Summary

  • A US House Ethics Committee's report into Matt Gaetz has found "substantial evidence" he paid for sex with a 17-year-old girl and used illicit drugs while in office

  • It says the former Florida congressman, who was at one point Donald Trump's nominee to lead the US justice department, violated multiple state laws

  • Gaetz denies wrongdoing and says "the people investigating me hated me"

  • The justice department also investigated the claim involving sex with a minor, but did not file any criminal charges against him

  • Gaetz resigned from Congress in November after Trump nominated him for attorney general, but he withdrew from consideration after backlash from both Democrats and Republicans

Live Reporting

Edited by Brandon Livesay in New York and Rorey Bosotti in London

  1. Gaetz rejects report findings

    Shortly before the House ethics report was released, former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz took to social media to criticise its findings.

    The final draft of the report says the committee found evidence that Gaetz "regularly paid women for engaging in sexual activity with him".

    Gaetz challenged the findings, saying he gave money to people he was dating. He also claims they did not ask for the cash.

    "There is a reason they did this to me in a Christmas Eve-Eve report and not in a courtroom of any kind where I could present evidence and challenge witnesses," Gaetz writes on X.

    In a separate tweet, he adds: "This is the trafficking 'victim' claiming under oath that this characterization is false."

    Gaetz has repeatedly denied all of the allegations against him.

  2. Ethics report into Matt Gaetz published
    Breaking

    Matt Gaetz sits at a House Judiciary Committee wearing a dark suit with a yellow and black tie. He looks ahead with his hands clasped together.Reuters

    The House Ethics Committee's report investigating allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use by former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz has been released.

    The 37-page report details the findings from a long-running investigation by the committee.

    Gaetz has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, writing on X last week: "In my single days, I often sent funds to women I dated - even some I never dated but who asked. I dated several of these women for years. I NEVER had sexual contact with someone under 18. Any claim that I have would be destroyed in court - which is why no such claim was ever made in court."

    We are reading through the report now and will bring you all of the top lines as soon as possible.

  3. The Gaetz AG nomination was brief

    Matt Gaetz speaking at a Trump rally in California during the presidential campaign. He's addressing the crowd from a podium on stage while wearing a suit and red tie. A group of Trump voters is in the background, blurredReuters

    Much of Washington was surprised when Trump selected Gaetz to be his attorney general.

    His name was not on many shortlists and the one-time Florida congressman, while extremely loyal to Trump, has few friends in Washington.

    There was immediate backlash and concern about the Gaetz nomination after it was announced and speculation began swirling that he could not survive a Senate confirmation.

    Gaetz withdrew his nomination eight days after Trump unveiled his plans.

    Days later, the president-elect announced Pam Bondi would be his new attorney general pick.

  4. The Florida firebrand staunchly loyal to Donald Trump

    Matt Gaetz stands behind a podium with a microphone in a blue suit, white shirt and tie. He speaks with his hand pointing forward. The background is red and white.Reuters

    Matt Gaetz has long been a controversial figure in Washington.

    Before Trump nominated the Florida firebrand to be his attorney general in November, Gaetz was best known for leading the effort to unseat then-Republican Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy last year.

    He made headlines before this when, in 2018, he brought a Holocaust denier to the State of the Union, and attempted to expel two fathers who lost children in a mass shooting from a hearing.

    Gaetz, first elected to represent Florida in 2016, has enemies across the political aisle but is a staunch Trump loyalist.

    He resigned as a lawmaker after the Trump nomination.

    The 42-year-old later withdrew from consideration as attorney general after he faced strong opposition from both Republicans and Democrats.

    While we await the findings of the report, Gaetz has confirmed that he will not be returning to the House of Representatives and is set to become an anchor on a conservative news network.

  5. Gaetz faces allegations of 'illicit drug use'

    Matt Gaetz sitting down during committee hearing wearing a black suit and white shirt. His hands are palm to palm in front of him. A blurred wood-panelled wall is visible behind himReuters

    Former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz also faces the allegation that he used and purchased illegal drugs - including from his Capitol Hill office, according to the final draft of 37-page report which CBS News, the BBC's news US partner, has obtained.

    CBS News says the draft report states: “The Committee determined there is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House Rules and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress.”

    The document, which is yet to be released, also reportedly details allegations of sex and drug-fuelled parties and travel, including a 2018 trip to the Bahamas.

    "From 2017 to 2020, Representative Gaetz made tens of thousands of dollars in payments to women that the Committee determined were likely in connection with sexual activity and/or drug use," the report notes, per CBS News.

    Gaetz has repeatedly denied all wrongdoing and claims he is a victim of a smear campaign.

