The former US congressman Matt Gaetz, whom Donald Trump wanted to appoint as his next minister of justice, was accused by the ethics committee of the House of Representatives on Monday of regularly paying for sexual services, including to an underage girl. He is also said to have bought and used illegal drugs and accepted inappropriate gifts during his time in Congress. TASR informs about it according to AP and AFP reports.
“The committee found substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House rules and other standards of conduct that prohibit prostitution, rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special benefits or privileges, and obstruction of Congress,” the 37 -party report, in which both democratic and republican congressmen participated.
He broke several laws
Congressional investigators further found that Gaetz, 42, had violated multiple Florida sexual misconduct laws, but cleared him of federal sex-trafficking violations.
The report alleges Gaetz made payments totaling more than $90,000 to 12 women “allegedly related to sexual activity and/or drug use” between 2017 and 2020.
One case allegedly involved a 17-year-old girl who told the committee she had sex with Gaetz twice at a party in July 2017. Gaetz also allegedly had sex with four women and took ecstasy during a 2018 trip to the Bahamas.
All the women who testified said that the sexual relations with Gaetz were voluntary, CBS wrote. In written answers to the committee, the ex-congressman denied that he had sexual intercourse with a minor.
He denies the allegations
Gaetz has repeatedly denied any allegations, citing the Justice Department’s decision not to bring charges against him following a criminal investigation in 2023. The Ethics Committee is suing to block the publication of the findings of the nearly five-year-long investigation.
The committee initially decided not to release the investigation report over opposition from Republican lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson. At the beginning of December, however, five Democratic members were joined by at least one Republican and in a secret vote they voted for its publication.
Gaetz resigned as a congressman in November after Trump nominated him to be attorney general. Trump finally chose Pam Bondi as his replacement.
