WASHINGTON — The House Ethics Committee has finally released its comprehensive report on Matt Gaetz, revealing a series of alarming allegations, including sexual encounters with a minor, which severely impacted the Florida Republican’s ambitions to lead the Justice Department.
The bipartisan committee, using a variety of evidence such as text messages, travel records, online financial transactions, and witness testimonies, paints a troubling picture of Gaetz’s lifestyle. It suggests that he and his associates facilitated connections with younger women for parties or trips that often involved drug use, with the expectation that the women would receive payment for their involvement.
In a desperate bid to prevent the report’s publication, Gaetz filed a lawsuit just before its release, vehemently rejecting its conclusions. He has consistently denied any illegal behavior, asserting that he never engaged in sexual activity with a minor. Furthermore, a Justice Department investigation into the claims concluded without any criminal charges against him.
In one of his social media posts, Gaetz questioned the committee’s perspective on monetary exchanges with acquaintances, implying that such transactions, which were unsolicited, should not be equated with prostitution. He expressed his discontent that the report was released in a media context rather than in a courtroom, where he could provide evidence and cross-examine witnesses.
Among the committee’s findings are details about “sex-for-money arrangements,” drug-filled gatherings, and excursions. The report indicates that from 2017 to 2020, Gaetz transferred substantial sums of money to various women, likely in connection with sexual activities or drug use. Payments were made via platforms like PayPal, Venmo, and CashApp, as well as cash and checks.
The committee gathered insights suggesting that Gaetz was aware of the “transactional nature” of his interactions, highlighted by a text where he hesitated to send money to a woman who requested it, claiming she only provided him with a simple favor.
Statements made by women interviewed by the committee confirmed a “general expectation of sex” during their meetings with Gaetz. One woman admitted to receiving over $5,000 from him during a year, claiming that sexual relations were involved “99 percent of the time” when spending time together. However, the committee noted that Gaetz was in a stable relationship with one woman he funded, indicating that some financial assistance could be legitimate.
Furthermore, the report contains texts showing Gaetz requesting drugs to be brought to their meetings. Although most of their encounters occurred in Florida, he also traveled multiple times with women for whom he allegedly paid for sexual interactions. Text exchanges presented in the report indicate Gaetz arranging outings and travel accommodations for several women.
Joel Greenberg, a close associate of Gaetz who pleaded guilty to sex trafficking, played a role in connecting Gaetz with women through an online app. In a particular exchange with a 20-year-old woman, Greenberg implicitly acknowledged the financial nature of their meet-up, suggesting a fee for the encounter and expressing that both he and Gaetz understood the arrangement.
The committee asserted there is “substantial evidence” indicating Gaetz had sexual relations with an underage girl, specifically noting a July 2017 party where such events reportedly took place. The committee received credible testimony from the now-adult woman, along with confirmations from several individuals. The woman disclosed to the committee that Gaetz had paid her $400 that night, which she interpreted as payment for sex, while also admitting to using ecstasy during the gathering.
The committee clarified that there is no direct evidence suggesting that Gaetz was aware of the woman’s age during their encounter. Although she did not inform him of her status as a minor, the committee noted that Gaetz learned that information a month later but continued to meet her for sexual encounters after her 18th birthday.
In its assessment, the committee pointed out that it issued 29 subpoenas for documents and testimonies and reviewed around 14,000 pieces of evidence. However, when it sought Gaetz’s testimony, he did not comply.
Gaetz had claimed to possess information that would prove his innocence, yet he did not provide any such evidence. The committee accused him of attempting to mislead their investigation and obstruct their efforts to uncover the facts.
The report outlines the Git-like investigation process that extended for an entire year due to Gaetz’s lack of cooperation and dismissal of the committee’s inquiries, which he labeled as intrusive. For instance, when questioned about expenses from a 2018 trip to the Bahamas with multiple women, while he provided his plane ticket receipt “to” the destination, he declined to furnish any details about his return flight home.
The committee’s report highlighted that despite his obstruction of the investigation not constituting a criminal offense, it was inconsistent with the ethical standards expected from members of Congress.
Initially, the inquiry commenced in April 2021 but was put on hold at the Justice Department’s request. The committee resumed its work after learning that the Justice Department had concluded its sex trafficking investigation without charges. Although the committee requested documents related to the DOJ investigation, it received little cooperation. The agency did not disclose significant evidence or reasoning for its lack of compliance.
The committee noted that many women had already provided statements to the Justice Department and were reluctant to recount their experiences again, especially given the DOJ’s previous inaction. The lack of cooperation from the Justice Department exacerbated delays in the committee’s investigation.
