The Home Ethics Committee Monday launched its report summarizing the investigation into former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who vacated his seat days earlier than the report was anticipated to initially be made public.
A lady advised the committee she noticed Gaetz at a celebration having intercourse with a minor, her lawyer advised NBC Information final month.
Two further ladies advised the committee that Gaetz had paid them for intercourse, together with a lady who stated he paid a lady for intercourse at a small, invitation-only social gathering in Florida, the place prostitution is prohibited, in 2017 whereas he was a member of the Home, their lawyer advised NBC Information. These ladies have been of age on the time.
The identical girl advised the panel that, on the identical social gathering, she witnessed Gaetz having intercourse along with her pal, who was 17 years outdated on the time.
Previous to the report’s launch, Gaetz had repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, noting {that a} separate Justice Division probe into allegations of intercourse trafficking ended with no prices.
Earlier Monday, in an try to stop the report’s launch, Gaetz sought a short lived restraining order in opposition to the Home Ethics Committee and its Chair, Michael Visitor, calling for an injunction that might stop their launch of the anticipated report detailing the investigation into him.
“This motion challenges the Committee’s unconstitutional and extremely vires try to train jurisdiction over a non-public citizen by the threatened launch of an investigative report containing probably defamatory allegations, in violation of the Committee’s personal guidelines,” Gaetz’s crew wrote.
“The Committee’s obvious intention to launch its report after explicitly acknowledging it lacks jurisdiction over former members, its failure to observe constitutional notions of due course of, and failure to stick to its personal procedural guidelines and precedent represents an unprecedented overreach that threatens basic constitutional rights and established procedural protections.”
“I’ve had no probability to ever confront any accusers. I’ve by no means been charged. I’ve by no means been sued,” Gaetz wrote on X final week.
“In my single days, I typically despatched funds to ladies I dated — even some I by no means dated however who requested. I dated a number of of those ladies for years,” he continued in a prolonged submit. “I NEVER had sexual contact with somebody below 18. Any declare that I’ve can be destroyed in courtroom — which is why no such declare was ever made in courtroom. My 30’s have been an period of working very arduous — and taking part in arduous too.”
“It’s embarrassing, although not legal, that I most likely partied, womanized, drank and smoked greater than I ought to have earlier in life. I stay a special life now,” Gaetz wrote.
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