Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., allegedly paid a number of girls for intercourse, together with a 17-year-old highschool lady, and used illicit medication like cocaine and ecstasy, in keeping with a House Ethics Committee report.
The 37-page report launched Monday morning concluded that Gaetz violated a number of Florida state laws associated to sexual misconduct whereas in workplace.
“The Committee concluded there was substantial proof that Consultant Gaetz violated Home Guidelines, state and federal legal guidelines, and different requirements of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, acceptance of impermissible items, the availability of particular favors and privileges, and obstruction of Congress,” the report states.
Gaetz has persistently denied any accusations of wrongdoing, and an earlier federal investigation into the allegations ended with out costs in opposition to him. Earlier Monday, Gaetz filed a lawsuit in an try to dam the discharge of the report.
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The committee’s report said that Gaetz “constantly sought to deflect, deter, or mislead the Committee as a way to stop his actions from being uncovered.”
The report alleges that regardless of Gaetz’s denials, he made tens of hundreds of {dollars} in funds to girls “doubtless in reference to sexual exercise and/or drug use” from 2017 to 2020.
In a single alleged sexual encounter, Gaetz had intercourse with a 17-year-old minor at a summer season 2017 occasion, in keeping with the committee’s report. The report concluded that the act violated Florida’s statutory rape regulation though the lady, recognized within the report as “Sufferer A,” mentioned she by no means instructed Gaetz her age.
“The Committee acquired testimony that Sufferer A and Consultant Gaetz had intercourse twice through the occasion, together with not less than as soon as within the presence of different occasion attendees,” the draft report alleged.
The 17-year-old lady claimed to have acquired $400 in money from Gaetz, “which she understood to be fee for intercourse,” in keeping with the report. She mentioned she was beneath the affect of ectasy on the time of the sexual encounter, whereas alleging that she noticed Gaetz use cocaine.
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The committee’s report said that it didn’t obtain any proof indicating Gaetz was conscious the lady was a minor when he allegedly had intercourse together with her.
The report additionally alleges Gaetz refused to adjust to a subpoena demanding an interview and “deliberately withheld info” a few journey to the Bahamas with girls.
The committee mentioned it obtained textual content messages Gaetz allegedly despatched to girls, asking them to deliver medication “to their rendezvous,” referring to medication as “occasion favors,” “rolls” or “nutritional vitamins.”
In interviews with the committee, witnesses mentioned they noticed Gaetz utilizing marijuana, the report states.
The Home Ethics Committee’s multi-year investigation into Gaetz, involving allegations of intercourse with a minor and illicit drug use, got here to an abrupt halt final month after he resigned from Congress hours after President-elect Trump tapped him to be his lawyer normal.
Gaetz later dropped out of consideration for the publish amid quiet however regular GOP opposition.
The Home Ethics Committee misplaced its jurisdiction to proceed its investigation into the accusations in opposition to Gaetz after his resignation from Congress. Whereas the committee “has usually not launched its findings after shedding jurisdiction in a matter,” as famous within the report, a majority of committee members decided that the findings ought to be launched as they had been within the public curiosity.
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