van Fall Guy. Because Van Pelt’s offense, for the first time in a while, under-performed relative to Mayo’s defense. On merit, he deserves to stay; a case that’s harder to make for defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington. But it’s not about merit this season. It’s not about what you want. It’s not about what I think. It’s about the Krafts; what they see, what they want, what they believe. Even in defeat. ____ Sent weekly directly to your inbox!
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" Thanks for your interest in Kalkine Media's content! To continue reading, please log in to your account or create your free account with us.Houston Astros welcome 1B Christian Walker to team; say negotiations with Bregman stalled
U.S. District Court Awards 10x Genomics Permanent Injunction in Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against Bruker Corporation's GeoMx Products
Pam Bondi, President-elect Donald Trump’s new pick for attorney general, has liberals panicking. The side of the American political spectrum that pretends to respect public roles for women — but with particular venom — is reacting with open terror that a woman could well succeed as the head of the Justice Department in a Trump administration “because she is competent.” And that should tell Americans all they really need to know. Bondi’s nomination was on Thursday night, only hours after his previous choice, now-former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz . Gaetz — who has been a in the House since his election in 2016 — was an instant lightning rod for critics on the left and the right, who focused on allegations of sexual misconduct as well as his demonstrable inexperience for the top job at the DOJ. (His barely mentions practicing law.) Bondi, 59, is a career prosecutor who served as the Sunshine State’s attorney general from 2011 to 2019. A woman as a potential attorney general during the first Trump administration, she carries none of the baggage that surrounded Gaetz. And that has liberals petrified. Appearing on MSNBC’s “The Beat with Ari Melber” on Thursday, liberal commentator Jason Johnson, a of politics and journalisn at Morgan State University in Baltimore summed up the case perfectly: Jason Johnson reacts to Trump’s AG pick on MSNBC: “Pam Bondi is exactly what I was saying in the last segment that we should all fear, because she’s competent ... She is a dangerous and effective pick, and that’s frankly worse than what we would have got with Matt Gaetz...” — The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) “Pam Bondi is exactly what I was saying in the last segment that we should all fear, because she is competent. We may not agree with her ideologically, but she actually knows how to do this job,” Johnson said. “So if anyone on the Democratic side or anyone who cared about liberty or justice was thinking, well, maybe Matt Gaetz will screw this up and that will give us time, no. Pam Bondi knows what she is doing.” And God forbid the United States should have an attorney general who “knows what she is doing.” After four years of the in the post — devoting his time and the American people’s tax dollars to , investigating concerned about their children’s education and harrassing pro-life Americans with — the U.S. could have an AG who cares about actually enforcing the law, and has a proven record of doing it. That’s exactly what liberals want in the attorney general’s office. “She is a dangerous and effective pick, and that’s, frankly, worse than what we would have got with Matt Gaetz, even with the deplorable moral background that he has,” Johnson said. MSNBC’s Alex Wagner, host of “Alex Wagner Tonight,” chimed in with what, to liberals, must have been a damning segment — but to sane Americans came across as exactly the opposite. MSNBC Accidentally Proves Pam Bondi Is the PERFECT AG Pick “She will be every bit the loyalist that Matt Gaetz would have been, just with a little more legal experience and a little less baggage.” Pam Bondi is also: • ferociously against “Venezuelan prisoners coming straight... — The Vigilant Fox (@VigilantFox) “She will be every bit the loyalist that Matt Gaetz would have been, just with a little more legal experience and a little less baggage,” Wagner said. Really? First of all, a career as a prosecutor and eight years running the legal system of one of the country’s largest, most important states, is “a little more legal experience.” It’s a of legal experience — and administrative experience — and exactly the kind of background the country needs in its top prosecutor. Second, being a “Trump loyalist” in Bondi’s case means adhering to the rule of law. She was a member of during his first impeachment, a gossamer-thin case dreamed up by Democrats in a desperate attempt to derail Trump’s successful first term. The infuriating truth of the matter — and one the establishment media won’t ever admit — is that, going back to the Obama administration and the , the Justice Department has been warped by Democrats into a politicized machine. (Remember that between Holder’s successor, Loretta Lynch, and former President Bill Clinton on an airport tarmac in Arizona?) Reversing that is a labor to make cleaning the look easy, and Trump’s first term — beset by a and distracted by the and an obscenity of an — was not the time for it. A Trump second term — with a proven leader like Bondi at the helm — could well be. And that’s what liberals are afraid of. We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. .HOUSTON (AP) — The Astros welcomed first baseman Christian Walker to the team Monday, in one of two moves that almost certainly marks the end of Alex Bregman’s time in Houston. Walker signed a $60 million, three-year contract that will pay him $20 million annually just more than a week after the Astros acquired infielder Isaac Paredes from Cubs in the trade that sent outfielder Kyle Tucker to Chicago . “The way I view it right now is Paredes is going to play third base and Walker is going to play first base,” general manager Dana Brown said Monday. “And Bregman’s still a free agent.” The Astros had hoped to re-sign Bregman, the team’s third baseman for the last nine seasons, but Brown said the negotiations stalled. “I thought we made a really competitive offer, showing that we wanted him back,” he said. “But we had to pursue other options. We couldn’t just sit there. We locked in Paredes early in that trade, knowing that he could play third or first and then when the opportunity to add another bat came up we just jumped on it.” The addition of a first baseman was a priority this offseason for the Astros after they released struggling first baseman José Abreu less than halfway through a $58.5 million, three-year contract. “We knew we had to get better at first base,” Brown said. “We pursued (Walker) and we’re excited to have him because we know that we’re going to have a really good first baseman that can defend and also hit the ball on the seats from time to time.” Walked was attracted by the sustained success of the Astros, who won their first two World Series titles in 2017 and '22. “I’ve been watching this team for a while now, and that edge, the energy, the expectation, you can tell that they’re going out there with a standard,” he said. “And I’m very excited to be a part of it.” Walker is looking forward playing on an infield with star second baseman Jose Altuve. He’s fascinated by the success and consistency Altuve has had over his 14-year career. “I get a chance to learn from Jose Altuve,” Walker said. “Nothing really gets better than that.” Brown was asked what he would tell fans disappointed to see the Astros lose another star after George Springer and Carlos Correa left as free agents in recent years. “I would just tell the fans that look, we are very focused on remaining competitive,” he said. “We’re very focused on winning division and going back to the World Series, and I think with these additions that we have the ability to do that. So, I feel strongly that we’re going to be picked to win the division first off. And if our pitching holds up, which I feel strongly about, as well, I think we’ll get deep into the postseason.” The Astros won the AL West for a fourth straight year this season before being swept by the Tigers in an AL Wild Card Series. Walker, who turns 34 during the opening week of the season, hit .251 with 26 homers, 84 RBIs, 55 walks and 133 strikeouts this year. That was down from 2023, when he batted .258 with 33 homers and 103 RBIs as the Diamondbacks reached the World Series. Walker played in 130 games this year, down from 157 in 2023 and 160 in 2022. He was sidelined between July 29 and Sept. 3 by a strained left oblique. He spent the last eight seasons with the Diamondbacks, where he hit 146 homers with 442 RBIs and a .251 batting average. He didn’t secure a full-time job in the big leagues until 2019. He’s provided consistent power over the past six seasons and has grown into an elite defensive first baseman, winning Gold Gloves in each of the past three seasons. Walker played college ball at South Carolina and was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 2012. He made his big league debut with the Orioles in 2014 but couldn’t stick in the majors and was claimed off waivers by Atlanta, Cincinnati and Arizona in a five-week span. Walker’s contract has a limited no-trade provision allowing him to block deals to six teams without his consent. He would earn $200,000 for winning an MVP, $175,000 for second, $150,000 for third, $125,000 for fourth and $100,000 for fifth. Walker also would get $100,000 for World Series MVP, $50,000 for League Championship Series MVP and $75,000 apiece for making the All-Star Game or winning a Gold Glove or Silver Slugger Award. Infielder Grae Kessinger was designated for assignment to open a roster spot. AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb
Katten Advises CleanSpark on $650 Million Convertible Senior Notes OfferingMatt Gaetz ‘regularly’ paid women for sex, including a minor, US Congress report says
Group begins bursting of Chevron pipelines in Delta
President-elect Donald Trump has filed a request with the U.S. Supreme Court to pause the enforcement of a law that could lead to a ban on the social media platform TikTok in the United States. In a 25-page amicus brief, Trump asked the justices to delay the January 19 deadline, the day before Inauguration, to allow his administration to negotiate a resolution and avoid the need for a ruling. Newsweek reached out to the Trump transition team for comment on Friday evening. The Context Lawmakers and intelligence officials warn that ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, could exploit its ties to the Chinese government to collect sensitive data from 170 million U.S. users or manipulate public opinion through the app's algorithms. A bipartisan law requires ByteDance to sell its U.S. operations by January 19 or face a nationwide ban. Supporters argue the law addresses risks from foreign influence, while