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y words filipino WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Ethics Committee on Monday accused Matt Gaetz of “regularly” paying for sex, including with a 17-year-old girl, and purchasing and using illicit drugs as a member of Congress, as lawmakers released the conclusions of a nearly four-year investigation that helped sink his nomination for attorney general. The 37-page report by the bipartisan panel includes explicit details of sex-filled parties and vacations that Gaetz, now 42, took part in from 2017 to 2020 while representing Florida's western panhandle. Congressional investigators concluded that Gaetz violated multiple state laws related to sexual misconduct while in office, though not federal sex trafficking laws. They also found that Gaetz “knowingly and willfully sought to impede and obstruct” the committee's work. “The Committee determined there is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House Rules and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress,” the report states. Ahead of the report’s release Gaetz denied any wrongdoing and criticized the committee's process. “Giving funds to someone you are dating — that they didn’t ask for — and that isn’t ‘charged’ for sex is now prostitution?!?” he posted on X, the website formerly known as Twitter. “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.” Gaetz, a Republican first elected in 2017, spent the majority of his time in Washington enmeshed in scandals that ultimately derailed his nomination by President-elect Donald Trump as attorney general. His political future is uncertain, although Gaetz has indicated he would be interested in running for the open Senate seat in Florida. Lawmakers paint a damning portrait of Gaetz's conduct, using dozens of pages of exhibits, including text messages and financial records, travel receipts, checks and online payments, to document a party- and drug-fueled lifestyle. The committee said it compiled the evidence after issuing 29 subpoenas for documents and testimony and contacting more than two dozen witnesses. In addition to soliciting prostitution, the Ethics Committee report states that Gaetz “accepted gifts, including transportation and lodging in connection with a 2018 trip to the Bahamas, in excess of permissible amounts.” That same year, investigators say Gaetz arranged for his chief of staff to obtain a passport for a woman he was sexually involved with, falsely telling the State Department that she was his constituent. In some of the text exchanges, Gaetz appears to be inviting various women to events, getaways or parties, and arranging airplane travel and lodging. At one point he asks one woman if she has a “cute black dress” to wear. There are also discussions of shipping goods. One of the exhibits is a text exchange that appears to be between two of the women concerned about their cash flow and payments. In another, a person asks Gaetz for help to pay an educational expense. Regarding the 17-year-old girl, the report states 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 know 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. But Florida law, which states it is a felony for a person 24 or older to have sex with a minor, does not allow a claim of ignorance or misrepresentation of a minor's age as a defense. Joel Leppard, who represents two women who told the committee that Gaetz paid them for sex, said the findings “vindicate” the accounts of his clients and “demonstrate their credibility.” “We appreciate the Committee’s commitment to transparency in releasing this comprehensive report so the truth can be known,” Leppard said in a statement. At least one Republican joined all five Democrats on the Ethics Committee earlier this month in voting to release the report about their former colleague despite initial opposition from GOP lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, to publishing findings about a former member of Congress. While ethics reports have previously been released after a member’s resignation, it is extremely rare. On behalf of the Republicans who voted against releasing the report, Rep. Michael Guest of Mississippi, Ethics chairman, wrote that while the members do not challenge the report's findings, “we take great exception that the majority deviated from the Committee’s well-established standards,” to drop any investigation when a person is not longer a member of the chamber. “We believe that operating outside the jurisdictional bounds set forth by House Rules and Committee standards, especially when making public disclosures, is a dangerous departure with potentially catastrophic consequences,” Guest wrote. Mounting a last-ditch effort to halt the publication of the report, Gaetz filed a lawsuit Monday asking a court to intervene, citing what he called “untruthful and defamatory information” that would “significantly damage” his “standing and reputation in the community.” Gaetz’s complaint argues he’s no longer under the committee’s jurisdiction since he resigned from Congress. “The Committee’s position that it may nonetheless publish potentially defamatory findings about a private citizen over whom it claims no jurisdiction represents an unprecedented expansion of Congressional power that threatens fundamental constitutional rights and