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Former Representative Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican, who was briefly in the running to become President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general, has been found by the US House Ethics Committee to have violated state laws by paying a 17-year-old girl for sex and purchasing illegal drugs, CBS News reported on Monday (December 23), citing a draft of the panel's final report.
The House Ethics Committee's investigation into Matt Gaetz concluded that the former Florida congressman violated several state laws related to sexual misconduct during his time in office, the news report stated.
Gaetz, who has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
The findings are part of an ongoing investigation into Gaetz’s actions while serving as a congressman. Gaetz has denied the allegations but resigned from his congressional seat last month after being nominated for attorney general by President-elect Donald Trump. He later withdrew from consideration following strong opposition and a challenging confirmation process in the Senate.
The US House Ethics Committee, the report said, has concluded Matt Gaetz violated multiple House Rules and ethical standards during his time in office. According to a 37-page report released on December 23, as per the report, the Committee found substantial evidence of Gaetz's involvement in prohibited activities, including prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, and accepting impermissible gifts.
Former Congressman Matt Gaetz reportedly filed a lawsuit in federal court on Monday, seeking to block the release of a report by the US House Ethics Committee that found he violated multiple House Rules and ethical standards during his time in office. Gaetz, who resigned from Congress in December 2024, reportedly argued that he is now a private citizen and, as such, should not be subject to the committee's jurisdiction.
The US House Ethics Committee’s upcoming report, expected to be released soon, outlines serious allegations against former Congressman Matt Gaetz. According to the news report, the committee found that Gaetz paid over $90,000 to 12 women, with the payments believed to be linked to sexual activity and drug use.
The report also includes testimony about Gaetz's involvement with a 17-year-old girl, referred to as "Victim A," during a 2017 party. The Ethics panel reports that Victim A recalled receiving $400 in cash from Gaetz, which she understood to be payment for sex. She also testified that she did not inform Gaetz of her age, and Gaetz did not inquire about it.
According to CBS News, the Ethics panel found insufficient evidence to suggest that Gaetz violated federal sex trafficking laws.
The report includes testimony from several women who described sexual encounters with Gaetz, all of which were reportedly consensual. However, one woman shared concerns about the use of drugs at events and parties attended with Gaetz, indicating that the drugs may have impaired her ability to fully consent. Another woman expressed regret, stating, “When I look back on certain moments, I feel violated.”
According to the news report, it is found that Gaetz breached House rules and standards of conduct that explicitly prohibit prostitution, statutory rape, and drug use.
The committee determined there was "substantial evidence" that Gaetz engaged in illicit drug use, which further compounded the allegations surrounding him. In addition, the report accused Gaetz of accepting gifts, including luxury travel that exceeded permissible limits, highlighting a 2018 trip to The Bahamas as an example of such violations.
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