Former Florida Representative Matt Gaetz faces serious allegations following his abrupt resignation from Congress and withdrawal from Trump's attorney general consideration.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the House Ethics Committee released a damaging 37-page report on Monday detailing allegations of sexual misconduct, illegal drug use, and impermissible gifts against Gaetz between 2017 and 2020.
The investigation uncovered evidence showing Gaetz, 42, regularly paid for sex, including with a minor, and engaged in drug use during his time in Congress.
Committee investigators reviewed nearly 14,000 documents and interviewed more than two dozen people, tracking payments made through PayPal and Venmo that amounted to tens of thousands of dollars for sex and drugs.
The report identified at least 20 occasions where substantial evidence showed Gaetz met with women who received payment for sex or drugs. One woman, who was 17 at the time, reported receiving a $400 payment from the then 35-year-old congressman in exchange for sex in 2017.
Several women interviewed expressed concerns about retaliation, while others were unwilling to revisit their experiences with Gaetz.
Gaetz, addressing the allegations on social media, stated:
My 30's 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.
The arrangements were reportedly facilitated by Joel Greenberg, a former Florida county tax collector and Gaetz's friend, who is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence for sex trafficking and other charges.
The committee's decision to release the report despite Gaetz's departure has created division among its members. Rep. Michael Guest, committee chair, expressed concern about setting a precedent for investigating former lawmakers. Guest's statement after the report's release emphasized his opposition to its publication.
Democrats attempted to force the report's release through a floor vote but failed to gather sufficient support. Only one Republican, Rep. Tom McClintock of California, sided with the Democrats in this effort. The committee acknowledged the unusual nature of releasing findings about a former member but cited public interest as justification.
Gaetz filed a lawsuit Monday seeking to block the report's release, claiming it violated committee rules and his constitutional rights. His legal team argued that publishing the findings would cause irreversible damage to his reputation.
The investigation into Matt Gaetz revealed a pattern of alleged misconduct spanning his early congressional career, including sexual relationships with paid women, drug use, and acceptance of improper gifts. While the Justice Department's previous investigation ended without criminal charges, the House Ethics Committee's findings have effectively ended Gaetz's congressional career.
The former representative now plans to join One America News Network as an anchor next month, marking a significant shift from his controversial tenure in Congress, where he was known for leading the effort to remove former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
