A woman has come forward alleging that she had sexual encounters with then-Rep. Matt Gaetz when she was a minor. According to sources familiar with her testimony to the House Ethics Committee, she stated that there were two sexual encounters with Gaetz at a party in 2017. The woman, who was 17 years old at the time, testified that the second encounter involved another adult woman, a detail that had not been previously reported.
The woman's testimony was also given in a civil deposition as part of a related lawsuit. Gaetz has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has specifically denied having engaged in sexual activities with a minor. Following an investigation by the Justice Department into these allegations, Gaetz was not charged with any crimes.
It was revealed that Gaetz and then-President-elect Donald Trump were working together to secure support on Capitol Hill for Gaetz's potential nomination as the next attorney general. However, Gaetz later announced his withdrawal from consideration for the position.
The House Ethics Committee, which is led by Republicans, voted along party lines to withhold the results of their investigation into the matter. They have scheduled another meeting on December 5 to vote on the final report.
