Tax Collector Endorsed By Matt Gaetz For Congress Indicted On Sex Trafficking Charges

A tax collector endorsed this year by Matt Gaetz for a Congressional seat representing Florida’s 7th District has been charged with sex trafficking. Gaetz publicly suggested the man should run for office. Now, he’s being charged for sex crimes involving a minor.

According to Fox News, Republican Joel Greenberg was the tax collector in Seminole County, and resigned in June in response to a Federal investigation. He’s accused of using the state’s motor vehicle database to get information on people with whom he had sexual relationships, and of paying for sex with a child between the ages of 14 and 17. These charges follow those reported by the Orlando Sentinel in July, which included stalking, identity theft of a political opponent, and using his office to create fake drivers licenses for himself.

Now Representative Matt Gaetz is facing public scrutiny for supporting Greenberg. Orlando Politics quoted Gaetz in June, when he suggested that Greenberg would be a good choice for congress. (Greenberg declined to run, though he says that he got many calls from supporters urging him after Gaetz’ endorsement.)

Joel Greenberg has gone to the Seminole County Tax Collector’s office and been a disrupter. If you look at what people want in the country right now, they want that disrupter…If Joel Greenberg were to run for Congress from that district, I think he becomes the next congressman from the 7th district.

The charges allege that Greenberg’s crime took place over a 6-month period in 2017. It was also in 2017 that Congressman Gaetz posted a photo of himself, Roger Stone, and Greenberg having dinner together. (A screenshot will be appended at the end of this article in case the post is removed.)

Roger Stone, of course, is now a convicted felon, on charges including witness tampering, false statements to Congress, and obstructing an investigation.

Voters are calling out the connection, noting the coincidence of Gaetz appearing to spend his spare time with a man who would later be convicted on felony charges, and one who would face charges for child sex trafficking.

When Matt Gaetz speaks of morals, remember who his friends are, a convicted criminal like Roger Stone and Joel Greenberg, who’s charged with child sex trafficking. Birds of a feather. pic.twitter.com/puAXQANtx0

— Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) August 25, 2020

So @MattGaetz, an accused pedophile, & a convicted felon walk into a bar. This is not a joke. Gaetz hanging out w/ Roger Stone & Joel Greenberg, the former Florida tax collector who was just charged w/ sex trafficking. #GOPCrimeSyndicate #CORRUPTION #BidenHarris2020 pic.twitter.com/tvvM7ze5JH

— TXShamrock665 ☘️ (@TXShamrock665) August 27, 2020