WASHINGTON — Two women have provided testimony to the House Ethics Committee, alleging that former Representative Matt Gaetz, who has been nominated as attorney general for a prospective Trump administration, compensated them for sexual acts. One of the women claimed she witnessed Gaetz having intercourse with a 17-year-old, as relayed by their attorney, Joel Leppard. This testimony aligns with an ongoing inquiry, where Gaetz faced accusations of sex trafficking concerning a minor. Notably, the Justice Department’s own investigation into Gaetz concluded without any criminal charges being filed.
The probe by the House committee effectively reached its conclusion when Gaetz resigned from Congress following his nomination by Trump. Gaetz has consistently rejected accusations of any misconduct, including claims about a relationship with a 17-year-old. An attorney representing him declined to provide a statement when contacted for comments.
A spokesperson for the Trump transition team characterized the allegations as unfounded attempts to thwart the upcoming administration, asserting that the Justice Department conducted a thorough investigation over the years and found no evidence of wrongdoing on Gaetz’s part. Nonetheless, increasing scrutiny regarding these allegations could complicate Gaetz’s confirmation process as the nation’s chief federal law enforcement officer, with some Senate Republicans expressing unease over his nomination.
Leppard informed multiple news outlets that one of his clients recounted witnessing Gaetz in sexual activity with her then-17-year-old friend during a party in 2017, while Gaetz was still in office. The attorney further noted that his client believed Gaetz was unaware of the girl’s age and that he ended the relationship upon learning about it, resuming communication only after she turned 18.
Both of Leppard’s clients stated to House investigators that Gaetz had indeed paid them for sex, sometimes using the mobile payment service Venmo for transactions.
Gaetz’s selection by Trump has unsettled many legal professionals at the Justice Department, who have expressed private concerns regarding his potential leadership in the very agency that had investigated claims of sex trafficking involving underage girls. Trump, critical of the Justice Department in light of two criminal cases against him, has labeled Gaetz as the ideal candidate to “root out the systemic corruption” within the department.
The Ethics Committee’s inquiry into Gaetz commenced in April 2021. The committee paused its review at the request of the Justice Department but resumed its activities shortly after the latter concluded its investigation.
Earlier this summer, the committee provided an atypical public update regarding its lengthy investigation, indicating that its scope had expanded to include reviewing possible sexual misconduct, illegal drug use, acceptance of inappropriate gifts, and efforts to obstruct governmental examinations into his actions.
This House inquiry operates independently of the Justice Department’s investigation of sex trafficking, which began during Attorney General Bill Barr’s tenure in Trump’s first administration. It focused on accusations that Gaetz and former associate Joel Greenberg had compensated underage girls and escorts or provided them gifts in return for sexual encounters.
Greenberg, a Republican who once held the position of tax collector in Seminole County, Florida, acknowledged in a plea agreement in 2021 that he had indeed paid women, including a minor, to engage in sexual activities with himself and others. The identities of these men were not disclosed in court filings related to his guilty plea. Greenberg was sentenced in late 2022 to 11 years behind bars.
Investigators have also examined a trip Gaetz took to the Bahamas with several women and a physician connected to his campaign donations, probing whether there were payments or gifts involved in sexual transactions with the women. In addition, prosecutors looked into whether Gaetz and his associates attempted to secure government employment for some of these women and scrutinized his ties to the medical marijuana industry, particularly regarding any attempts by his associates to influence the legislation he sponsored.
