Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who was nominated to be attorney general in the next Trump administration, has been embroiled in controversy following allegations of sexual misconduct. Two women testified to House Ethics Committee investigators that Gaetz paid them for sex, with one woman claiming she witnessed him engaging in sexual activity with a 17-year-old girl.
Despite these allegations, Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, including having a relationship with a minor. The Justice Department concluded its own investigation into Gaetz without filing criminal charges.
The House committee's investigation was cut short when Gaetz resigned from Congress after being nominated by Trump to lead the Justice Department. However, questions surrounding Gaetz's conduct continue to linger.
According to the attorney representing the women, both clients stated they were compensated for sexual encounters with Gaetz, sometimes through Venmo transactions. The allegations have raised concerns among Senate Republicans, with some expressing reservations about supporting Gaetz's confirmation as attorney general.
The House Ethics Committee's probe into Gaetz expanded to include allegations of sexual misconduct, drug use, improper gifts acceptance, and obstruction of government investigations. The investigation is separate from the Justice Department's previous inquiry into sex trafficking allegations involving Gaetz and his associate Joel Greenberg.
Greenberg, who pleaded guilty to paying women and an underage girl for sex, implicated Gaetz in the scandal. Federal investigators also looked into a trip Gaetz took to the Bahamas with women and a campaign donor, probing potential payments for sexual favors and attempts to influence legislation.
The controversy surrounding Gaetz has sparked concerns among career Justice Department lawyers, who question his suitability to lead an agency that previously investigated him. Despite Trump's endorsement of Gaetz as a candidate to combat corruption within the Justice Department, doubts persist about his ability to assume the role of attorney general.
