The House Ethics Committee on Monday released a report where it accused former Florida representative Matt Gaetz of engaging in sexual activities with a teen and paying her for it.
Investigators for the Ethics Committee found that Gaetz arranged and paid to have sex with multiple women while he was still in office. These women included a 17-year-old girl.
The release of the report comes even after the former representative filed a restraining order in an effort to prevent the ethics committee from making its findings on him public. He argued that the report would affect his reputation. He also claimed the committee no longer had any jurisdiction over former House members.
What Were the Specific Allegations?
The committee investigators accused Gaetz of hosting multiple sex- and drug-fueled parties and travel during his time in office—spending over $90,000 to pay 12 different women for sex. This included the 17-year-old teen, identified only as "Victim A," who had just completed her junior year in high school. Gaetz allegedly had sex with "Victim A" twice and paid her $400 in case that evening.
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In her testimony, "Victim A" noted that she never told Gaetz her age, and he did not ask. She also said she understood that the $400 was the former representative's payment for sex, according to CBS News, which obtained a final draft of the ethics report. The full report is expected to be released this week.
In response to the allegation, Gaetz posted on X (formerly Twitter) where he asserted that he had "NEVER had sexual contact with someone under 18."
What Spurred the Investigation?
The House Ethics Committee has investigated Gaetz on and off since at least 2021. However, those investigations focused on allegations that he accepted bribes and misused campaign funds, per BBC News.
The Ethics Committee had initially voted to keep the findings private but held another voting session earlier this month to determine whether to release the report.
Incoming President Donald Trump briefly considered Gaetz for the position of Attorney General. He later withdrew after mounting criticism. It was also alleged that Trump told him he did not have the votes in the Senate to win confirmation as attorney general, CNN reported.
