After much back and forth, the US House of Representatives Ethics Committee has published the investigative report into Republican Matt Gaetz. The allegations are serious: the former MP is said to have paid women for sex, including a 17-year-old.
He was allegedly involved in prostitution, sexual abuse of a minor and illegal drug use. In doing so, Gaetz violated both Florida and federal laws and the parliamentary chamber’s rules of conduct, the report said.
The focus is mainly on a party in 2017. At this party, the 42-year-old allegedly had sex with, among others, a 17-year-old and paid for it. According to the report, there is no clear evidence that he was aware of the teens’ ages. Under Florida law, this would constitute the crime of sexual abuse of a minor, even if the sex was consensual. Legally, it would be a form of rape because minors cannot legally consent to sexual acts.
Access to young women through boyfriend?
Gaetz is said to have gained access to young women through a friend who has already been sentenced to a long prison term. The report states that he contacted the women through a “sugar dating platform.” This serves to bring “older men and younger women” together for “mutually beneficial relationships” and has already been the subject of research.
The US Department of Justice had been investigating the Republican for years for, among other things, human trafficking for sexual purposes. However, the investigation was closed without charges being filed. The Ethics Commission continued its investigation and has now concluded that although the former lawmaker transported women across state lines for commercial sex acts, there was no evidence of underage girls, coercion, fraud or coercion.
You can see a message from Gaetz here.
The Republican rejects the accusations
Above all, Gaetz rejected the accusation of prostitution on Platform X. He was unable to prevent the report’s publication. The 42-year-old is considered one of the most radical voices in the Republican Party and a staunch supporter of Donald Trump.
He was supposed to be Minister of Justice in the new government, but withdrew at the end of November. Shortly before, he had also resigned from his mandate in parliament.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
