Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican who briefly stood to turn out to be President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be lawyer basic, was discovered by congressional ethics investigators to have paid quite a few girls — together with a 17-year-old lady — for intercourse, and to have bought — and used — unlawful medication, together with from his Capitol Hill workplace, in line with a last draft of a complete investigative report obtained by CBS Information.
These had been among the many findings of the long-running investigation by the Home Ethics Committee into Gaetz, which concluded the previous Florida congressman violated a number of state legal guidelines associated to sexual misconduct whereas in workplace.
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“The Committee decided there may be substantial proof that Consultant Gaetz violated Home Guidelines and different requirements of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible presents, particular favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress,” the 37-page report concludes.
Gaetz resigned from Congress in November after Trump introduced plans to appoint him for lawyer basic. However dealing with opposition from some fellow Republicans, Gaetz withdrew from consideration per week later. The launch of the ethics report, anticipated Monday, brings to an in depth — at the least for now — Gaetz’s incendiary tenure on Capitol Hill, the place he grew to become one of the vital vocal and provocative members of the pro-Trump faction in Congress.
Gaetz has denied any improper conduct and asserted the claims had been a “smear” invented by his political enemies. The committee mentioned the congressman refused to sit down for sworn testimony, although he did submit written solutions to among the committee’s questions.
The report provides recent voice to allegations of misconduct which have circulated round Gaetz for years, despite his agency denials. It attracts on testimony from witnesses who instructed the committee they had been paid to have intercourse with Gaetz, textual content messages discussing the transactions, and Venmo and PayPal receipts.
Among the many report’s most lurid findings had been the allegations of sex- and drug-fueled events and journey, together with a 2018 journey to the Bahamas the place witnesses say he took ecstasy and had intercourse with 4 girls.
“From 2017 to 2020, Consultant Gaetz made tens of hundreds of {dollars} in funds to girls that the Committee decided had been possible in reference to sexual exercise and/or drug use,” famous the report, which lists funds totaling greater than $90,000 to 12 completely different girls.
The committee mentioned it additionally obtained testimony that at a 2017 social gathering, Gaetz twice had intercourse with “Sufferer A.” who was 17 years outdated on the time and had simply accomplished her junior yr in highschool.
“Sufferer A recalled receiving $400 in money from Consultant Gaetz that night, which she understood to be fee for intercourse,” the committee wrote. “Sufferer A mentioned that she didn’t inform Consultant Gaetz that she was below 18 on the time, nor did he ask her age.”
In his written responses to the committee, Gaetz denied having intercourse with a minor. The Division of Justice beforehand investigated Gaetz for violating intercourse trafficking legal guidelines however didn’t deliver fees. The committee mentioned it didn’t discover ample proof Gaetz violated the federal intercourse trafficking statute as a result of though he transported girls throughout state strains for the aim of intercourse, these girls had been all 18 or older on the time.
The report famous that whereas all the ladies who testified mentioned the sexual encounters with Gaetz had been consensual, one lady instructed the committee the usage of medication on the events and occasions they attended could have “impair[ed their] potential to actually know what was occurring or totally consent.”
One other lady instructed the committee, “Once I look again on sure moments, I really feel violated.”
The report discovered “substantial proof” Gaetz engaged in rampant illicit drug use. The committee mentioned it obtained textual content messages he despatched the place he referred to medication as “social gathering favors,” “rolls” or “nutritional vitamins.” It additionally mentioned he created a faux e-mail from his Capitol Hill workplace “for the aim of buying marijuana.” The report famous that Gaetz had denied utilizing illicit medication in his written solutions to the committee.
Along with sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, the report additionally accused Gaetz of accepting presents of luxurious journey in extra of permissible limits with the 2018 journey to the Bahamas. And, it mentioned he organized for his chief of workers to help a girl with whom he had engaged in sexual exercise in acquiring a passport, falsely indicating to the State Division that she was certainly one of his constituents.
Gaetz instructed conservative persona Charlie Kirk final month that he plans to spend the approaching years “preventing for President Trump.”
“I feel that eight years might be sufficient time in the US Congress,” Gaetz mentioned, although final week, he floated in a submit on X the thought of returning to take part within the election for Home speaker.
The Home Ethics Committee had initially voted to maintain the report below wraps, however reversed course in a secret vote earlier this month. Two Republican members of the committee had been amongst those that voted for its launch, in line with two sources acquainted with the vote. The committee has 10 members, evenly break up between Republicans and Democrats.