critics say it infringes on free speech and overlooks alternatives like stricter data regulation. What to Know Trump's stance on TikTok has evolved significantly. During his first term, he supported banning the platform but reversed course during his recent campaign, praising TikTok for engaging young voters. He now pledges to "save TikTok," describing it as an essential tool for free expression. In a legal brief, Trump's team emphasized his intent to resolve the issue through negotiation after taking office on January 20. His lawyer, D. John Sauer, argued, "President Trump alone possesses the consummate dealmaking expertise, the electoral mandate, and the political will to negotiate a resolution to save the platform while addressing the national security concerns expressed by the government." Meanwhile, TikTok is challenging the law that mandates its divestment or banning, arguing it violates free speech rights. "The First Amendment exists to protect free speech in the United States," TikTok's lawyers wrote, emphasizing that the platform fosters a unique online community that would be destroyed by the ban. The Justice Department, however, defends the legislation, citing national security risks linked to TikTok's Chinese ownership. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar stated that ByteDance's control allows the Chinese government to collect sensitive data and potentially carry out covert influence operations through the app. TikTok's legal arguments also reference Trump's changed position, suggesting a compromise is possible once he assumes office. "President-elect Trump has expressed a willingness to negotiate a resolution that balances national security interests with preserving the First Amendment rights of Americans," the platform's filing noted. What People Are Saying President-elect Trump said during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago on Monday: "I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok. I am confident in achieving a resolution that secures national security and preserves American rights." Elizabeth Prelogar, U.S. Solicitor General: "The law mitigates threats not by imposing any restriction on speech, but by prohibiting a foreign adversary from controlling the platform." What Happens Next The Supreme Court will hear arguments on January 10 and issue a decision before the January 19 deadline. Trump has promised to prioritize negotiations to prevent TikTok's shutdown and address security concerns through political means once he takes office. The outcome could influence future policies governing foreign-owned technology companies.
By LISA MASCARO and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Ethics Committee’s long-awaited report on Matt Gaetz documents a trove of salacious allegations , including sex with an underage girl, that tanked the Florida Republican’s bid to lead the Justice Department . Related Articles National Politics | An analyst looks ahead to how the US economy might fare under Trump National Politics | Trump again calls to buy Greenland after eyeing Canada and the Panama Canal National Politics | House Ethics Committee accuses Gaetz of ‘regularly’ paying for sex, including with 17-year-old girl National Politics | Trump wants mass deportations. For the agents removing immigrants, it’s a painstaking process National Politics | Many Americans have come to rely on Chinese-made drones. Now lawmakers want to ban them Citing text messages, travel receipts, online payments and testimony, the bipartisan committee paints a picture of a lifestyle in which Gaetz and others connected with younger women for drug-fueled parties, events or trips, with the expectation the women would be paid for their participation. The former congressman, who filed a last-minute lawsuit to try to block the report’s release on Monday, slammed the committee’s findings. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing and has insisted he never had sex with a minor. And a Justice Department investigation into the allegations ended without any criminal charges filed against him. “Giving funds to someone you are dating — that they didn’t ask for — and that isn’t ‘charged’ for sex is now prostitution?!?” Gaetz wrote in one post on Monday. “There is a reason they did this to me in a Christmas Eve-Eve report and not in a courtroom of any kind where I could present evidence and challenge witnesses.” Here’s a look at some of the committee’s key findings: ‘Sex-for-money arrangements,’ drug-fueled parties and trips The committee found that between 2017 and 2020, Gaetz paid tens of thousands of dollars to women “likely in connection with sexual activity and/or drug use.” He paid the women using through online services such as PayPal, Venmo, and CashApp and with cash or check, the committee said. The committee said it found evidence that Gaetz understood the “transactional nature” of his relationships with the women. The report points to one text exchange in which Gaetz balked at a woman’s request that he send her money, “claiming she only gave him a ‘drive by.’” Women interviewed by the committee said there was a “general expectation of sex,” the report said. One woman who received more than $5,000 from Gaetz between 2018 and 2019 said that “99 percent of the time” that when she hung out with Gaetz “there was sex involved.” However, Gaetz was in a long-term relationship with one of the women he paid, so “some of the payments may have been of a legitimate nature,” the committee said. Text messages