Gaetz paid ‘tens of thousands’ for sex and drugs, ethics report says

Former Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz spent tens of 1000’s of {dollars} on intercourse and medicines whereas serving as a US congressman, in response to a long-awaited report from the Home of Representatives ethics committee.

It follows a years-long investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use by Gaetz, who President-elect Donald Trump needed to function the nation’s high lawman.

The committee additionally discovered proof that Gaetz, 42, acquired items in extra of permissible quantities in connection to a 2018 journey to the Bahamas.

The previous lawmaker has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, saying he’s the sufferer of a smear marketing campaign. Amid the controversy, he withdrew from consideration to function US legal professional common.

The congressional ethics report discovered that “there may be substantial proof that Consultant Gaetz violated Home guidelines and different requirements of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible items, particular favours or privileges, and obstruction of Congress.”

From 2017 to 2020, Gaetz made funds totalling greater than $90,000 (£72,000) to 12 completely different ladies “that the Committee decided had been probably in reference to sexual exercise and/or drug use”, the report discovered.

Moreover, the report comprises testimony that Gaetz paid for intercourse with a 17-year-old at a celebration in 2017, giving her $400 “which she understood to be fee for intercourse”. Gaetz has denied having intercourse with a minor.

The Division of Justice additionally investigated an allegation that he had intercourse with a minor however in the end didn’t file any legal prices towards him.

In a last-minute courtroom submitting on Monday, Gaetz sought a brief restraining order to stop the report’s launch. He accused the ethics committee of making an attempt to train its jurisdiction over a non-public citizen.

The committee’s 42-page report accuses Gaetz of being “uncooperative” all through its evaluate, and that he would continuously “deflect, deter, or mislead” the panel “so as to forestall his actions from being uncovered”.

Regardless of a subpoena, he by no means appeared earlier than the committee to testify.

Gaetz represented Florida’s first congressional district within the US Home of Representatives, having come to energy in the identical election in 2016 that propelled his ally Trump to the White Home the primary time.

Gaetz bought married in 2021 to his present spouse, Ginger, who has supported the previous Florida congressman as he is confronted the allegations.

She posted a photograph on X of her husband with the caption “unemployment has by no means seemed so good” after he withdrew his identify to function legal professional common after resigning from Congress.

Gaetz was believed to be past the attain of the committee when he resigned from Congress final month, following his nomination by Trump to function US legal professional common – America’s high regulation enforcement official who heads the Division of Justice.

Trump picked Gaetz partially as a result of he’s an ultra-loyalist who had additionally pledged to tackle the “weaponised” authorized system that supporters imagine focused Trump.

He has been one among Trump’s most strident defenders on Capitol Hill. However many Republicans in Congress, together with these tasked with voting on such nominations, had been aghast on the selection and efficiently challenged it.

Gaetz dropped out simply eight days after being nominated by Trump amid a groundswell of controversy. Trump then tapped former Florida legal professional common Pam Bondi as his nominee for legal professional common.

Trump has not but commented on the report’s findings.

Whereas it’s uncommon for the committee to launch its findings after a lawmaker leaves public workplace, the report famous {that a} “majority” of members discovered it was within the public-interest to take action on this occasion.

An intense debate had erupted over whether or not or not the report must be launched, significantly after Gaetz withdrew his identify from consideration for the highest justice division position.

He mentioned that he hoped to keep away from a “needlessly protracted Washington scuffle”.

Gaetz’s slated position as legal professional common was a kind of that required the affirmation of US senators, and it didn’t appear that he had the required assist.

The secretive ethics committee had investigated Gaetz on and off since 2021 – not solely on the claims about intercourse and medicines, but in addition on allegations he accepted bribes and misused marketing campaign funds. In all circumstances, he strongly denied any wrongdoing.

Home Republicans beforehand blocked Democratic efforts to unveil the outcomes of the report, however two of them later voted to take action, in response to CBS.

On Monday, Gaetz posted on X that the committee selected to launch the report near Christmas “and never in a courtroom of any variety the place I may current proof and problem witnesses”.

Final week, he posted that the ethics committee planed to “submit a report on-line that I’ve no alternative to debate or rebut as a former member of the physique.”

He acknowledged in a earlier submit on X that his 30s was an period of “working very onerous – and enjoying onerous too”.

“It is embarrassing, although not legal, that I in all probability partied, womanized, drank and smoked greater than I ought to have earlier in life,” he wrote. “I reside a unique life now.”

A number of Home Democrats criticised their former colleague and Trump for having chosen him as an ally.

Rep Glenn Ivey, one of many 5 Democrats on the ethics committee, mentioned the allegations towards Gaetz present there is a sample by Trump of not “placing folks in these positions who’re actually as much as doing the job”.

“President-elect Trump ought to have thought twice earlier than he nominated Matt Gaetz and a number of the different nominations he is made, I feel would bear reconsideration as effectively,” he instructed CBS Information, the BBC’s US accomplice.

Since leaving Congress, Gaetz has signed a deal to change into an anchor on One America Information Community (OAN). He’ll be part of the conservative information community in January.

He has additionally began promoting personalised video messages on the video platform Cameo.