Matt Gaetz Ethics Report Finds ‘Substantial Evidence’ of Illegal Drug Use, Prostitution, and Statutory Rape

CBS News is reporting on a looming House ethics report that details Matt Gaetz’s alleged drug use and sex with a minor, which violated Florida state laws.

Gaez is the former House Republican who recently stepped down from office after President-elect Donald Trump nominated him as Attorney General, despite a cloud hanging over his political future surrounding the previously confidential ethics report. However, a secret vote late last week determined that the report would be made public, reportedly as early as Monday.

CBS Details an ethics investigation that found the former Congressman “to have paid numerous women — including a 17-year-old girl — for sex, and to have purchased and used illegal drugs, including from his Capitol Hill office, according to a final draft of a comprehensive investigative report.”

Writing for CBS News, Michael Kaplan reports:

Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican who briefly stood to become President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, was found by congressional ethics investigators to have paid numerous women — including a 17-year-old girl — for sex, and to have purchased and used illegal drugs, including from his Capitol Hill office, according to a final draft of a comprehensive investigative report obtained by CBS News.

Those were among the findings of the long-running investigation by the House Ethics Committee into Gaetz, which concluded the former Florida congressman violated multiple state laws related to sexual misconduct while in office.

“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 37-page report concludes.

Reporting for CBS Mornings, Scott McFarlane offered more details:

This report’s findings determine there is substantial evidence that Matt Gaetz had sex with a minor engaged in rampant illicit drug use and violated multiple state laws while in office. The report lists payments totaling more than $90,000 to 12 different women between 2017 to 2020, and alleges the money was likely connected to sexual activity and drugs, including cocaine and ecstasy.

The committee also obtained testimony that alleges Gaetz had sex twice with a 17 year old girl. The victim told the committee she recalled receiving $400 in cash from Gates, which she understood to be payment for sex. Gates is also accused of creating a fake email from his Capitol Hill office for the purpose of purchasing marijuana and referred to drugs as party favors, rolls and vitamins.

The report did not uncover sufficient evidence of violations of federal sex trafficking laws, and Gates has denied any improper conduct. Writing last week that his behavior in his 30s may have been embarrassing, though not criminal, the former congressman refused to sit for sworn testimony, only submitting written answers to some of the committee’s questions.

The committee also alleged he knowingly and willfully sought to impede and obstruct the investigation. The House Ethics Committee had initially voted to keep the report under wraps after Gates resigned from Congress in November and withdrew as Trump’s picks to be attorney general. But they reversed that decision in a vote earlier this month. 

Gaetz recently announced he is taking a role at the conservative opinion network OAN. During a weekend appearance at the TPUSA conference, Gaetz floated running for the Senate seat Marco Rubio will soon vacate in order to be a thorn in the side of lawmakers who opposed his confirmation for attorney general.

Rubio will leave the Senate in the coming weeks to become President-elect Donald Trump’s secretary of state.

Watch above via CBS.