Ethics report finds ‘substantial evidence’ Matt Gaetz violated statutory rape law: Live updates
Gaetz stands accused of buying and using illegal drugs, including from his office on Capitol Hill, according to the report
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Your support makes all the difference.The House Ethics Committee report into former Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida has been released, with the panel having “determined there is substantial evidence” that the former congressman and attorney general nominee violated a statutory rape law.
“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 report states.
Before its release, Gaetz sued the committee to block the release of the report that found that he paid thousands of dollars to more than a dozen women — including a 17-year-old girl — for sex.
In a federal lawsuit filed in Washington, D.C., the Republican accused the committee of making an “unconstitutional” attempt to “exercise jurisdiction over a private citizen” by releasing a report “containing potentially defamatory allegations.”
He asked for a judge to issue an emergency order to block the report’s release, but drafts had already been published in several news outlets Monday morning.
Publishing the report would mark an “unprecedented overreach that threatens fundamental constitutional rights and established procedural protections,” attorneys for the former congressman wrote.
‘There is a reason they did this to me in a Christmas Eve-Eve report and not in a courtroom,’ Gaetz says
Matt Gaetz wrote in a post on X: “Giving funds to someone you are dating - that they didn’t ask for - and that isn’t ‘charged’ for sex is now prostitution?!?”
He added: “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. This is testimony from one of the alleged ‘prostitutes’ that you won’t see in the report!”
Matt Gaetz sues ethics committee to block ‘defamatory’ report
Matt Gaetz is suing the House Ethics Committee to block the publication of a damning report into allegations he paid for sex with more than a dozen women, including a 17-year-old girl.
The report follows a long-running investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use while he was a member of Congress, when he allegedly spent tens of thousands of dollars on sex- and drug-fueled parties and travel.
He is accused of paying more than $90,000 to at least 12 different women, including a high school student, according to leaks of a draft of the report, which is expected to be released as early as Monday.
Read more:
Matt Gaetz sues ethics committee to block ‘defamatory’ report
Gaetz is accused of spending tens of thousands of dollars on sex- and drug-fueled parties and travel
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Who is Matt Gaetz’s wife, Ginger? The woman proudly standing by her man amid sex allegations
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The 30-year-old wife of the former Florida congressman and Donald Trump’s original pick for attorney general, Matt Gaetz, proudly describes herself as his “wifey” in her profile bio.
Her supportive posts about Gaetz, 42, signaled an intent to stand by him as he battled resurfaced sexual allegations from his past.
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Who is Matt Gaetz’s wife, Ginger? The woman standing by her man amid sex allegations
Gaetz’s 30-year-old wife Ginger describes herself as his ‘wifey’ in her Instagram profile bio. Rhian Lubin reports
‘These claims would be destroyed in court,’ Gaetz says
“These claims would be destroyed in court — which is why they were never made in any court against me,” Gaetz told Politico.
Matt Gaetz sues ethics committee to block release of report
Matt Gaetz has sued the House Ethics Committee in an attempt to block the release of a report that found that he paid thousands of dollars to more than a dozen women for sex.
“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 report states. A draft of the report was initially obtained by CBS News and CNN.
Gaetz is now suing in the hopes of getting an order to block the public release of the report.
“Upon information and belief, Defendants’ intention to release reports and/or investigatory information related to Plaintiff contains untruthful and defamatory information concerning Plaintiff, which, if publicly released, would significantly damage Plaintiff’s standing and reputation in the community,” the suit states. “Once released, the damage to Plaintiff’s reputation and professional standing would be immediate, severe and irreversible, particularly because: a. The Committee’s findings would carry the imprimatur of official Congressional action; b. Media coverage would be immediate and widespread; c. The allegations would permanently remain in the public record; d. No adequate remedy exists to retract or correct information once released; e. Sovereign immunity would likely bar any subsequent damages action.”
Ethics committee report finds evidence Matt Gaetz paid 17-year-old-girl for sex
A bombshell report from the House Ethics Committee reveals damning news details about the long-running investigation into Matt Gaetz’s alleged sexual misconduct and illicit drug use.
The report found that the former House representative from Florida paid thousands of dollars to more than a dozen women — including a 17-year-old girl — for sex.
He is also accused of buying and using illegal drugs, including from his office on Capitol Hill, according to the report, a draft of which was first obtained by CBS News and CNN.
Gaetz is accused of violating Florida’s statutory rape laws, among others, the report found.
“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 report states.
Read more:
Ethics committee report finds evidence Matt Gaetz paid 17-year-old-girl for sex
Former congressman violated standards ‘prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress,’ report finds
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US announces deportations in 2024 hit a 10-year high. Trump wants to increase it tenfold
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has revealed deportations hit a 10-year high in 2024 as President-elect Donald Trump promises to increase that figure dramatically when he takes office in a month.
ICE deported 271,484 people this year, the highest since 2014 when the agency deported more than 300,000 people, according to their fiscal year 2024 report.
During Trump’s first term, his administration hit a high of 267,258 deportations in 2019. This report comes after Trump spent much of his time on the campaign trail criticizing President Joe Biden’s administration on immigration.
This year’s number of deportations is still not high enough, Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the president-elect and soon-to-be White House press secretary, said in a statement to The Independent.
“This number pales in comparison to the tens of millions of illegal criminals, including thousands of murderers, rapists, and drug dealers, who Joe Biden allowed to illegally enter our country and continue to roam freely in our communities to this very day,” Leavitt said.
Katie Hawkinson has the details.
US announces deportations in 2024 hit a 10-year high. Trump wants them even higher
The president-elect has called for mass deportations and an end to birthright citizenship
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