WASHINGTON (AP) — The Home Ethics Committee on Monday accused Matt Gaetz of “regularly” paying for intercourse, together with with a 17-year-old woman, and buying and utilizing illicit medication all whereas the Florida Republican was a member of Congress.
Gaetz has denied all wrongdoing.
The 37-page report by the bipartisan panel contains specific particulars of sex-filled events and holidays that Gaetz, now 42, took half in from 2017 to 2020 whereas representing Florida’s western panhandle. The findings conclude that he violated a number of state legal guidelines associated to sexual misconduct whereas in workplace.
“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,” the report states.
The report brings to a detailed an almost five-year investigation into Gaetz, who spent the vast majority of his time in Washington enmeshed in scandals, which in the end derailed his nomination by President-elect Donald Trump as lawyer basic. His political future is unsure, though Gaetz indicated lately that he can be fascinated by working for the open Senate seat in Florida.
The long-anticipated launch of the report comes after at the very least one Republican joined all 5 Democrats on the panel earlier this month in a secret vote to launch the report about their former colleague regardless of preliminary opposition from GOP lawmakers, together with Home Speaker Mike Johnson, to publishing findings a couple of former member of Congress.
Whereas ethics experiences have beforehand been launched after a member’s resignation, this can be very uncommon. Gaetz objected to its launch, saying final week that he would have “no opportunity to debate or rebut” the findings as a former member of the Home.
On Monday, Gaetz filed a lawsuit in search of to dam the discharge of the report, which he says comprises “untruthful and defamatory information” that might “significantly damage” his “standing and reputation in the community.” Gaetz’s grievance argues he’s not beneath the committee’s jurisdiction since he resigned from Congress.
“The Committee’s position that it may nonetheless publish potentially defamatory findings about a private citizen over whom it claims no jurisdiction represents an unprecedented expansion of Congressional power that threatens fundamental constitutional rights and established procedural protections,” Gaetz’s attorneys wrote of their request for a brief restraining order.
Along with soliciting prostitution, the Ethics Committee report states that Gaetz “accepted gifts, including transportation and lodging in connection with a 2018 trip to the Bahamas, in excess of permissible amounts.”
That very same yr, investigators say he organized for his chief of employees to acquire a passport for a lady he was sexually concerned with, falsely telling the State Division that she was his constituent. One of many ultimate items of “substantial evidence” the committee gathered decided that Gaetz “knowingly and willfully sought to impede and obstruct” the report.
The report comprises dozens of pages of reveals, together with textual content messages and monetary information, journey receipts, checks and on-line funds amongst numerous folks concerned. In among the textual content exchanges, Gaetz seems to be inviting numerous ladies to occasions, getaways or events, and arranging airplane journey and lodging. At one level he asks one girl if she has a “cute black dress” to put on. There are additionally discussions of transport items.
One of many reveals is a textual content change that seems to be between two of the ladies involved about their money circulation and funds. In one other, an individual asks Gaetz for assist to pay an academic expense.
The usually secretive, bipartisan panel has investigated claims towards Gaetz since 2021. Nevertheless, its work grew to become extra pressing final month when Trump picked him shortly after Election Day as his first option to be the nation’s prime legislation enforcement officer. Gaetz resigned from Congress that very same day, placing him outdoors the purview of the Ethics Committee’s jurisdiction.
However Democrats had pressed to make the report public even after Gaetz was not a member and had withdrawn as Trump’s choose to guide the Justice Division. A vote on the Home flooring this month to pressure the report’s launch failed; all however one Republican voted towards it.