Former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, a prominent conservative figure and staunch ally of former President Donald Trump, is pushing back against the impending release of a House Ethics Committee report detailing allegations of misconduct during his time in office.
Trump nominated Gaetz as Attorney General and said he would root out “systemic corruption” at the Justice Department and return the department “to its true mission of fighting crime and upholding our democracy and constitution.”
Since then, Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration for the Senate-confirmed post but his nomination led to the exceedingly rare decision to release an ethics report after a member had left Congress. Ethics Committee members revisited the issue behind closed doors after a dispute over the report became public before Thanksgiving.
The report is expected to address claims ranging from sexual misconduct to misuse of campaign funds, according to sources familiar with the investigation.
While the Department of Justice previously declined to pursue charges against Gaetz following a separate probe, the ethics panel’s findings mark a rare instance of an investigation continuing after a member has left Congress.
In a post on social media, Gaetz acknowledged his history of “partying, womanizing, drinking, and smoking” during his earlier years but denied any illegal activity.
“My 30’s were an era of working very hard — and playing hard too,” Gaetz wrote. “It’s embarrassing, though not criminal, that I probably partied, womanized, drank, and smoked more than I should have earlier in life. I live a different life now.”
Gaetz also reiterated his denial of allegations of sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls.
“I NEVER had sexual contact with someone under 18,” he stated, adding that any such claim “would be destroyed in court — which is why no such claim was ever made in court.”
Joel Leppard, an attorney, said Gaetz paid two women he represents for sex at a small, invitation-only party in Florida, where prostitution is illegal, in 2017 while he was a member of the House.
Leppard said the two women told House Ethics Committee investigators that Gaetz paid them for sex several times, and one of his clients, who was 19 at the time, said she saw Gaetz having sex with her friend, who was 17 at the time, at the same party in Orlando.
The Ethics Committee investigation reportedly examines a wide range of allegations, including sexual misconduct, drug use, sharing inappropriate images on the House floor, misuse of state identification records, and potential misuse of campaign funds.
The committee initially voted along party lines last month to withhold the report but reversed its decision after bipartisan discussions.
The decision to release the report has drawn mixed reactions within the GOP. Speaker Mike Johnson stated that he does not support the release, citing Gaetz’s resignation from Congress as a reason to close the matter, but acknowledged that the Ethics Committee operates independently of House leadership.
Gaetz, who resigned from Congress after Trump briefly nominated him for attorney general, has characterized the investigation as politically motivated.
“The Biden/Garland DOJ spent years reviewing allegations that I committed various crimes. I was charged with nothing: FULLY EXONERATED,” Gaetz wrote.
Despite leaving Congress, Gaetz remains active in conservative politics. He has pledged to support Trump in his political efforts and announced plans to join One America News Network in January.
The Ethics Committee has yet to comment publicly on the report’s contents or timeline for release.