established procedural protections,” Gaetz’s lawyers wrote in their request for a temporary restraining order. The often secretive, bipartisan panel has investigated claims against Gaetz since 2021. But its work became more urgent last month when Trump picked him shortly after Election Day as his first choice to be the nation's top law enforcement officer. Gaetz resigned from Congress that same day, putting him outside the purview of the Ethics Committee's jurisdiction. But Democrats had pressed to make the report public even after Gaetz was no longer a member and had withdrawn as Trump’s pick to lead the Justice Department. A vote on the House floor this month to force the report’s release failed; all but one Republican voted against it. The committee detailed its start-and-stop investigation over the past several years, which was halted for a time as the Justice Department conducted its own probe of Gaetz. Federal prosecutors never brought a case against him. Lawmakers said they asked the Justice Department for information about its probe, but the agency refused to hand over information, saying it doesn’t disclose information about investigations that don’t result in charges. The committee then subpoenaed the Justice Department for records, but after a back-and-forth between Justice Department officials and the committee, the department only 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. In releasing the report, the panel added that Gaetz was also “uncooperative" throughout the probe. He provided “minimal documentation” in response to the committee’s requests, it said. “He also did not agree to a voluntary interview.” ___ Associated Press writer Alanna Durkin Richer contributed to this report.ONLY hours remain for Walmart shoppers to take advantage of a massive discount on a popular service. It's arguably the retail giant's best deal of the holiday season and offers several benefits to those who sign up. Last month, Walmart confirmed that the price of its subscription service, Walmart+, would be cut by 50% for an entire year. Walmart+ typically costs $98 annually , meaning the promotion would make it only $49 through a deadline of December 2. The subscription lets customers have free shipping with no minimum ordering fee, free grocery delivery with a $35 minimum, up to 10 cents off on gas fill-ups, a free Paramount+ subscription, and if they signed up before Thanksgiving, early access to Black Friday sales. Other perks include 25% off items at Burger King and even free online pet care. Read More on Walmart Interested shoppers must act fast, as less than seven hours remain for the half-off deal on Walmart+. Additionally, it's only available to select candidates. In the fine print, the promotion notes that it's "available only to new, expired, monthly, and current Walmart+ trial members." That means current Walmart+ members who already paid their yearly fee of $98 are out of luck. Most read in Money FEELING LEFT OUT This aspect of the deal didn't sit well with some longtime Walmart+ subscribers. "Pretty awful that you would not offer this to your longtime existing members," a shopper fumed on X last month. They argued that the retail giant was "screwing over" members like themselves "by not giving them the same price break." "Ridiculous, don't you get it?" the shopper asked. Even so, they claimed a Walmart staffer advised them to cancel their membership and re-sign-up as a workaround for the promotion. While this would seemingly work, the shopper still refused to perform it in protest of not being included in the 50% discount with other longtime members. *If you click a link in this boxout, we may earn affiliate revenue Here's how to sign up to Walmart+ : Head to the Walmart website . Select 'Account' and then 'Walmart+'. Click 'Start free 30-day trial'. Enter your information. Enjoy the trial and benefits. Remember to cancel before the 30 days are up, or pay $12.95 per month (which you can cancel at any time) or $98 for the annual plan if you want to keep it. Read More What is Walmart+ and is it worth it? Walmart+ vs Amazon Prime BEST BENEFIT Those who choose to cancel their subscription or don't act fast enough for the promotion will miss out on one of the biggest Walmart+ benefits — Scan & Go . Scan & Go is a feature offered through the Walmart mobile app to subscribers, and let's them use their phone to scan merchandise they want as they shop in-store. After scanning and placing everything they want in the cart, the app can then generate a single barcode for all of the items. That barcode is then scanned at checkout and verified by a Walmart employee for an efficient payment and exit process. Walmart also decided earlier this spring that it would block off certain self-checkout kiosks at select stores for Walmart+ subscribers to use Scan & Go, and for Spark Drivers to move fast and get orders to customers. The move hasn't been well-received by some regular customers, who claimed it's negatively impacted their shopping experience with longer lines and wait times. Read More on The US Sun Several are still upset with Walmart's decision to not allow a certain payment method as well. A customer also recently claimed that "only 6 out of 40 checkouts" were open during holiday shopping at their local Walmart store that caused them to boycott the retailer for good.

