Ex- Donald Trump’s attorney general pick Matt Gaetz paid thousands for drugs, sex with minor: Report

The US House Ethics Committee accused ex-Representative Matt Gaetz of paying thousands of dollars for sex, possessing illegal drugs, and having sexual relations with a 17-year-old girl in 2017, news agency Reuters reported while citing US media reports.

Gaetz, according to the panel’s report, violated Florida state laws, including the state’s statutory rape law.

Gaetz — President-elect Donald Trump’s former pick for attorney general — from 2017 to 2020, “regularly paid women for engaging in sexual activity with him.”.

In 2017, the former representative “engaged in sexual activity with a 17-year-old girl,” the report said.

“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,” CNN reported while citing panel investigators in its report.

The report, released after a secret vote earlier this month, investigated payments Gaetz allegedly made through PayPal and Venmo to over a dozen women during his time in Congress.

The committee said that Gaetz violated House gift rules during the Bahamas trip, where he reportedly engaged in sexual activity with several women. One of the women described the trip as “the payment” for sex. Another participant informed the committee that Gaetz took ecstasy during the trip.

The panel’s release of the report came after years of investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, illicit drug use, and misuse of campaign funds. Initially, the committee voted against releasing the findings. However, a subsequent vote overturned the decision, despite opposition from Michael Guest, the committee’s Republican chairman.

Gaetz responded by filing a civil complaint in federal court on Monday. He argued that the House Ethics Committee no longer has jurisdiction over him following his resignation from Congress. “Plaintiff has been afforded no opportunity to respond to any report or investigative conclusions of Defendants,” the lawsuit stated.