'Everyone in the Capitol is nervous': Lawmaker says Florida Republicans fear they’ll be swept up in Matt Gaetz investigation

On Sunday evening, Jordan Zarakin of Progressives Everywhere on Substack released an interview with Florida state Rep. Carlos Smith, the first gay Latino member of the Florida legislature, in which they discussed the growing sex trafficking scandal surrounding Rep. Matt Gaetz.

During the segment, Smith noted that the Florida Republican Party, behind the scenes, is terrified that the investigation could sweep up more of their members.

"The web of corruption that Matt Gaetz, Joel Greenberg, and [Ron] DeSantis are all wrapped up in is really a web that appears to tie up the entire Republican Party of Florida," said Smith. "It seems like everyone in the Capitol is nervous about what the next revelation is going to be and who else is implicated in this sweeping saga of corruption that they've been a part of for so long."

"This is what happens when any particular party is allowed to stay in power for as long as Florida Republicans have," he continued. "It's not only about corruption, but they just get sloppy, they get lazy, and they get messy and arrogant. And I think that that's how Matt Gaetz got in trouble — he got arrogant."

Gaetz faces allegations that he transported a 17-year-old girl over state lines for sex acts. Authorities are also reportedly investigating whether drugs or campaign cash were involved in his alleged transactions with women for sex. Greenberg, a former Florida county tax official and close associate of Gaetz, has reportedly been cooperating with the Justice Department since last year.