Ethics Committee Probes Allegations Against Gaetz in Paid Sex Parties Investigation
The House Ethics Committee is scrutinizing Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) over allegations involving text exchanges with a woman who claims she was compensated to attend sex parties with him, as initially reported by ABC News. Despite denials from Gaetz’s camp stating the congressman is unaware of the woman in question, evidence suggests a deeper involvement. The Daily Beast reports that in 2021, the woman testified about attending drug-fueled parties and engaging in sexual activities with Gaetz, corroborating her statements with text messages, photographs, and additional evidence handed over to the Justice Department for a child sex trafficking investigation.
This inquiry into Gaetz encompasses accusations of paying for sex with women, sexual violation of a minor, charges of public corruption, solicitation of prostitution, habitual drug use, campaign finance violations, and inappropriate conduct on the House floor. The revelations have prompted the Ethics Committee to convene and assess the gravity of the allegations against Gaetz, whose political affiliations and actions are now under intense scrutiny.
The woman, advised by her attorney, participated in these parties willingly, receiving monetary compensation for her attendance. Her involvement brings to light the broader implications of the case, particularly focusing on the use of controlled substances at these events, which, according to her lawyer, may have influenced the participants’ actions and recollections of the gatherings.
Payments linked to Gaetz’s circle, notably from his associate Joel Greenberg, further entangle the congressman in the scandal. Greenberg, who has pleaded guilty to a range of federal offenses including child sex trafficking, admitted to facilitating encounters between the underage individual and other men, implicating Gaetz indirectly through financial transactions and shared experiences.
The Ethics Committee’s investigation into Gaetz, reignited after federal prosecutors declined to press charges, aims to untangle the web of allegations surrounding the congressman. Witnesses and evidence, including those from key figures in the case, provide a multifaceted view of Gaetz’s alleged misconduct, challenging the congressman’s narrative and raising questions about ethical conduct and accountability in political office.
