The House Ethics Committee is investigating Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., over allegations that he gave special privileges to friends and obstructed a government investigation. The committee announced that it has closed probes into several other allegations against Gaetz, including sharing inappropriate images on the House floor, misusing state identification records, converting campaign funds for personal use, or accepting bribes. However, ongoing probes into sexual misconduct, illicit drug use, and accepting improper gifts are still being pursued, with the committee facing difficulties obtaining information from Gaetz.
Gaetz had claimed on Twitter that the ethics committee had opened new “frivolous investigations” into his behavior, predicting he would be exonerated. He suggested that the probe was retaliation for his efforts to oust former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last year, although the investigation started before McCarthy became speaker. Gaetz’s office referenced his tweet in response to inquiries about the committee’s statement. Anonymous lawmakers told CNN in 2021 that Gaetz shared nude photos and videos of his sexual partners with fellow Congress members and boasted about his sex life, including crushing erectile dysfunction medicine with energy drinks.
The House Ethics Committee’s investigation into Gaetz stems from allegations made by his former friend, Joel Greenberg, that Gaetz paid a minor to travel across state lines for sex. Greenberg pleaded guilty to sex trafficking in 2020 and agreed to help prosecutors. The Justice Department reportedly declined to press charges against Gaetz for obstruction and sex trafficking, but the ethics committee paused its investigation to avoid interference and restarted in May 2021. The committee has interviewed multiple witnesses, issued subpoenas, and reviewed thousands of pages of documents, emphasizing that the probe does not imply any violation by Gaetz.
One witness interviewed by the committee claimed she attended a drug-fueled party with Gaetz and the underage girl he was accused of having sex with in 2017. She alleged that the girl was naked at the party, where rooms were available for sex. Gaetz’s spokesperson denied the allegations, stating that he has not used drugs during his time in Congress. Gaetz was also subpoenaed as part of a civil defamation suit filed by his friend and former Florida state Rep. Chris Dorworth against Greenberg and the woman he allegedly had sex with while she was a minor. Despite the ongoing investigations and allegations, Gaetz continues to deny any wrongdoing and maintain his innocence.
