A bombshell report from the House Ethics Committee reveals damning news details about the long-running investigation into Matt Gaetz’s alleged sexual misconduct and illicit drug use.
The former Republican representative, who was Donald Trump’s first choice for attorney general of the United States, is accused of paying thousands of dollars to more than a dozen women — including a 17-year-old girl — for sex.
Gaetz is also accused of using illegal drugs, including from his office on Capitol Hill, according to the report, a draft of which was first obtained by CBS News and CNN.
He is accused of violating Florida’s statutory rape laws, among others, the report found.
“The Committee determined there is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House Rules and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress,” the report states.
He filed a federal lawsuit against the committee on Monday alleging the the “unconstitutional” publication of “potentially defamatory statements” against a now-private citizen.
Gaetz withdrew his name for consideration as Trump’s nominee for attorney general following reports that a woman testified to the committee that she had sexual encounters with Gaetz at a party in 2017 when she was 17 years old.
He also paid more than $10,000 to women through a series of Venmo and PayPal payments with descriptive memos like “being awesome” and “being my friend” — some of which were allegedly used in transactions for sex.
The panel’s report discovered Gaetz sent such payments to more than a dozen women while he was a member of Congress.
During a 2018 trip to the Bahamas, Gaetz “engaged in sexual activity” with multiple women, including one who described the trip itself as “the payment” for sex on the trip. He also took ecstasy during the trip, one woman told the committee.
“In my single days, I often sent funds to women I dated — even some I never dated but who asked,” Gaetz said in a statement last week, following news of the report’s imminent release.
“I dated several of these women for years. I NEVER had sexual contact with someone under 18,” he added. “Any claim that I have would be destroyed in court — which is why no such claim was ever made in court.”
The 42-year-old former congressman said his 30s “were an era of working very hard —and playing hard too.”
“It’s embarrassing, though not criminal, that I probably partied, womanized, drank and smoked more than I should have earlier in life,” he said. “I live a different life now.”
Gaetz was also the subject of a Department of Justice investigation, though prosecutors ultimately never brought charges against him.
Following news that the report would be published after all, Gaetz claimed he was “FULLY EXONERATED” after federal prosecutors declined to charge him.
“I’ve had no chance to ever confront any accusers. I’ve never been charged. I’ve never been sued,” he said. “Instead, House Ethics will reportedly post a report online that I have no opportunity to debate or rebut as a former member of the body.”
The publication of the report marks a stunning reversal of the committee’s November decision against its release, which House Republicans also successfully blocked in a series of party-line votes in the chamber earlier this month.
The committee’s report follows a lengthy probe into allegations against the Republican, including whether he also “shared inappropriate images or videos on the House floor, misused state identification records, converted campaign funds to personal use, and/or accepted a bribe, improper gratuity, or impermissible gifts,” according to the committee’s announcement last year.
Gaetz’s abrupt resignation from Congress effectively ended the House investigation, though committee members weighed whether to force the House to release a report.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters last month that he “strongly” requested that the panel not make a report public, arguing that the committee no longer has jurisdiction over the now-former congressman.
But there is precedent for releasing such a report after a lawmaker leaves office. In 1987, former congressman Bill Boner was the subject of an ethics report two months after leaving office. The committee released its report into former congressman Buz Lukens the same day he left office in 1990.
Still, Johnson argued that releasing the report would open “Pandora’s box.”
“If it’s been broken once or twice, it should not have been,” he said.
Attorneys for witnesses who spoke to the panel also urged lawmakers to release its findings.
Gaetz’s former ally Joel Greenberg reached a deal with prosecutors in May 2021 to plead guilty to six federal crimes, including underage sex trafficking, after he was initially charged with 33 counts. He is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence.
Greenberg also admitted introducing a minor to “other adult men” who “engaged in commercial sex acts” with her, according to court documents.
Following his resignation, Gaetz announced he would be joining right-wing media outlet One America News Network, where he will anchor a “one-hour political talk show every weeknight” on the network’s prime-time lineup starting in January.
In remarks from Arizona on Sunday, Gaetz suggested that he would next try to run for Senate.
“Many have asked which perch I will be fighting from,” he said. “Maybe I’ll just run for Marco Rubio’s vacant seat in the United States Senate and join some of those folks.”
This is a developing story
