What you need to know about Matt Gates’ ethics report

After much back and forth, the House Ethics Committee released a bombshell report on allegations of sexual misconduct by former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida), stating that he had violated multiple state laws and had He stated that he had paid a minor for sex. Gaetz categorically denies the allegations and filed a lawsuit on Monday aimed at blocking the report’s release.

The investigation, the culmination of a years-long investigation, includes multiple allegations of misconduct, including that Gaetz paid tens of thousands of dollars to women, in at least one case a 17-year-old, for sex and drugs. . He used illegal drugs such as ecstasy and cocaine. The Ethics Commission concluded that Gaetz did not violate federal sex trafficking laws, but it also found that the lawmaker violated other state laws.

“The Committee finds that Congressman Gaetz is subject to the House Rules, state and federal laws, and other standards of conduct that prohibit prostitution, statutory rape, illegal drug use, accepting impermissible gifts, providing special favors or privileges, and obstructing.” “Congress concluded that there was substantial evidence that violations occurred,” the report said.

There were doubts as to whether the report would ever be made public, and significant portions of the report were leaked before it was officially released. The Ethics Committee, a bipartisan committee that investigates misconduct by members of Congress, initially stalled on releasing its findings following Gaetz’s resignation from Congress. Although not unheard of, it is unusual for a committee to share its findings after the member has left Congress.

Gaetz abruptly resigned after being named attorney general by President-elect Donald Trump. The Ethics Committee ultimately voted to release the report after he withdrew his candidacy for attorney general after it became clear he did not have enough support in the Senate.

The report contains detailed documentation of the charges against Gaetz and was prepared after contacting more than 20 witnesses and reviewing 14,000 documents. But whether the report will lead to further legal or political repercussions for the bombastic former lawmaker remains an open question. Here’s what you need to know about the report and what’s next for Gates.

What does the report say?

The report centers on allegations that Gaetz paid women and a teenage girl for sex, illegal drug use, and receiving inappropriate gifts.

‘Commercial sex’: The report alleges that Gaetz paid women for sex on multiple occasions between 2017 and 2020, and in 2017 paid a 17-year-old girl for sex.

The ethics committee’s report found that during the investigation, which included multiple interviews with women who said they had sexual contact with Gates, Gates paid women for sex and drugs. He said there were at least 20 cases. They discovered that such payments are being made not only by check or cash, but also on platforms such as PayPal, Venmo, and CashApp. Mr. Gates was given an opportunity to explain the payments he made, but did not provide any information to the committee.

Gates allegedly met many of the women through his friend Joel Greenberg. Joel Greenberg is a former Seminole County tax attorney currently serving an 11-year sentence for multiple crimes, including sex trafficking of minors and wire fraud. Mr. Greenberg connected with the women through a website called SeekingArrangement.com, which aims to connect older, wealthy men with young women. Broadly, the report said there was evidence that the woman expected to be paid for her interactions with Gates and Greenberg, noting that the woman said, “I usually pay $400 for each meeting.” He gives clear examples, including one where he said:

One of the people with whom Gates allegedly had a sexual relationship was 17 years old when they met in July 2017, the report said. He allegedly had sex with her at a party that month. She did not reveal that she was under 18 and he did not ask her age. Although the commission concluded that the person did not know the person was a minor, the report also found that “ignorance” of the minor’s age does not allow the adult who committed the crime to commit statutory rape under Florida law. He also points out that he cannot escape being prosecuted.

Gates has repeatedly denied paying women for sex and has denied having sex with minors.

“When I was single, I often sent money to women I dated, some of whom asked me to do it even though I had never dated them,” Gates previously wrote in X magazine. I have never had sexual contact with anyone under the age of 18. ”

The commission determined that Gates’ conduct violated Florida law dealing with commercial sex and statutory rape. It also did not find that Gates violated federal sex trafficking laws, alleging that he transported women across state lines for commercial sex purposes, but did not find that the individuals were under 18 or that he had violated federal sex trafficking laws. It said there was no evidence that the attack was “induced by violence, fraud or violence.” Or forced. ”

Illegal drug use: Two women the committee spoke to also testified that they witnessed Gaetz repeatedly using illegal drugs, including ecstasy and cocaine, but further evidence showed his regular marijuana use. It shows.

Gates denies the allegations of illegal drug use.

The commission found these actions to be in violation of Florida law prohibiting the recreational use of three types of drugs.

