The House Ethics Committee early Monday released its report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz which alleges that the former Florida congressman regularly paid for sex, used illegal drugs and had sexual relations with a minor.
The conclusion of the 37-page report states, “the Committee determined there is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House Rules and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress.”
Gaetz, who fought the release of the report through legal channels through the weekend, has yet to make an official statement about the report, but he has taken to social media to dispute specific claims made by the committee.
Here is a look at four things learned from the committee’s report.
4 findings from the Matt Gaetz ethics report
Gaetz allegedly paid multiple women for sex
“There is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz paid women for sex, and had others pay women for sex on his behalf,” per the report.
The report states that between 2017 and 2020, Gaetz made payments equaling tens of thousands of dollars to women. The committee determined the payments “were likely in connection with sexual activity and/or drug use.”
The committee spoke with over half a dozen witnesses who attended parties, trips and events between 2017 and 2020 with Gaetz. Nearly every woman interviewed by the committee said “that she was paid for sex by, or on behalf of, Representative Gaetz,” according to the report.
The report shows $90,000 made in payments to 12 different women.
“The Committee’s record thus indicates that Representative Gaetz enticed and procured women to engage in sexual activity for hire and purchased the services of women engaging in sexual activity for hire, in violation of Florida state law,” the report states.
The reports states that Gaetz violated statutory rape laws
According to the report, one of the sexual encounters involved a 17-year-old girl.
“There is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz engaged in sexual activity with a 17-year-old girl. The Committee received credible testimony from Victim A herself, as well as multiple individuals corroborating the allegation,” the report states.
Gaetz was 35 years old at the time of the sexual encounter, the committee states, though he denies the encounter ever took place.
“Under Florida’s statutory rape law, it is a felony for a person 24 years of age or older to engage in sexual activity with a 16- or 17-year-old. A person charged with this offense may not claim ignorance or misrepresentation of the minor’s age as a defense,” the report states.
Gaetz allegedly used and possessed drugs on multiple occasions
The report states that “During the period 2017 to 2019, Representative Gaetz used or possessed illegal drugs, including cocaine and ecstasy, on multiple occasions.”
It is also stated in the report that Gaetz was a frequent user of marijuana.
“At least two women saw Representative Gaetz using cocaine and ecstasy at different events. Even more women understood him to regularly be using ecstasy,” according to the report.
The committee did not find evidence of sex trafficking
In the report, the committee stated that it did not find evidence that Gaetz had violated federal sex trafficking laws.
“Although Representative Gaetz did cause the transportation of women across state lines for purposes of commercial sex, the committee did not find evidence that any of those women were under 18 at the time of travel, nor did the committee find sufficient evidence to conclude that the commercial sex acts were induced by force, fraud, or coercion,” the report states.
Gaetz attempted to block the release of the report
Shortly before the ethics report was released Gaetz filed a legal action in Federal District Court in Washington in an attempt to block the report’s release, per The New York Times.
His legal action stated that because he is now a private citizen he is no longer subject to the jurisdiction of the committee, per CBS.
Gaetz’s attempts to stop the released of the report included him seeking a restraining order against the House Ethics Committee.
Soon after Gaetz filed the motion to stop the release of the report, the court’s clerk posted a note stating that he had filed it incorrectly, according to The New York Times.
The complaint and the request for the temporary restraining order should have been filed separately, which he did not do. Because of this the case would not move forward until the errors were fixed.
Gaetz has yet to make an official statement about the findings of the report.
