New Congressional Report Expands Allegations Against Former Rep. Gaetz

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House Ethics Committee released a report Monday alleging former Rep. Matt Gaetz paid thousands of dollars for illegal drugs and sex with women at least 20 times.

The women included a 17-year-old.

The report says Gaetz violated state and federal criminal laws as well as congressional standards of conduct banning prostitution, statutory rape and illegal drug use.

Other allegations say the former Florida Republican congressman accepted gifts and luxury travel in excess of amounts allowed under House rules.

Until a month ago, Gaetz was President-elect Trump’s nominee to become U.S. attorney general. He withdrew as suspicions of wrongdoing and denunciations among senators plagued the nomination.

Gaetz was accused of misbehavior previously but the new report portrays his lapses as being more extensive than previously mentioned by the House Ethics Committee.

The Ethics Committee released the report despite last-minute efforts by Gaetz to stop it by filing a lawsuit. 

The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., sought an emergency order to block publication of the report, saying it would contain “untruthful and defamatory information” about Gaetz.

The lawsuit also says the House Ethics Committee lacks authority over Gaetz because he no longer is a member of Congress.

No judge ruled on the request for an emergency order before it was posted on the Ethics Committee’s website.

The report found that Gaetz paid more than $90,000 for sex with 12 women. Other findings say that during the period 2017 to 2019, Gaetz used or possessed illegal drugs, including cocaine and ecstasy, on multiple occasions. 

It goes on to say “Gaetz accepted gifts, including transportation and lodging in connection with a 2018 trip to the Bahamas, in excess of permissible amounts and in 2018, Gaetz arranged for his chief of staff to assist a woman with whom he engaged in sexual activity in obtaining a passport, falsely indicating to the U.S. Department of State that she was a constituent.”

It also says Gaetz “willfully sought to impede and obstruct the Committee’s investigation” and his behavior “reflects discreditably upon the House.”

The FBI separately investigated Gaetz but decided not to file criminal charges against him.

Reports of sex with a teenager drew some of the most intense outrage during the House investigation. The girl, who is now an adult, was listed as “Victim A” in the Ethics Committee’s report.

“Victim A recalled receiving $400 in cash from Rep. Gaetz that evening, which she understood to be payment for sex,” the report says. “Victim A said that she did not inform Rep. Gaetz that she was under 18 at the time, nor did he ask her age.”

The Ethics Committee voted Dec. 10 to publicly release the report. It was leaked in the media Monday morning before the official release.

The consequences for Gaetz remain uncertain. The new allegations could provide the basis for criminal charges if state or federal prosecutors decide to pursue the case.

Florida law says anyone 24 years old or older who has sex with a person 16 or 17 years old has committed a second-degree felony that could be punished by as much as 15 years in prison.

In anticipation of the report, Gaetz posted on X last week, “In my single days, I often sent funds to women I dated — even some I never dated but who asked. I dated several of these women for years. I NEVER had sexual contact with someone under 18. Any claim that I have would be destroyed in court — which is why no such claim was ever made in court.”

The federal Controlled Substances Act allows prison terms for illegal purchase or use of both ecstasy and cocaine.

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