House report accuses Matt Gaetz of paying women for sex, using illegal drugs, accepting improper gifts

Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., allegedly paid multiple women for sex, including a 17-year-old high school girl, and used illicit drugs like cocaine and ecstasy, according to a House Ethics Committee report.

The 37-page report released Monday morning concluded that Gaetz violated multiple Florida state laws related to sexual misconduct while in office.

"The Committee concluded there was 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 states.

Gaetz has consistently denied any accusations of wrongdoing, and an earlier federal investigation into the allegations ended without charges against him. Earlier Monday, Gaetz filed a lawsuit in an attempt to block the release of the report.

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The committee's report stated that Gaetz "continuously sought to deflect, deter, or mislead the Committee in order to prevent his actions from being exposed."

The report alleges that despite Gaetz’s denials, he made tens of thousands of dollars in payments to women "likely in connection with sexual activity and/or drug use" from 2017 to 2020.

In one alleged sexual encounter, Gaetz had sex with a 17-year-old minor at a summer 2017 party, according to the committee’s report. The report concluded that the act violated Florida’s statutory rape law even though the girl, identified in the report as "Victim A," said she never told Gaetz her age.

"The Committee received testimony that Victim A and Representative Gaetz had sex twice during the party, including at least once in the presence of other party attendees," the draft report alleged. 

The 17-year-old girl claimed to have received $400 in cash from Gaetz, "which she understood to be payment for sex," according to the report. She said she was under the influence of ectasy at the time of the sexual encounter, while alleging that she saw Gaetz use cocaine.

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The committee’s report stated that it did not receive any evidence indicating Gaetz was aware the girl was a minor when he allegedly had sex with her.

The report also alleges Gaetz refused to comply with a subpoena demanding an interview and "intentionally withheld information" about a trip to the Bahamas with women.

The committee said it obtained text messages Gaetz allegedly sent to women, asking them to bring drugs "to their rendezvous," referring to drugs as "party favors," "rolls" or "vitamins."

In interviews with the committee, witnesses said they observed Gaetz using marijuana, the report states.

The House Ethics Committee's multi-year investigation into Gaetz, involving allegations of sex with a minor and illicit drug use, came to an abrupt halt last month after he resigned from Congress hours after President-elect Trump tapped him to be his attorney general. 

Gaetz later dropped out of consideration for the post amid quiet but steady GOP opposition.

The House Ethics Committee lost its jurisdiction to continue its investigation into the accusations against Gaetz after his resignation from Congress. While the committee "has typically not released its findings after losing jurisdiction in a matter," as noted in the report, a majority of committee members determined that the findings should be released as they  were in the public interest.

Gaetz had filed a lawsuit on Monday in an attempt to block the release of the committee's report.