Former Matt Gaetz staffer’s press conference sheds little new light on allegations against Florida congressman

A Monday press conference called by a former staffer of Rep. Matt Gaetz failed to shed any new light on the ongoing Justice Department investigation into the Florida congressman’s relationship with a 17-year-old girl and potential payments for sex to other women.

Video Transcript

NATHAN NELSON: My name is Nathan Nelson. I was the former director of military affairs for Congressman Matt Gaetz. Last Wednesday afternoon, two members of the FBI came to my house unannounced to question me about allegations surrounding Congressman Gaetz. They told me that members of the media reached out to them asserting that I had previous knowledge of Congressman Gaetz's involvement in illegal activities. They asserted that because of that knowledge, I resign my position as the director of military affairs.

I'm here this morning to state that nothing could be further from the truth. Neither I nor any other member of Congressman Gaetz's staff had any knowledge of illegal activities. I've known the Congressman for over six years, when he was a state rep in the Florida House. I worked with him for four years as his director of military affairs.

Everybody here in Northwest Florida and the defense community knows that I had a planned departure. I left to continue supporting the military mission in a private capacity, helping to align the Department of Defense, defense industry, and academia for workforce development here in the panhandle. This baseless claim against me leads me further convinced that the allegations against Congressman Gaetz are likewise fabricated and merely an attempt to discredit a very vocal conservative.

I'm welcome to-- I welcome any other questions.

- Well, what evidence have you seen so far, sir?

NATHAN NELSON: I'm not here to provide any degree of evidence in support of Congressman Gaetz, only to discredit these baseless allegations.

- Well, that's the reason why I'm--