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Article content Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Good news, gearheads! With the holiday season just around the corner, LEGO has announced two new Formula One-themed sets. First is the LEGO Icons Williams FW14B & Nigel Mansell set, depicting the 1992 title-winning car and driver; and the other is the LEGO Technic Ferrari SF-24, the current title contender from Maranello. Both sets are available for pre-order today, with an official launch set for March 1, 2025. The LEGO Technic Ferrari SF-24 F1 Car is a 1,361-piece set. Key features include aerodynamic details like an opening DRS, Pirelli-branded racing slicks, and the V6 engine with a spinning MGU-H. The set also incorporates functioning front and rear suspension; and a two-speed gearbox, giving an in-depth look at the mechanics of Ferrari’s current F1 car. Pre-order the Ferrari SF-24 at LEGO.com Meanwhile, the LEGO Icons Williams Racing FW14B & Nigel Mansell set pays tribute to the legendary race car that propelled Nigel Mansell to his 1992 Formula One title. The 799-piece set includes working steering, Goodyear-branded slicks, and a detailed replica of the FW14B’s engine. It also features a mini figurine of Mansell, with his trademark moustache in tow! Pre-order the Williams FW14B & Nigel Mansell at LEGO. Still haven’t gotten your toy-brick fix? Some other recent LEGO sets we’ve been impressed with include: The McLaren P1 in Papya Orange , complete with its signature butterfly doors (*_*); the Lamborghini Sian FKP37 kit, replicating this absolutely bonkers V12 supercar Microchip Technology Lowers Quarterly Revenue Forecast, Shuts Arizona Factory

One thing anyone will tell you when visiting any Italian city is to know where your wallet or purse is at all times. The likelihood of finding a lost purse or wallet is somewhere between zero and none. It’s just one of those things. But that’s exactly what happened to Italian woman Marisa Corradi. Now and again we hear about a tourist who has lost something of value, and it’s very occasionally followed by a heartwarming story of how it was returned by a good-hearted citizen. But not quite to this extent. Marisa Corradi, from San Paolo, Lombardy, wrote on her Facebook page. ‘I was in Palermo , Sicily, recently walking around Ballarò market when, in a moment of distraction, I lost my purse. I didn’t even realise until that night back at the hotel, and I entered in panic.’ Most Read on Euro Weekly News Musk law passed in Italy, then rebuffed by judges Italian nun arrested in major mafia investigation Italy bans the use of Airbnb key boxes Ballarò market, one of the oldest markets in Italy , bustling with tourists and pickpockets, and is not a place where one loses a purse and expects to ever see it again. Market trader had been looking for Marisa all afternoon ‘I was looking at my phone when this man, a Palermo resident, messaged me to say he was looking for a woman who had lost her purse. I replied to him immediately, and he told me he had been trying to find me all afternoon. So, he got on his scooter and came to find me at my hotel.’ After seeing Marisa’s name on her bank cards, he took to social media to see if he could find her. Finally he found one profile on Facebook that must have been hers. What went beyond the unusual in this case was that there was €600 in cash sticking out of the purse, clearly visible. Yet this market stallholder, Rosario Scalia, never touched any of it. In fact, on arrival at the hotel and on meeting Marisa, he refused any compensation for returning the purse. Marisa took to social media instantly to thank Rosario, saying, ‘I feel so thankful, and I want to thank him publicly. There are still honest people out there. I thank him from the bottom of my heart!’ Since this extraordinary act of kindness and effort, the story of Marisa, Rosario, and the missing purse has gone viral throughout Italy’s social networks and news stations.

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