Matt Gaetz ethics report expected to be released
The long-awaited report from former Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz is expected to be released on Monday.
It follows a House Ethics Committee investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and illegal drug use by Gaetz, who was briefly groomed for a top post in President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet.
saw a draft of the report BBC’s American partner CBS News The version – described as final – reportedly said there was “substantial evidence” that Gaetz broke state laws related to sexual misconduct while in office.
Gaetz, 42, has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and says he is the victim of a smear campaign. He has not commented on the latest developments.
The 37-page draft, seen by CBS, is quoted as saying: “The Committee determined that there was substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz engaged in prostitution, statutory rape, illegal drug use, unacceptable gifts, special favors or Violated House rules restricting privileges and other standards of conduct.” And Congressional obstruction.”
From 2017 to 2020, Gaetz paid more than $90,000 (£72,000) to 12 different women, “which the committee determined was likely in connection with sexual activity and/or drug use”, CBS said in the draft. quoted as saying.
The draft also reportedly includes testimony that Gaetz gave her $400 “which she thought was payment for sex” to have sex with a 17-year-old girl at a party in 2017. Gaetz has denied having sex with a minor.
The Department of Justice (DoJ) – which Trump had initially planned to lead for Gaetz – also investigated an allegation that he had sexual relations with a minor, but ultimately did not file any criminal charges against him.
Gaetz represents Florida’s 1st congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives, coming to power in 2016 in the same election that delivered his ally Trump to the White House for the first time.
He was named as Trump’s DoJ nominee last month. Gaetz immediately resigned from Congress, placing him beyond the reach of the Ethics Committee.
But intense debate erupted over whether the report should be released or not. Gaetz then withdrew his name from consideration for the DoJ role, saying he hoped to avoid an “unnecessarily protracted Washington scramble.”
Gaetz’s scheduled role as attorney general was one of those roles that required confirmation by US senators – which was looking increasingly unlikely.
The secret Ethics Committee had repeatedly investigated Gaetz since 2021 — not only over claims about sex and drugs, but also over allegations that he accepted bribes and misused campaign funds. In all cases, he strongly denied any wrongdoing.
According to CBS, House Republicans had previously blocked Democratic efforts to unveil the report’s results, but two of them later voted to do so.
Responding to the news last week that the document would finally be released, Gaetz posted on Twitter: “I have not been charged: completely acquitted. Not even of campaign finance violations. And to investigate me The people hated me.”
He said: “Instead, House Ethics will allegedly post a report online that as a former member of the body I have no opportunity to debate or refute.”
Gaetz also wrote: “It is shameful, though not criminal, that I probably partied more in my life than ever before, behaved like a woman, drank and smoked. I live a different life now.”
