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PunkinPi

(5,022 posts)
Mon Dec 23, 2024, 07:52 AM Monday

Matt Gaetz ethics report says his drug use and sex with a minor violated state laws

Source: CBS News

Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican who briefly stood to become President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be attorney general, was found by congressional ethics investigators to have paid numerous women — including a 17-year-old girl — for sex, and to have purchased and used illegal drugs, including from his Capitol Hill office, according to a final draft of a comprehensive investigative report obtained by CBS News.

Those were among the findings of the long-running investigation by the House Ethics Committee into Gaetz, which concluded the former Florida congressman violated multiple state laws related to sexual misconduct while in office.

"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 37-page report concludes.

...

"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," noted the report, which lists payments totaling more than $90,000 to 12 different women.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/matt-gaetz-ethics-report-released/

38 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Matt Gaetz ethics report says his drug use and sex with a minor violated state laws (Original Post) PunkinPi Monday OP
Poor Matt, he's gotta pay for his nooky. Joinfortmill Monday #1
If the victims of this pervert are under 18.... rubbersole Monday #18
And he might run for senate.... Lovie777 Monday #2
Typical Republican man with power Walleye Monday #3
Only the best. mobeau69 Monday #4
Child rape doesn't break any FEDERAL laws??? Think. Again. Monday #5
Well, a felon, insurrectionist, and adjudicated rapist was just elected as potus, so... nt PunkinPi Monday #6
Age of consent in Florida is 18, so what about state laws? HereForTheParty Monday #9
Because the American justice system doen't work that way FredGarvin Monday #11
Could be a statute of limitations issue onenote Monday #21
Maybe if he raped a wealthy CEO they would throw the book at him Mr.WeRP Monday #22
Because Rebl2 Monday #31
Give me a break. usonian Monday #24
In this case that's a good thing, because Trump could pardon a federal crime. Ocelot II Monday #29
But AG Ashley Moody didn't prosecute. She did nothing. That should disqualify her from office! OrlandoDem2 Monday #7
Can trump pardon him? lamp_shade Monday #8
Thinking he couldn't if the charges are STATE charges Attilatheblond Monday #26
Nope. Statutory rape isn't a federal crime. Ocelot II Monday #27
He should be in prison malaise Monday #10
She had "just finished her junior year in HIGH SCHOOL" Prairie Gates Monday #12
Gotta wonder where her parents were. Ocelot II Monday #28
And Matt's going to run for Rubio's Senate seat. sinkingfeeling Monday #13
Christians in MAGA hats will rush to vote for him. 70sEraVet Monday #14
And used Venmo to pay for it MaineBlueBear Monday #15
In his defense, he had been told Venmo was for minor purchases . . . Journeyman Monday #32
The 'sex with a minor' scandal and the 'paying for sex with venmo' scandal are two different ones AZJonnie Monday #35
Republicans don't care. Especially the good "Christian Ones." Botany Monday #16
Yep JustAnotherGen Monday #17
And we can't forget Rick Scott Ol Janx Spirit Monday #30
Racism and Misogyny JustAnotherGen Monday #36
Is this the Republican plan for helping young girls afford college? CaptainTruth Monday #19
Maybe also part of why they never want to raise the minimum wage AZJonnie Monday #37
He's an incredible scum NotHardly Monday #20
This message was self-deleted by its author republianmushroom Monday #23
Lock him up Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Monday #25
The full Matt Gaetz House ethics report has been released. Here it is...... riversedge Monday #33
Trump won't be happy. Gaetz is now taking the mantle of ............ riversedge Monday #34
These are the specific laws the report identifies that he broke. Wiz Imp Monday #38

rubbersole

(8,697 posts)
18. If the victims of this pervert are under 18....
Mon Dec 23, 2024, 10:23 AM
Monday

....is it called rookie nooky?

Sorry. I know...uncalled for.

Lovie777

(15,210 posts)
2. And he might run for senate....
Mon Dec 23, 2024, 07:58 AM
Monday

The moral, ethical, compassionate, caring, trustworthy, etc regarding the Republicans basically is non existing and the lack thereof.

What they do thrive on is lies, making up shit, steal, cheat, and it’s a shame. Oh that’s right they are infected with them starting at the very stop.

Mr.WeRP

(661 posts)
22. Maybe if he raped a wealthy CEO they would throw the book at him
Mon Dec 23, 2024, 10:51 AM
Monday

Crimes against CEOs are prosecuted like no other crime in this country…

Ocelot II

(121,460 posts)
29. In this case that's a good thing, because Trump could pardon a federal crime.
Mon Dec 23, 2024, 11:32 AM
Monday

He can't pardon the state crime of statutory rape.

OrlandoDem2

(2,324 posts)
7. But AG Ashley Moody didn't prosecute. She did nothing. That should disqualify her from office!
Mon Dec 23, 2024, 08:22 AM
Monday

AZJonnie

(88 posts)
35. The 'sex with a minor' scandal and the 'paying for sex with venmo' scandal are two different ones
Mon Dec 23, 2024, 12:44 PM
Monday

The women who testified he paid them with Venmo were not minors at the time, or at least if they were, it's not part of the record. If there was solid evidence he explicitly paid the 17-yo for sex, he'd probably have faced federal trafficking charges.

