The House Ethics Committee is investigating Matt Gaetz’s (R-FL) use of illicit drugs as a member of Congress. The inquiry centers on Gaetz’s presence at a party in Florida in 2017, where numerous illegal substances were allegedly present — backed by a sworn statement from a woman who attended the event.
In her statement, she claims that she saw a then-underage girl naked and that the party — attended by other adult men — allegedly had bedrooms “made available for sexual activities." The Justice Department previously investigated whether Gaetz had slept with the minor, but concluded its investigation in 2023 with no charges. Per a spokesperson for Gaetz, he has no memory of attending such a party as the one mentioned above.
Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy blamed Gaetz earlier this month for his ouster, saying that he lost the role “because one person, a member of Congress, wanted me to stop an ethics complaint because he slept with a 17-year-old”
Gaetz, a far-right member of the ‘MAGA Squad’ in the House of Representatives, is part of a cohort that has made congressional business increasingly difficult. Gaetz, who filed the motion to vacate the Speaker and threw the Republican caucus into chaos, was also implicated in texts obtained by the committee showing him planning to meet with a woman whom an associate had paid for sex.
