Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., allegedly paid multiple women for sex, including a 17-year-old high school girl, and used illicit drugs like cocaine and ecstasy, according to a House Ethics Committee report.
The 37-page report released Monday morning concluded that Gaetz violated multiple Florida state laws related to sexual misconduct while in office. The report states that Gaetz “continuously sought to deflect, deter, or mislead the Committee in order to prevent his actions from being exposed.”
The report alleges that Gaetz made tens of thousands of dollars in payments to women “likely in connection with sexual activity and/or drug use” from 2017 to 2020. In one alleged sexual encounter, Gaetz had sex with a 17-year-old minor at a summer 2017 party, according to the committee’s report.
The report concludes that the act violated Florida’s statutory rape law even though the girl, identified in the report as “Victim A,” said she never told Gaetz her age. The 17-year-old girl claimed to have received $400 in cash from Gaetz, “which she understood to be payment for sex,” according to the report.
The committee’s report also alleges that Gaetz refused to comply with a subpoena demanding an interview and “intentionally withheld information” about a trip to the Bahamas with women. The report states that it did not receive any evidence indicating Gaetz was aware the girl was a minor when he allegedly had sex with her.
Gaetz has consistently denied any accusations of wrongdoing, and an earlier federal investigation into the allegations ended without charges against him. Gaetz filed a lawsuit on Monday in an attempt to block the release of the committee’s report.
The House Ethics Committee’s multi-year investigation into Gaetz came to an abrupt halt last month after he resigned from Congress hours after President-elect Trump tapped him to be his attorney general. Gaetz later dropped out of consideration for the post amid quiet but steady GOP opposition.
