Bullet Points From Report

• From at least 2017 to 2020, Representative Gaetz regularly paid women forengaging in sexual activity with him

.• In 2017, Representative Gaetz engaged in sexual activity with a 17-year-old girl.

• During the period 2017 to 2019, Representative Gaetz used or possessed illegal drugs, including cocaine and ecstasy, on multiple occasions

.• Representative Gaetz accepted gifts, including transportation and lodging in connection with a 2018 trip to the Bahamas, in excess of permissible amounts.

• In 2018, Representative Gaetz arranged for his Chief of Staff to assist a woman with whom he engaged in sexual activity in obtaining a passport, falsely indicating to the U.S. Department of State that she was a constituent.

• Representative Gaetz knowingly and willfully sought to impede and obstruct the Committee’s investigation of his conduct.

• Representative Gaetz has acted in a manner that reflects discreditably upon the House

Underage Sex Portion

The Committee provided Representative Gaetz with the names of 15 women who were alleged to have received payments from him or on his behalf relating to sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, as well as the approximate payment amounts and transaction years, but he did not provide any explanation for those payments.

Representative Gaetz responded publicly to allegations that his payments to women were for sex by stating that “someone is trying to recategorize my generosity to ex-girlfriends as something more untoward.”105 He also repeatedly denied having ever paid for sex.106 When given the opportunity to put that assertion in writing in this matter, however, Representative Gaetz refused to respond, asserting that “asking about [his]sexual history as a single man with adult women is a bridge too far.

”Representative Gaetz did broadly address the allegation that he engaged in sexual activity with a minor; he asserted in his September 26, 2024, letter to the Committee: “Your correspondence of September 4 asks whether I have engaged in sexual activity with any individual under 18. The answer to this question is unequivocally NO. You can apply this response to every version of this question, in every forum.”107 The Committee’s September 4 letter, however,specifically asked him whether he was present at the July 15, 2017, party at Mr. Dorworth’s,whether he ever engaged in sexual activity with Victim A and when, and whether he ever gave Victim A money (directly or indirectly) and if so, for what purpose. Representative Gaetz did not answer any of those questions.

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25469466-read-the-house-ethics-committees-report-about-former-rep-matt-gaetz/#document/p1

    • eestileib@sh.itjust.works
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      2 days ago

      That’s 225 encounters over 4 years, about one a week.

      If he was doing it in a jurisdiction where it was legal and regulated, not committing immigration fraud, or involving minors, can’t say I’d give much of a shit about it.

    • eestileib@sh.itjust.works
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      2 days ago

      It kept him from being nominated as Attorney-General (and probably prompted his resignation), so although he is getting off very easily, he’s not completely skating.

  • eestileib@sh.itjust.works
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    2 days ago

    Remember, Merrick Garland’s DoJ spiked any federal law enforcement action related to this.

    Well done everybody. 🥳

  • captainlezbian@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    So I saw the people talking about it and decided to double check that what they were saying was true. And yeah it’s worse. Representative Gaetz paid for access to women to both them and another man in both cash (nebulous pricing model, not an explicit price) and in drugs. That’s how he met the 17 year old who he statutory raped and sex trafficked.

    I hope this makes it to court. If I were on the jury I would convict of a lot of things including sexual trafficking of a minor and statutory rape based on this evidence.

    And I especially encourage people to read the dissenting opinion atvtge end. They agree with the facts presented, and solely dissent on the issue of releasing this report after his resignation.

    • pelespirit@sh.itjust.worksOPM
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      2 days ago

      I doubt anything will happen to him. I think this is just revenge in that the r’s and d’s trying to ruin any future career for him. That might work.

  • DarkCloud@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    Shouldn’t the real story be why a 17 year old felt the need to become a sex worker? Isn’t that the actual systemic issue here?

    • athairmor@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      No. There’s nothing in this particular case that can be extrapolated to “lots of teens out there forced into selling their bodies for money because of the system.”

      This is one incidence and we don’t know her motivations. What we do know is that a fully mature adult, a sitting Congressman took advantage of a teen that was willing to sell sex.

    • pelespirit@sh.itjust.worksOPM
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      2 days ago

      Both are real stories. A sitting congressmen bought underage sex and brought her across state lines. Why was the girl selling herself for sex is another story.

    • Drusas@fedia.io
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      2 days ago

      It might not have been a need. Could just have been some extra cash for her. 400 bucks is no joke to a 17-year-old.