(WASHINGTON) —
On Monday, the House Ethics Committee unveiled a report implicating Matt Gaetz in a series of allegations related to paid sexual activities, which reportedly included interactions with a minor, as well as the use of illegal drugs during his time in Congress. This report is the result of a comprehensive investigation that spanned almost four years, contributing to the collapse of his nomination for the position of attorney general.
The 37-page report from the bipartisan committee lays bare unsettling details about Gaetz’s conduct from 2017 to 2020, while he served as the representative for Florida’s western panhandle. It outlines a range of extravagant parties and vacations that revolved around sexual encounters.
Investigators found that Gaetz violated several state laws related to sexual misconduct during his tenure, although he was not charged with violating federal sex trafficking laws. They also concluded that Gaetz attempted to impede the committee’s investigation.
“The evidence suggests that Representative Gaetz breached House Rules and standards through engaging in prostitution, statutory rape, illegal drug use, accepting improper gifts, and obstructing Congress,” the report claims.
Before the report’s release, Gaetz refuted all allegations of misconduct and criticized the investigation’s integrity. He voiced his skepticism on X (formerly Twitter), questioning whether financial transactions with a partner, absent a sexual exchange, could be classified as prostitution. He also expressed concerns about the timing of the report’s release, implying it was designed more for public attention than legal proceedings.
Since being elected as a Republican in 2017, Gaetz has been at the center of various scandals that have led to the withdrawal of his nomination by President-elect Donald Trump for the attorney general role. His political future now hangs in the balance, although he has expressed interest in pursuing an open Senate seat in Florida.
The Ethics Committee’s report presents a damaging portrayal of Gaetz’s behavior, bolstered by numerous pieces of evidence including text messages, financial records, travel receipts, and online payment histories. The committee gathered this evidence after issuing 29 subpoenas and interviewing over two dozen witnesses.
In addition to the prostitution allegations, the report also indicates that Gaetz “accepted gifts, including transportation and lodging for a 2018 trip to the Bahamas, which exceeded permissible limits.”
In 2018, investigators allege that Gaetz assisted his chief of staff in securing a passport for a woman with whom he was involved, misleading the State Department by stating she was a constituent.
Text messages seem to show Gaetz inviting various women to events and coordinating travel arrangements. In one conversation, he asks a woman if she has a “cute black dress” for an occasion, along with discussions about sending various items.
One piece of evidence includes a dialogue between two women who share concerns about financial issues, while another shows someone reaching out to Gaetz for help with educational costs.
Concerning the allegation involving a 17-year-old girl, the committee found no proof that Gaetz was aware of her age during their interaction. The young woman testified that she did not disclose her status as a minor and that Gaetz was unaware at the time.
The committee noted that Gaetz only learned of her age a month post-incident, yet he continued to communicate with her and met for sexual encounters shortly after her 18th birthday. Under Florida law, individuals aged 24 or older who engage in sexual activities with minors face felony charges, with no allowance for ignorance as a defense.
Joel Leppard, representing two women who testified against Gaetz, stated that the findings corroborate his clients’ claims and affirm their credibility. He praised the committee for their transparency in publishing the detailed report.
Despite initial resistance from many GOP members, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, at least one Republican joined all five Democrats on the Ethics Committee to make the report public.
While it is typical for ethics reports to emerge after a member has resigned, it is unusual for them to be made public while the individual is no longer in office.
Michael Guest, the Ethics chairman and a Republican who opposed the report’s release, argued that the committee strayed from established practices by continuing investigations into former members.
“We believe that acting outside the jurisdictional boundaries defined by House Rules poses a significant risk that could lead to serious consequences,” he remarked.
In a last-ditch effort to prevent the report’s publication, Gaetz filed a lawsuit claiming it contained “false and defamatory information” that could tarnish his reputation. His legal team argued that he is no longer under the committee’s jurisdiction following his resignation.
“The committee’s claim that it can disseminate potentially defamatory findings about a private citizen, over whom it asserts no jurisdiction, represents an unprecedented overreach of Congressional authority that threatens constitutional rights,” Gaetz’s attorneys asserted in their request for a temporary restraining order.
The bipartisan committee has been looking into allegations against Gaetz since 2021, but the urgency of their inquiry intensified when Trump named Gaetz as his preferred nominee for attorney general shortly after recent elections. Following this, Gaetz resigned from Congress, placing him beyond the committee’s jurisdiction.
Despite Gaetz’s resignation and withdrawal from the attorney general nomination, Democrats advocated for the report’s release. A recent House vote aimed at making the report public was unsuccessful, with nearly all Republicans opposing it.
The committee outlined the challenges encountered during its investigation, including delays caused by the Justice Department’s concurrent investigation into Gaetz, which ultimately did not yield any charges.
Lawmakers sought to obtain insights from the Justice Department regarding its findings, but the agency declined to provide information on investigations that did not result in charges.
After issuing subpoenas to the Justice Department, the committee received limited responses, mostly consisting of publicly accessible information concerning a deceased witness’s testimony.
“To date, the DOJ has provided no substantial evidence or justification for its actions,” the committee remarked.
In its report, the committee also emphasized Gaetz’s lack of cooperation throughout the investigation, indicating that he provided minimal documentation and declined to participate in a voluntary interview.
___ Associated Press writer Alanna Durkin Richer contributed to this report.
