House Ethics Committee Votes to Release Matt Gaetz Report

The US House Ethics Committee has voted to release its report on former Republican representative Matt Gaetz, two sources familiar with the matter have told the BBC’s US partner, CBS News.

The report follows a year-long investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and illegal drug use. It is expected to be released in the coming days.

House Republicans previously blocked Democratic efforts to release the findings of the report to the former Florida representative, but during a Dec. 5 vote, two Republicans voted to release the report, according to CBS.

Gaetz, who has denied any wrongdoing, said Wednesday: “I was charged with nothing: Completely acquitted. Not even a campaign finance violation. And the people who investigated me hated me.”

He added: “Instead, House Ethics will reportedly publish a report online that I have no opportunity to discuss or refute as a former member of the body.”

Gaetz resigned from Congress last month after President-elect Donald Trump said he would nominate him to lead the US Justice Department.

But he withdrew his name from consideration for the role just a week later after a backlash from Democrats and Republicans and debate over whether to release the committee’s report.

Gaetz said at the time that he hoped to avoid an “unnecessarily protracted tussle in Washington.”

The 42-year-old has since said he will not return to Congress for the next term, instead launching a new show on the Trump-aligned One America News Network in January.

The ethics committee declined to comment on the news that it had voted to release the report, which was first reported by CNN.

It previously said Gaetz was under investigation for sexual misconduct, illegal drug use and bribery.

A woman who attended a 2017 party with him has testified to a House committee that she saw the then-congressman having sex with a minor, according to the woman’s attorney.

The same lawyer claimed that Gaetz paid this witness and another woman to have sex with him.

In the same X post on Wednesday, Gaetz wrote: “It is embarrassing, but not criminal, that I probably partied, womanized, drank and smoked more than I should have done earlier in life. I live a different life now.”

He has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and has described the investigation into him as a “smear campaign”.

The Justice Department — which Trump had initially tapped Gaetz to lead — also investigated an allegation that he had sex with a minor, but ultimately did not file any criminal charges against him.

Joel Greenberg, Gaetz’s former friend, was the lone person charged in the Justice Department’s sex-trafficking investigation. He cooperated with investigators and allegedly told prosecutors information about several others, including Gaetz.

Greenberg is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence after agreeing to plead guilty to several federal charges, including sex trafficking of minors, fraud, stalking, identity theft, making a false ID card and conspiracy to defraud the United States government.