Colleagues 'gossiped' about Matt Gaetz's drinking and possible drug use for years: report

According to a report from the Daily Beast, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has been the subject of rumors about possible drug use by his Congressional colleagues "for years," with some speculating that it has led to his highly apparent weight loss as of late.

In a deep dive into Gaetz's relationship with longtime friend Joel Greenberg-- a Florida official who is a key player in the sex trafficking accusations that have swamped Gaetz this past week leading to speculation he is about to be arrested -- the Beast's Roger Sollenberger and Joel Pagliery write that fellow lawmakers have been noting a change in the Florida lawmaker.

That, in turn, has led some to keep their distance.

The report states, "Lawmakers have gossiped about his drinking and drug use for years, complaining that his office often smelled like weed and speculating that his weight loss while in Congress was due to cocaine."

The report goes on to add that, "... his adversarial relationship with his colleagues—particularly fellow Republicans that he deemed insufficiently supportive of Trump—has cost him in his search for allies willing to stick up for him and rebut a constant stream of negative stories, even as Gaetz's claims about an extortion plot have a ring of truth to them."

You can read more here.