House Ethics Committee draft report accuses Gaetz of ‘regularly’ paying for sex and using drugs

Washington: The House Ethics Committee is expected to accuse former Representative Matt Gaetz, Republican of Florida, President-elect Donald Trump’s former pick for attorney general, of regularly paying for sex, possessing illegal drugs and having sexual relations with an underage girl, according to a draft of the panel’s report.

The report, which is expected to be released in final form Monday, found that from at least 2017 to 2020, Gaetz “regularly paid women for engaging in sexual activity with him”; and, in 2017, “engaged in sexual activity with a 17-year-old girl,” the draft said.

The Ethics Committee found that from 2017 to 2019, Gaetz used or possessed illegal drugs, including cocaine and ecstasy “on multiple occasions,” and accepted lavish gifts, including transportation to and lodging in the Bahamas, in excess of permissible amounts.

“Rep. Gaetz has acted in a manner that reflects discreditably upon the House,” the draft report stated.

The Ethics Committee concluded that Gaetz violated state sexual misconduct laws, including Florida’s statutory rape law, and violated House rules concerning gifts and misuse of his official office.

However, the committee said it did not find conclusive evidence that Gaetz violated federal sex trafficking laws.

“Although Rep. Gaetz did cause the transportation of women across state lines for purposes of commercial sex, the committee did not find evidence that any of those women were under 18 at the time of travel, nor did the committee find sufficient evidence to conclude that the commercial sex acts were induced by force, fraud, or coercion,” the panel wrote.

But the expected release of the panel’s findings did not come without significant internal strife among the Ethics Committee’s members. The draft report makes clear the committee’s Republican chair objected to its release.