The House Ethics Committee released a scathing 37-page report on Monday, accusing Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) of repeatedly paying for sex, including with a 17-year-old girl, and using illicit drugs during his time in office. The investigation, which spanned nearly four years, culminated in a conclusion that Gaetz violated multiple state laws related to sexual misconduct and obstructed the committee’s work.
The report, which includes explicit details of Gaetz’s involvement in sex-fueled parties and vacations between 2017 and 2020, revealed that Gaetz used his position as a U.S. Congressman to engage in a lifestyle of prostitution, drug use, and misconduct. While the committee found no evidence of Gaetz violating federal sex trafficking laws, it did state that Gaetz violated House rules and other ethical standards, including prohibitions against prostitution, statutory rape, and improper gifts.
Gaetz, who was first elected in 2017, strongly denied the allegations ahead of the report’s release. On social media, he criticized the process and rejected the committee’s findings, claiming they were based on misleading information. “Giving funds to someone you are dating—without them asking for it—is now prostitution?” Gaetz posted on X, formerly Twitter.
The committee’s investigation relied on extensive evidence, including text messages, financial records, travel receipts, and witness testimony. The report documents several instances where Gaetz arranged for women to attend parties and trips, including a 2018 trip to the Bahamas where he accepted excessive gifts. Investigators also found that Gaetz made false claims to the State Department, arranging for his chief of staff to obtain a passport for a woman he was sexually involved with by falsely claiming she was his constituent.
In the case of the 17-year-old, the report acknowledged that there was no direct evidence Gaetz knew she was a minor when they had sex. However, the committee noted that Gaetz continued to communicate with her and met up with her again after she turned 18, engaging in “commercial sex.” Florida law criminalizes sex with minors aged 16 or 17 by anyone over the age of 24, regardless of whether the individual knew the minor’s age.
Joel Leppard, an attorney for two women who testified against Gaetz, called the report “vindication” for his clients and praised the committee for its transparency.
While the report’s release was met with backlash from some Republican members, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, the bipartisan committee voted to publish the findings. Gaetz, who was considered a contender for attorney general under former President Donald Trump, filed a lawsuit in a last-ditch effort to prevent the report from being made public, claiming it was defamatory.
The Ethics Committee’s investigation had been delayed while the Justice Department conducted its own probe, but no charges were brought against Gaetz. The committee described him as uncooperative throughout its investigation, providing minimal documentation and refusing to participate in an interview.
This report adds to the growing controversy surrounding Gaetz, who has faced multiple scandals during his political career. With his future in politics uncertain, Gaetz’s actions have sparked widespread scrutiny, and his resignation from Congress earlier this year removed him from the committee’s jurisdiction.