Botany

(72,654 posts)
16. Republicans don't care. Especially the good "Christian Ones."
Mon Dec 23, 2024, 10:10 AM
Monday

Trump did cocaine with under age girls and had sex with them, flew around with and
used Jeffery Epstein to get him dates including his current wife who was a sex worker,
and talked about what a hot piece of ass his daughter was. Those shits see Gaetz as
on there side for control of America.

https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/17mj4mp/15_year_old_ivanka_trump_sitting_on_her_fathers/#lightbox



JustAnotherGen

(33,805 posts)
17. Yep
Mon Dec 23, 2024, 10:23 AM
Monday

This is a feature not a bug for the bad people in Florida (Not the Democratic Party Voters) who make up the majority of the electorate there.

They'll probably vote for him for Senate or Governor first chance they get.

They are ALL in for sexual predators, drug addicts, and evil men - as evidenced by the awful Frat House - Lado Di Merda!

Ol Janx Spirit

(11 posts)
30. And we can't forget Rick Scott
Mon Dec 23, 2024, 11:32 AM
Monday

whose company had to pay $1.7 billion in the largest healthcare fraud case in US history. ( https://www.justice.gov/archive/opa/pr/2003/June/03_civ_386.htm )
How can Floridians live with being this bad?

JustAnotherGen

(33,805 posts)
36. Racism and Misogyny
Mon Dec 23, 2024, 01:04 PM
Monday

It's that simple. And don't forget the Cubans down there that are bigots in the sunken place.

Response to PunkinPi (Original post)

riversedge

(73,403 posts)
33. The full Matt Gaetz House ethics report has been released. Here it is......
Mon Dec 23, 2024, 12:23 PM
Monday



The full Matt Gaetz ethics report has been released.

Here it is. meidasnews.com/news/read-no...

The House Ethics Committee report into the allegations against Matt Gaetz has officially been released. Read the full report below:


https://meidasnews.com/news/read-now-full-matt-gaetz-report



https://bsky.app/profile/ronfilipkowski.bsky.social/post/3ldyeutyup223

riversedge

(73,403 posts)
34. Trump won't be happy. Gaetz is now taking the mantle of ............
Mon Dec 23, 2024, 12:37 PM
Monday

Its a tie!!




Trump won’t be happy. Gaetz is now taking the mantle of worst sexual predator politician from him.

https://bsky.app/profile/flatsfinatic.bsky.social/post/3ldyexhtv5c2p

Wiz Imp

(2,411 posts)
38. These are the specific laws the report identifies that he broke.
Mon Dec 23, 2024, 04:22 PM
Monday
2. The Committee Found that Representative Gaetz Engaged in Commercial Sex

There is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz paid women for sex, and had others
pay women for sex on his behalf. The Committee heard testimony from over half a dozen
witnesses who attended parties, events, and trips with Representative Gaetz from 2017-2020.
Nearly every young woman that the Committee interviewed confirmed that she was paid for sex
by, or on behalf of, Representative Gaetz. A few of the women characterized their relationship
differently, describing a date-for-hire arrangement that may not necessarily implicate state
prostitution laws. Even assuming the payments to those particular women would not violate
prostitution laws, the Committee found evidence that Representative Gaetz spent tens of thousands
of dollars on other women with whom he had a shared understanding that they would be
compensated for sexual activity with him. There were potentially additional amounts spent on
commercial sex that could not be specifically identified either because payments were made in
cash or through intermediaries. The Committee’s record thus indicates that Representative Gaetz
enticed and procured women to engage in sexual activity for hire and purchased the services of
women engaging in sexual activity for hire, in violation of Florida state law.

3. The Committee Found that Representative Gaetz Violated Florida’s Statutory
Rape Law

There is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz engaged in sexual activity with a
17-year-old girl. The Committee received credible testimony from Victim A herself, as well as
multiple individuals corroborating the allegation. Several of those witnesses have also testified
under oath before a federal grand jury and in a civil litigation. Representative Gaetz denied the
allegation but refused to testify under oath. He has publicly stated that Victim A “doesn’t exist”
and that he has not “had sex with a 17-year-old since I was 17.” 125 The Committee found that to
be untrue and determined that there is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz had sex with
Victim A in July 2017, when she was 17 years old, and he was 35. Representative Gaetz’s actions
were in violation of Florida’s statutory rape law.


The statute of limitations has expired on the statutory rape offense. It's unclear whether he could still be charged on the Commercial Sex violation or what the potential severity of the punishment could be.

Unfortunately, the most serious allegation was sex trafficking and they didn't find he violated that.

1. The Committee Did Not Find that Representative Gaetz Violated Federal Sex
Trafficking Laws

The Committee did not obtain substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated
federal sex trafficking laws. Transportation of an individual for purposes of commercial sex could
violate such laws if the individual was a minor, or if the sexual activity occurred through force,
fraud, or coercion.

Representative Gaetz was alleged in news reports to have paid a minor to engage in sexual
activity and travel with him on a trip to the Bahamas in September 2018. However, the youngest
person who traveled with him and his associates was 18 years old at the time of the trip. Further,
she and the other women who attended the Bahamas trip did not recall being paid for sexual
activity on that occasion. One woman testified that she was not paid for sex on the trip, although
she did have sex with Representative Gaetz, because “the trip itself was more so the payment.”

As discussed above, there is evidence that Representative Gaetz paid women to travel to
New York and Washington, D.C. for commercial sex. At the time, each of the women was over
the age of 18. While Representative Gaetz’s relationship with these women involved an
exploitative power imbalance, the Committee does not have reason to believe that he used force,
fraud, or coercion as those terms apply under the applicable laws.
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