obtained by the committee also show that Gaetz would ask the women to bring drugs to their “rendezvous,” the report said. While most of his encounters with the women were in Florida, the committee said Gaetz also traveled “on several occasions” with women whom he paid for sex. The report includes text message exchanges in which Gaetz appears to be inviting various women to events, getaways or parties, and arranging airplane travel and lodging. Gaetz associate Joel Greenberg, who pleaded guilty to sex trafficking charges in 2021, initially connected with women through an online service. In one text with a 20-year-old woman, Greenberg suggested if she has a friend, the four of them could meet up. The woman responded that she usually does “$400 per meet.” Greenberg replied: “He understands the deal,” along with a smiley face emoji. Greenberg asks if they are old enough to drink alcohol, and sent the woman a picture of Gaetz. The woman responded that her friend found him “really cute.” “Well, he’s down here for only for the day, we work hard and play hard,” Greenberg replied. ‘Substantial evidence’ indicates that Gaetz had sex with underage girl, the committee said The report details a party in July 2017 in which Gaetz is accused of having sex with “multiple women, including the 17-year-old, for which they were paid.” The committee pointed to “credible testimony” from the now-woman herself as well as “multiple individuals” who corroborated the allegation. The then-17-year-old — who had just completed her junior year in high school — told the committee that Gaetz paid her $400 in cash that night, “which she understood to be payment for sex,” according to the report. The woman acknowledged that she had taken ecstasy the night of the party, but told the committee that she was “certain” of her sexual encounters with the then-congressman. There’s no evidence that Gaetz knew she was a minor when he had sex with her, the committee said. The woman told the committee she didn’t tell Gaetz she was under 18 at the time and that he didn’t how old she was. Rather, the committee said Gaetz learned she was a minor more than a month after the party. But he stayed in touch with her after that and met up with her for “commercial sex” again less than six months after she turned 18, according to the committee. Gaetz said evidence would ‘exonerate’ him but provided none of it In sum, the committee said it authorized 29 subpoenas for documents and testimony, reviewed nearly 14,000 documents and contacted more than two dozen witnesses. But when the committee subpoenaed Gaetz for his testimony, he failed to comply. “Gaetz pointed to evidence that would ‘exonerate’ him yet failed to produce any such materials,” the committee said. Gaetz “continuously sought to deflect, deter, or mislead the Committee in order to prevent his actions from being exposed.” The report details a months-long process that dragged into a year as it sought information from Gaetz that he decried as “nosey” and a “weaponization” of government against him. In one notable exchange, investigators were seeking information about the expenses for a 2018 get-away with multiple women to the Bahamas. Gaetz ultimately offered up his plane ticket receipt “to” the destination, but declined to share his return “from” the Bahamas. The report said his return on a private plane and other expenses paid by an associate were in violation of House gift rules. In another Gaetz told the committee he would “welcome” the opportunity to respond to written questions. Yet, after it sent a list of 16 questions, Gaetz said publicly he would “no longer” voluntarily cooperate. He called the investigation “frivolous,” adding: “Every investigation into me ends the same way: my exoneration.” The report said that while Gaetz’s obstruction of the investigation does not rise to a criminal violation it is inconsistent with the requirement that all members of Congress “act in a manner that reflects creditably upon the House.” Justice Department didn’t cooperate with the committee The committee began its review of Gaetz in April 2021 and deferred its work in response to a Justice Department request. It renewed its work shortly after Gaetz announced that the Justice Department had ended a sex trafficking investigation without filing any charges against him. The committee sought records from the Justice Department about the probe, but the agency refused, saying it doesn’t disclose information about investigations that don’t result in charges. The committee then subpoenaed the Justice Department, but after a back-and-forth between officials and the committee, the department handed over “publicly reported information about the testimony of a deceased individual,” according to the report. “To date, DOJ has provided no meaningful evidence or information to the Committee or cited any lawful basis for its responses,” the committee said. Many of the women who the committee spoke to had already given statements to the Justice Department and didn’t want to “relive their experience,” the committee said. “They were particularly concerned with providing additional testimony about a sitting congressman in light of DOJ’s lack of action on their prior testimony,” the report said. The Justice Department, however, never handed over the women’s statements. The agency’s lack of cooperation — along with its request that the committee pause its investigation — significantly delayed the committee’s probe, lawmakers said.Sportscaster Greg Gumbel dies from cancer at age 78