An attorney representing two women who were witnesses in the House Ethics Committee probe into former congressman Matt Gaetz disclosed on Friday that one of his clients testified to witnessing Gaetz having sex with a minor. The investigation, which has since been dropped, was looking into allegations of sexual misconduct, drug use, improper gifts acceptance, favoritism, and obstruction of government investigations by the Florida Republican.
Despite the testimony, Gaetz has consistently denied any wrongdoing, including the accusations of engaging in sexual activities with a minor or paying for sex. The Department of Justice conducted a separate sex-crimes investigation into Gaetz but decided not to pursue criminal charges against him last year.
The recent attention on the investigations intensified after President-elect Donald Trump announced Gaetz as his nominee for the position of attorney general in his upcoming administration. If confirmed by the Senate, Gaetz would oversee the Department of Justice and have access to investigative files related to the sex trafficking inquiry against him, which the DOJ deemed too sensitive to share with the House Ethics Committee.
Following Gaetz's resignation from Congress to focus on the confirmation process, the congressional investigation came to an end due to the panel's jurisdiction being limited to current members of Congress. Calls for the release of the committee's findings have been made by Democrats and echoed by Gaetz's attorney, emphasizing the importance of transparency in a democratic society.
However, Republicans canceled a planned meeting with Democrats to discuss the report, with House Speaker Mike Johnson expressing his opposition to the release of the findings. Gaetz's nomination is part of a series of controversial picks by President-elect Trump for his Cabinet, including Pete Hegseth, whose nomination is already facing scrutiny from the transition team.
