A confidential lawsuit involving allegations of sexual misconduct by US President-elect Donald Trump’s attorney general pick, Matt Gaetz, was compromised when an unknown person accessed documents related to the case. The lawyer representing the two women who testified that they were paid for sex with Gaetz said the incident occurred through a file-sharing service.
According to Joel Leppard, the lawyer involved in the case, the person accessed documents including sworn testimony from the woman who claimed to have had a sexual encounter with Gaetz as a minor. The lawsuit, which was brought by a Gaetz associate, has since been dismissed but the allegations against Gaetz have raised concerns about his suitability for the position.
Gaetz denies any wrongdoing and Trump’s transition spokesperson calls the allegations “baseless”. However, some Senate Republicans are demanding to see the House Ethics Committee’s findings on the matter. The committee is expected to meet on Wednesday to discuss the case.
The incident highlights the potential risks of confidential documents being shared improperly online. ShareFile, the file-sharing service involved, said that the incident was not a breach but rather use of the product inconsistent with best security practices.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/hacker-accessed-documents-matt-gaetz-misconduct-allegations-lawyer-says-2024-11-19