Matt Gaetz ethics report says he paid women for sex and used illegal drugs

The House Ethics Committee found that then-Rep. Matt Gaetz bought illegal drugs, paid multiple women for sex and had sex with a 17-year-old while he was serving in Congress, according to a final draft of the committee’s report released Monday.

The committee found “substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House rules, state and federal laws, and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, acceptance of impermissible gifts, the provision of special favors and privileges, and obstruction of Congress,” the report says.

The 10-member committee, evenly split among Republicans and Democrats, was deadlocked in November on whether to release the report on its yearslong investigation into Gaetz. However, the panel secretly voted earlier this month to make it public.

Gaetz represented Florida’s western panhandle in the House before quickly resigning in early November after President-elect Donald Trump said he planned to nominate him as attorney general in his incoming administration. But he withdrew less than two weeks later after Senate Republicans balked at confirming him.

Gaetz, 42, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. A Justice Department investigation into sex trafficking allegations against him concluded last year without any charges brought against him.

Gaetz filed a request for a temporary restraining order against the committee on Monday morning to prevent the report from going public, arguing its release would violate his due process rights. But several news outlets obtained a draft of the report and published key details early Monday ahead of the report’s release. Gaetz also noted in his petition that the committee no longer has jurisdiction over him. Though it’s rare for the ethics committee to release investigative reports on former members, there is precedent for doing so.

Following news of the committee’s decision to release the report, Gaetz shared a statement on X last week noting that he was “charged with nothing” after the DOJ’s investigation. He also denied allegations that he paid women for sex or had sex with a minor.

“In my single days, I often sent funds to women I dated — even some I never dated but who asked,” Gaetz wrote. “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.”

Gaetz, who is slated to host a new TV show on the conservative One America News Network in January, said in his statement that he was “working very hard” and “playing hard too” in his 30s.

“It’s embarrassing, though not criminal, that I probably partied, womanized, drank and smoked more than I should have earlier in life,” he wrote. “I live a different life now.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com

EMEA Tribune is not involved in this news article, it is taken from our partners and or from the News Agencies. Copyright and Credit go to the News Agencies, email news@emeatribune.com Follow our WhatsApp verified Channel