Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., allegedly paid women for sex, including a 17-year-old girl, and used drugs like cocaine and ecstasy, according to a House Ethics Committee report.
The 37-page report, released Monday morning, concluded Gaetz violated several 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," the report said. This included prostitution, statutory rape, and illicit drug use.
Gaetz has denied the allegations. A prior federal investigation ended without charges. On Monday, he filed a lawsuit to block the report’s release.
The report stated Gaetz "continuously sought to deflect, deter, or mislead the Committee to prevent his actions from being exposed."
From 2017 to 2020, Gaetz allegedly made tens of thousands of dollars in payments to women "likely in connection with sexual activity and/or drug use."
One alleged incident involved a 17-year-old minor at a 2017 party. The report concluded the act violated Florida’s statutory rape law, though the girl, identified as "Victim A," claimed 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 report said.
Victim A said Gaetz gave her $400 in cash, which she believed was payment for sex. She also alleged she was under the influence of ecstasy during the encounter and saw Gaetz use cocaine.
The report noted there was no evidence Gaetz knew the girl was a minor at the time.
Gaetz allegedly ignored a subpoena for an interview and withheld information about a Bahamas trip with women.
Text messages obtained by the committee reportedly show Gaetz asking women to bring drugs, referring to them as "party favors," "rolls," or "vitamins."
Witnesses interviewed said they observed Gaetz using marijuana, the report added.
The Ethics Committee’s investigation, involving allegations of sex with a minor and drug use, abruptly ended when Gaetz resigned from Congress.
His resignation followed news that President-elect Trump tapped him for attorney general. However, Gaetz later withdrew amid GOP opposition.
The committee lost jurisdiction after his resignation but voted to release the findings, citing public interest. Gaetz’s Monday lawsuit aimed to block the report’s publication.