Matt Gaetz's Ethics Controversy: Allegations and Implications

The U.S. House Ethics Committee's draft report accuses former congressman Matt Gaetz of paying women for drugs and sex, including with a minor. Gaetz, amid a legal battle to prevent the report's release, resigned from Congress after facing allegations that violated Florida state laws but not federal sex trafficking statutes.

The U.S. House Ethics Committee alleges that former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz paid substantial sums to women for drugs and sex, including with a minor, as reported in a draft of the panel's findings. Gaetz, who maintains his innocence, stepped down from Congress following his selection by President-elect Donald Trump for attorney general, a nomination he eventually withdrew under growing scrutiny and Senate opposition.

In a legal maneuver to suppress the impending release of the report, Gaetz initiated a lawsuit against the committee, claiming it lacked jurisdiction due to his congressional resignation. His legal team argued that disseminating the report would propagate harmful and false allegations.

The report, covered by CBS News and CNN, detailed Gaetz's $90,000 payments to multiple women, aligning these with illegal activities under Florida law. Although insufficient evidence substantiated federal sex trafficking charges, the report noted significant breaches of House rules, including engaging in prostitution and drug use.

(With inputs from agencies.)