  6. Ethics Committee heard evidence that Gaetz had sex with 17-year-old

    Matt Gaetz close up. He's standing speaking to the press outside of Congress, with the outside of the rotunda visible in the background. Members of the press holding hand-held mics and cameras are visible around himReuters

    As we've been reporting, Matt Gaetz is facing allegations that he paid numerous women for sex - including a 17-year-old girl, according to an investigation by the House Ethics Committee.

    In a final draft of the report, seen by the BBC's US partner CBS News but not yet publicly released, the committee reportedly says it received testimony that Gaetz had sex with a 17-year-old girl, identified as "Victim A", twice at a party in 2017.

    The girl, who had just completed her junior year in high school, "recalled receiving $400 (£320) in cash" from Gaetz, the committee report says, according to CBS News, "which she understood to be payment for sex".

    She says Gaetz did not ask her age and she did not tell him that she was under 18, according to the report.

    Gaetz has denied all wrongdoing and denied having any "sexual contact with someone under 18".

  7. Gaetz tries to block report's release

    Matt Gaetz mid-shot in black suit, black tie and white shirt at the RNC. Shot is of his left side as he walks, in the background are two rows of chairs blurredGetty Images

    Hours before the anticipated public release of the House Ethics Committee report, Gaetz is trying to stop its dissemination.

    Gaetz is suing the committee and its chairman, Republican Congressman Michael Guest, in an attempt to block the release of the report.

    The former Florida congressman is asking a Washington DC federal court to "issue a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction prohibiting Defendants, their agents, servants, employees, attorneys, and all persons in active concert or participation with them, from releasing, publishing, or otherwise making public any report, findings, or other materials relating to their investigation of Plaintiff," the suit says, according to the BBC's US partner CBS.

  8. Gaetz turns to broadcasting to relaunch career after Congress

    Matt Gaetz in black suit and tie walking around RDC conference. Behind him is the conference hall with attendees and chairs, blurred. A man with a chequered blue and black shirt with his right hand to his mouth stands next to himGetty Images

    Matt Gaetz resigned from Congress after President-elect Trump nominated him to be attorney general.

    There were some questions over whether he would return to Congress after he withdrew his nomination but he has since said he wouldn't.

    "I’m still going to be in the fight, but it’s going to be from a new perch. I do not intend to join the 119th Congress," he told media personality Charlie Kirk earlier this month.

    Since leaving Washington, Gaetz has signed a deal to become an anchor on One America News Network (OAN). He'll join the conservative news network in January.

    He has also started selling personalised video messages on the video platform Cameo.

  9. What is the Ethics Committee?

    Leather and gold plaque marked Committee on Ethics with a portion of US flag visible to the left of the frameGetty Images

    The House Ethics Committee is tasked with enforcing standards of conduct for members of the House of Representatives.

    Its members, made up of five Republicans and five Democrats, investigate alleged violations of any law, rule or regulations. They can make recommendations to the House for further action where needed.

    The Ethics Committee also reviews financial disclosure statements filed by representatives, candidates as well as senior and shared staff.

  10. What has Gaetz said?

    Matt Gaetz speaks at the Republican National Convention in a blue suit behind a podium with a microphone. He points to the left as he speaks.Reuters

    When news broke that the House Ethics Committee report was set to be released earlier this month, Gaetz took to X to deny any wrongdoing and claim he is the victim of a smear campaign.

    He wrote: “The Biden/Garland DOJ spent years reviewing allegations that I committed various crimes.

    “I was charged with nothing: FULLY EXONERATED. Not even a campaign finance violation. And the people investigating me hated me…. I’ve had no chance to ever confront any accusers. I’ve never been charged. I’ve never been sued. “

    In his post, Gaetz admitted that he “often sent funds” to women he dated and some who asked but denied having any “sexual contact with someone under 18".

    He added: “It’s embarrassing, though not criminal, that I probably partied, womanized, drank and smoked more than I should have earlier in life. I live a different life now.“

  11. Gaetz faces allegations of statutory rape and drug use, reports say

    Close up shot of Matt Gaetz cutting off below the shoulders. He's wearing a grey suit with a white shirt and patterned blue tie. The background is a blurry white wallGetty Images

    Former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz was nearly President-elect Donald Trump's attorney general - now he's facing allegations of statutory rape and illicit drug use.

    CBS News, the BBC's news US partner, obtained a copy of a congressional ethics investigation that alleges he paid numerous women, including a 17-year-old girl, for sex and violated multiple state laws related to sexual misconduct while in Congress.

    Gaetz has repeatedly denied all wrongdoing.

    During the House Ethics investigation into Gaetz, the former congressman declined to testify but he provided the committee with written statements.

    The report will be made public after members of the House Ethics committee voted to release it.