The House Ethics Committee published a report on Monday (Dec. 23) outlining serious accusations against former Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz. The document, disclosed in its entirety by CNBC, uncovered “significant evidence” that Gaetz engaged in sexual relations with an underage girl and “frequently” paid women for similar encounters during his tenure in Congress. It further determined that he used prohibited substances, including cocaine and ecstasy, on several occasions and received unauthorized benefits, such as a trip to the Bahamas.
“Rep. Gaetz has acted in a manner that reflects discreditably upon the House,” the 42-page document asserted. The committee concluded that the embattled politician breached multiple House regulations, as well as state and federal laws, including those against prostitution, statutory rape, unlawful drug use, and the acceptance of unapproved gifts. The report also acknowledged insufficient proof to establish that Gaetz violated federal sex-trafficking statutes, though he “did cause the transportation of women across state lines for purposes of commercial sex.”
The inquiry found that Gaetz paid exorbitant sums of money for activities associated with sexual misconduct and the use of narcotics, including a July 2017 gathering where he allegedly had sex with a 17-year-old identified as “Victim A.” According to the report, Gaetz paid the minor $400 that evening, which she perceived as compensation for the physical deed. The committee determined his earlier claim that he had not had relations with a minor “since I was 17” to be untrue, and such an act violated Florida statutes and the House’s code of conduct.
Gaetz, who denied the allegations, responded to the findings on Twitter. “Giving funds to someone you are dating, that they didn’t ask for, and that isn’t ‘charged’ for sex is now prostitution?!?” he wrote. “There is a reason they did this to me in a Christmas Eve-Eve report and not in a courtroom of any kind where I could present evidence and challenge witnesses.” Notably, he unsuccessfully sought a federal court’s intervention to prevent the report’s release.
NBC further reported how the Ethics Committee’s investigation, initiated in 2021, involved 29 subpoenas, nearly 14,000 documents, testimony from more than two dozen witnesses, and written correspondence from Joel Greenberg, a former Gaetz associate and convicted sex trafficker. While Greenberg’s reliability was questioned, the committee clarified that its conclusions were not solely based on his testimony. Additionally, said inquiry was temporarily halted while the Department of Justice pursued its own inquiry into sex-trafficking allegations.
Gaetz’s resignation from Congress in mid-November followed escalating controversy, shortly after he was nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as U.S. Attorney General. Facing criticism and doubts from his peers, Gaetz withdrew his nomination eight days later, citing his intention not to detract from Trump’s transition efforts.