‘Substantial evidence’ Matt Gaetz paid thousands for drugs and sex, including with a minor: House report
Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., allegedly paid thousands of dollars for drugs and sex, including sexual intercourse with a minor, according to a House of Representatives Ethics Committee report.
In a 42-page report shared by media outlets Monday, the committee concluded there is "substantial evidence" that Gaetz, who stepped down earlier this year and was once tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to be U.S. attorney general, violated House rules, laws and standards prohibiting "prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, acceptance of impermissible gifts, the provision of special favors and privileges, and obstruction of Congress."
The report detailed allegations of parties featuring drugs and sex, including a 2018 trip to the Bahamas where, according to witnesses, Gaetz took ecstasy and had sex with four women.
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"From 2017 to 2020, Representative Gaetz made tens of thousands of dollars in payments to women that the Committee determined were likely in connection with sexual activity and/or drug use," stated the report.
The House committee also received testimony that, while at a party in 2017, Gaetz had sex with a 17-year-old who had just completed her junior year in high school, allegedly giving her $400 for the act.
The girl, identified as "Victim A" in the report, recalled that "she did not inform Representative Gaetz that she was under 18 at the time, nor did he ask her age."
Gaetz has denied the allegations listed in the report. He filed a complaint on Monday in federal district court to block the release of the full committee report.
"The anticipated statements and release of information by Defendants is expected to include reference and make conclusions that Plaintiff engaged in conduct amounting to 'misconduct' or was otherwise unethical," stated the complaint, as reported by Fox News.
"The anticipated statements and information is false, factually incorrect, and untrue because Plaintiff did not violate any criminal code or other standard of ethics within the jurisdiction of Defendants."
The complaint goes on to say that if the report is "released, the damage to Plaintiff's reputation and professional standing would be immediate, severe and irreversible."
"The Committee's findings would carry the imprimatur of official Congressional action," continued the complaint. "Media coverage would be immediate and widespread … allegations would permanently remain in the public record [and no] adequate remedy exists to retract or correct information once released."
In a tweet, Gaetz responded to the report.
"The Biden/Garland DOJ spent years reviewing allegations that I committed various crimes. I was charged with nothing: FULLY EXONERATED," he wrote. "Not even a campaign finance violation. And the people investigating me hated me. Then, the very 'witnesses' DOJ deemed not-credible were assembled by House Ethics to repeat their claims absent any cross-examination or challenge from me or my attorneys. I've had no chance to ever confront any accusers. I've never been charged. I've never been sued."
In November, Trump announced that he was nominating Gaetz as attorney general, with the decision reportedly causing an "audible gasp" among some Republican lawmakers.
Gaetz, who represented Florida's 1st Congressional District from 2016 until he resigned his seat upon his nomination, had been under investigation by the House Ethics Committee since 2021.
Following backlash from conservatives and Republican members of Congress, Gaetz announced on Nov. 21 that he was declining the nomination for attorney general.
"While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition," stated Gaetz last month.
"There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I'll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump's DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1."
