Former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz Could Face Charges for Sex with Minor, Legal Experts Say
Legal experts have told Newsweek that former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz could be charged with taking drugs and having sex with a minor. The allegations come after a House Ethics Committee report alleged that Gaetz potentially committed crimes, including statutory rape.
Statutory rape occurs when a person is too young to legally give consent to sex. The ethics report, released on Monday, found “substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House rules and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress.”
Gaetz was a major campaigner for President-elect Donald Trump in the 2020 election, especially in Florida. He resigned from Congress immediately after Trump nominated him as U.S. attorney general, but withdrew from consideration one week later.
Several lawyers who spoke to Newsweek said that Gaetz could be charged, but senior Republicans will likely block any investigation and prevent charges from being brought forward. Los Angeles-based attorney John J. Perlstein said that it would be legally permissible to prosecute Gaetz, but that the decision to bring charges lies with the state of Florida and the U.S. federal government.
Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani agreed that political pressure will likely prevent a prosecution. “It’s possible, but not likely that Gaetz faces criminal charges,” he said. “We’ve seen indictments result from a Congressional investigation recently, but a prosecution requires a prosecutor who is willing to pursue the case. I don’t think Trump’s Attorney General or appointed U.S. Attorneys will do so.”
Gaetz may still have a political career within the Republican Party. He has hinted at running for the soon-to-be-vacant Florida U.S. Senate seat of Marco Rubio, Trump’s nominee for U.S. secretary of state.
Gaetz is scheduled to begin hosting The Matt Gaetz Show, a one-hour political talk show on the right-wing One America News Network, beginning at 9 p.m. Eastern Time on January 6, 2025.
