Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) paid multiple women, including a 17-year-old high school girl, for sex and used illegal drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy, according to a report from the House Ethics Committee. There is a suspicion that
A 37-page report released Monday morning concluded that Gates violated multiple Florida laws related to sexual misconduct during his tenure.
“The Committee finds that Congressman Gaetz is subject to the House Rules, state and federal laws, and other standards of conduct that prohibit prostitution, statutory rape, illegal drug use, accepting impermissible gifts, providing special favors or privileges, and obstructing.” “Congress concluded that there was substantial evidence that violations occurred,” the report said.
Gaetz has consistently denied the accusations of wrongdoing, and a previous federal investigation into the allegations ended without charges against him. Earlier Monday, Gaetz filed a lawsuit to block the report’s release.
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Congressman Matt Gaetz at the Capitol in Washington, DC, March 7, 2024, ahead of President Biden’s State of the Union address. (Aaron Schwartz/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The committee’s report said Gaetz “continuously sought to deflect, deter, or mislead the committee in order to prevent disclosure of his actions.” There is.
The report alleges that Gaetz made tens of thousands of dollars in payments to the women between 2017 and 2020 “possibly in connection with sexual activity or drug use,” despite his denials.
In the alleged sexual encounter, Gates had sexual relations with a 17-year-old minor at a party in the summer of 2017, according to the committee’s report. The report concluded that the act violated Florida’s statutory rape law, even though the girl, identified in the report as “Victim A,” never told Gaetz her age. Ta.
“The committee received testimony that Victim A and Congressman Gaetz had sex twice during the party, at least once in the presence of other party attendees,” the draft report said. claims.
Congressman Matt Gaetz outside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, DC, on September 29, 2023. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The 17-year-old girl claimed to have received $400 in cash from Gates, “with the understanding that it was payment for sex,” according to the report. She said she was under the influence of ecstasy during the sexual encounter, while claiming to have seen Gates using cocaine.
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The committee’s report said there was no evidence that Gates knew the girl was underage when he allegedly had sex with her.
The report also alleges that Gaetz failed to respond to subpoenas for questioning and “deliberately concealed information” about his trip to the Bahamas with the woman.
Gates resigned from Congress last month after President-elect Trump nominated him to be attorney general. Gaetz later withdrew from consideration for the post. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc, Getty Images, File)
The commission said it had obtained text messages that Gates allegedly sent to the women, in which he referred to the drugs as “party favors,” “rolls,” and “vitamins,” and described the drugs as “a meeting place.” ”He asked her to bring it.
Witnesses said in interviews with the committee that they witnessed Gates using marijuana, according to the report.
The House Ethics Committee’s multiyear investigation into Gates, which includes allegations of sex with minors and illegal drug use, comes hours after President-elect Trump nominated Gates to be attorney general. It was abruptly suspended last month after he resigned.
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Gaetz subsequently dropped out of the running for the post amid quiet but steady opposition from Republicans.
The House Ethics Committee lost its authority to continue investigating the allegations against Gaetz after he resigned from Congress. As the report notes, the commission “generally does not publish its findings after losing jurisdiction over a matter,” but a majority of its members believe the findings are in the public interest. Therefore, we decided that it should be made public.
