Matt Gaetz Responds to Looming Ethics Report With Fiery Tweet: I ‘Partied, Womanized, Drank and Smoked’

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Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) responded to the news that the House Ethics Committee will release its investigatory report into his alleged conduct with a fiery tweet Wednesday, categorizing his own behavior as “embarrassing, though not criminal.”

Gaetz was nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to be the next attorney general and resigned from Congress before dropping his bid. It was a controversial nomination because of his extremely thin résumé for the gig and the way he had burned many a bridge with his GOP congressional colleagues.

But it was Gaetz’s alleged entanglement in a sprawling series of schemes and crimes — including accusations about illegal drug use, bribes, and allegations he sexually trafficked a 17-year-old girl — that brought the most noise to his nomination path. A House Ethics Committee investigation was opened into the allegations and rumors about the “highly damaging” contents of the committee’s report have been swirling for months.

Gaetz has denied all wrongdoing and has not been charged with any crimes so far, but the situation was too messy for both the Senators who balked at consenting to his nomination and the president-elect who has other controversial nominees to get across the finish line. Mediaite’s Diana Falzone reported last month that Gaetz had “misled” Trump’s team “about the extent of the misconduct allegations” against him.

Wednesday morning, CNN reported that the committee had reversed its previous vote and decided to release the report in a secret vote. Because of the partisan makeup of the committee, a vote to release means that some Republicans crossed party lines to vote in favor of the report’s publication. According to CNN reporter Alayna Treene, the report “is expected to be made public once this session of Congress ends and lawmakers leave Washington to return home for the holidays.”

Gaetz fired back at the committee in a statement he tweeted Wednesday that said he was “charged with nothing: FULLY EXONERATED” even though “the people investigating me hated me.” The now-42-year-old former congressman characterized his “single days” in his thirties as “an era of working hard — and playing hard too.”

“It’s embarrassing, though not criminal, that I probably partied, womanized, drank and smoked more than I should have earlier in life,” he wrote. “I live a different life now.”

Gaetz went on to describe how he “often sent funds to women I dated – even some I never dated but who asked” but “NEVER had sexual contact with someone under 18.”

He concluded with a swipe at his former colleagues, who are currently preparing to vote on yet another continuing resolution to manage the gargantuan federal budget, writing “at least I didn’t vote for CR’s that fuck over the country!”

The full text of Gaetz’s statement:

The Biden/Garland DOJ spent years reviewing allegations that I committed various crimes.

I was charged with nothing: FULLY EXONERATED. Not even a campaign finance violation. And the people investigating me hated me.

Then, the very “witnesses” DOJ deemed not-credible were assembled by House Ethics to repeat their claims absent any cross-examination or challenge from me or my attorneys. I’ve had no chance to ever confront any accusers. I’ve never been charged. I’ve never been sued.

Instead, House Ethics will reportedly post a report online that I have no opportunity to debate or rebut as a former member of the body.

In my single days, I often sent funds to women I dated – even some I never dated but who asked. I dated several of these women for years. I NEVER had sexual contact with someone under 18. Any claim that I have would be destroyed in court – which is why no such claim was ever made in court.

My 30’s were an era of working very hard – and playing hard too.

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.

But at least I didn’t vote for CR’s that fuck over the country!