Republican strategist and campaign manager Anton Lazzaro was indicted Thursday morning on five counts of sex trafficking and three counts of obstruction of justice. He is the latest in a line of Republicans involved in underage sex scandals, leading activists and progressive groups to allege it's part of a #GOPPedoRing.
Ironically, the QAnon conspiracy group has long alleged that Democrats have been running some sort of secret sex ring with children where they drink their blood in pizza parlors. But in real life, a startling number of Republicans over the past 20 years have been linked to underage sex scandals.
Former Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) was discovered sending sexual messages to underage boys working as pages at the U.S. Capitol. Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) only recently left prison in 2017 after federal prosecutors indicted him on charges of molesting at least four boys during his time as a high school wrestling coach.
Speaking of wrestling, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) is accused of looking the other way as more than 100 former Ohio State students were sexually assaulted by a former athletics doctor. Six athletes said that Jordan had to know what was going on. At least in that case the students were barely over 18.
Then there's Judge Roy Moore, who allegedly molested multiple teen girls. Oklahoma Trump campaign co-chair, state Sen. Ralph Shorty (R) was caught in a hotel room with underage boys.The Republican running against Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) in the 2022 primary confessed to impregnating a 14-year-old when he was 18. Additionally, Florida tax collector Joel Greenberg pleaded guilty to several counts of sex trafficking a minor. His friend, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) is now under investigation for being involved but has denied all involvement.
So, when Lazzaro was indicted Thursday, it seemed part of a long pattern to many online.
See their comments below:
Per @KaivanShroff, Republican strategist and campaign manager Anton Lazzaro has just been arrested on underage sex… https://t.co/jlkXpLjeoF— MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch.com) 1628799500.0
Anton Lazzaro, GOP strategist, charged with recruiting 6 minor victims to engage in commercial sex acts. It’s amazi… https://t.co/0yAkMo39kb— Momma_Oh (@Momma_Oh) 1628812105.0
This photo of Matt Gaetz was taken at Pea Ridge Elementary. It's the same photo Joel Greenberg sent to young girls… https://t.co/ruVhp3HmJW— Kyla In The Burgh 🏳️🌈🏴☠️ (@Kyla In The Burgh 🏳️🌈🏴☠️) 1628818123.0
#GOPPedoRing Is trending & this duckhead needs to be in jail .. https://t.co/Kww8qQPNZR— Meidas_Murai (@Meidas_Murai) 1628818838.0
Just waiting for the GOP baby eating charges to drop. #GOPPedoRing— BLM ALLY ☮️ ☸️ 🇺🇸 (@BLM ALLY ☮️ ☸️ 🇺🇸) 1628817500.0
Does anyone else feel the need to take a shower? Repugnants are repugnant. #GOPPedoRing https://t.co/a16pB3vKjD— Shut Your Mouth, Gym! (@Shut Your Mouth, Gym!) 1628819662.0
Qanon is a giant cover for the #GOPPedoRing— Spy Doggie (@Spy Doggie) 1628817093.0
The #GOPPedoRing plays like a Scooby Doo episode in which the real sex traffickers are unmasked at the end. It was… https://t.co/CZ3tGVVSPC— Nerd Hag Reviews (@Nerd Hag Reviews) 1628817600.0
Republican strategist and campaign manager Anton Lazzaro has just been arrested on underage sex trafficking charges… https://t.co/6Ouhg3RofN— PPP Trump (@PPP Trump) 1628818615.0
When I saw #GOPPedoRing trending, the first thing that came to mind was which one now?!! There are so damn many of… https://t.co/EoJecfWXLy— Annie (@Annie) 1628818310.0
@Stowydad $36,000 to @RepHagedorn Helped get @jkcarnah to Chair of MN GOP. #GOPPedoRing https://t.co/UjthwpSYM8— Good Troublemaker (@Good Troublemaker) 1628818960.0
Because GOPedophile is actually a thing. #GOPPedoRing https://t.co/4lAAU782yC— ........𝙆..𝙀..𝙈..𝙀..𝙄..𝙐..𝙉......... (@........𝙆..𝙀..𝙈..𝙀..𝙄..𝙐..𝙉.........) 1628819461.0
@MuellerSheWrote Big MN operative, close ties to MN GOP chair and her Congressman husband. #GOPPedoRing— Good Troublemaker (@Good Troublemaker) 1628818666.0