Excessive Gifts: The committee alleges that Mr. Gaetz also accepted gifts exceeding $250, a limit that members of Congress must adhere to (although in reality, members of Congress do not necessarily have to abide by). do not have). This specifically included a trip to the Bahamas in 2018, during which Gates allegedly accepted to fly and stay overnight on a private plane.

Mr. Gates denied these allegations, but could not provide the committee with evidence that he paid for these services himself.

The committee determined that his acceptance of these gifts was an ethical violation of the house gift rules.

Obstruction of Congress: Mr. Gaetz did not voluntarily participate in committee interviews and did not respond to subpoenas to testify. The report said he provided some documents in response to the committee’s requests, but there was little relevant information.

Mr. Gates repeatedly cited the Justice Department’s investigation, which cleared him of charges, and argued that he was being targeted by the Congressional investigation.

But the committee noted that Gaetz is required by federal law to cooperate with any Congressional investigation, regardless of what the Justice Department decides in its investigation or how Gaetz feels about the House investigation. He said that he was being treated as such. Failure to answer committee questions and respond to subpoenas amounts to “obstruction of Congress,” according to the report.

Why is the ethics committee report coming out now?

The Ethics Commission first opened an investigation into Gaetz in 2021, but suspended it later that year when the Justice Department launched its own investigation. After the Justice Department’s investigation concluded in 2023, the department reopened the investigation. The department did not provide details of its findings or why it refused to continue investigating, but the New York Times reported that federal prosecutors were uncertain about their ability to investigate. The case alleges that Gaetz violated federal law.

The committee was scheduled to release its findings in mid-November, around the time President Trump announced Gaetz as his nominee for AG. Gaetz promptly resigned from Congress following the announcement, a surprising move since nominated members of Congress typically do not leave office before being confirmed.

Gaetz’s resignation raises questions about whether the committee will continue to release reports, with some Republicans saying the committee is no longer in its “jurisdiction” because conservatives are no longer members. He claimed that there was no. While Gaetz was still considering joining the AG, the committee stalled on releasing the report. After his resignation, a majority, including at least one Republican, voted in favor of releasing the report on December 10.

“Committees typically do not publish their findings after losing jurisdiction over a matter,” the report says. “However, there have been several instances in the past where committees have determined that it is in the public interest to publish their findings even after they have resigned from Congress.”

Is the Ethics Commission investigation related to the Department of Justice investigation?

Although the two investigations are not legally related, the Ethics Committee said in its report that it attempted to use some of the Justice Department’s research in its investigations. The Justice Department rejected that effort, and the committee said the agency did not respond to subpoenas and FOIA requests for information.

“The Committee looks forward to continuing to work with the Department of Justice on the broader issues raised by the Department’s failure to recognize the Committee’s unique mission,” the report states.

The committee wanted to work with the Justice Department in part because the two investigations dealt with many of the same charges, primarily that Gates regularly paid women for sex acts. He was accused of having sex with minors and transporting them across state lines for commercial sex acts. .

The Justice Department investigation, which began in 2020 during Trump’s previous term, was more limited in scope than the ethics investigation. That’s because the Justice Department is looking for evidence that a federal crime has been committed, while the Ethics Commission is concerned with “maintaining the integrity of the agency,” as the report states. That is, conduct can be considered unethical even if it is not a federal crime.

Again, the Justice Department investigation did not result in federal charges against Gaetz, and there is currently no investigation underway.

Do ethics reports have legal implications?

Although the federal government is no longer investigating Gaetz, the ethics report highlights several of his alleged actions that lawmakers say constituted state crimes. And that could lead to further legal complications for Gaetz, Donald Sherman, executive director and chief counsel of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, a Washington legal advocacy group, told Vox. spoke.

“Of course, the commission no longer has jurisdiction over Mr. Gaetz, but…I would venture to guess that there is something that he did that could and should be investigated by local law enforcement. ” Depends on state and state laws, Sherman said there are limits and local willingness to launch an investigation.

An ethics report found that Gaetz violated Florida law by having sex with a 17-year-old girl, paying her for sex, and using illegal drugs. Florida law enforcement officials have not yet announced an investigation into Gates related to either charge. The Justice Department has also shown no intention of revisiting the issue, and given that Gaetz is a Trump ally who once led the department, Trump’s Justice Department has no intention of handling Gaetz’s case. It seems unlikely that it will reopen.