this post was submitted on 23 Dec 2024
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Bullet Points From Report

• From at least 2017 to 2020, Representative Gaetz regularly paid women forengaging in sexual activity with him

.• In 2017, Representative Gaetz engaged in sexual activity with a 17-year-old girl.

• During the period 2017 to 2019, Representative Gaetz used or possessed illegal drugs, including cocaine and ecstasy, on multiple occasions

.• Representative Gaetz accepted gifts, including transportation and lodging in connection with a 2018 trip to the Bahamas, in excess of permissible amounts.

• In 2018, Representative Gaetz arranged for his Chief of Staff to assist a woman with whom he engaged in sexual activity in obtaining a passport, falsely indicating to the U.S. Department of State that she was a constituent.

• Representative Gaetz knowingly and willfully sought to impede and obstruct the Committee’s investigation of his conduct.

• Representative Gaetz has acted in a manner that reflects discreditably upon the House

Underage Sex Portion

The Committee provided Representative Gaetz with the names of 15 women who were alleged to have received payments from him or on his behalf relating to sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, as well as the approximate payment amounts and transaction years, but he did not provide any explanation for those payments.

Representative Gaetz responded publicly to allegations that his payments to women were for sex by stating that “someone is trying to recategorize my generosity to ex-girlfriends as something more untoward.”105 He also repeatedly denied having ever paid for sex.106 When given the opportunity to put that assertion in writing in this matter, however, Representative Gaetz refused to respond, asserting that “asking about [his]sexual history as a single man with adult women is a bridge too far.

”Representative Gaetz did broadly address the allegation that he engaged in sexual activity with a minor; he asserted in his September 26, 2024, letter to the Committee: “Your correspondence of September 4 asks whether I have engaged in sexual activity with any individual under 18. The answer to this question is unequivocally NO. You can apply this response to every version of this question, in every forum.”107 The Committee’s September 4 letter, however,specifically asked him whether he was present at the July 15, 2017, party at Mr. Dorworth’s,whether he ever engaged in sexual activity with Victim A and when, and whether he ever gave Victim A money (directly or indirectly) and if so, for what purpose. Representative Gaetz did not answer any of those questions.

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25469466-read-the-house-ethics-committees-report-about-former-rep-matt-gaetz/#document/p1

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[–] CompostMaterial@lemmy.world 30 points 2 days ago

It's always the ones you most suspect.

[–] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 22 points 2 days ago (2 children)

They softened the wording IMO. The dude sex-trafficked.

[–] Anticorp@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago

If you're a congressman, or rich, then it's just sparkling sex.

[–] 5714@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 1 day ago

America's own Tate?

[–] Anticorp@lemmy.world 17 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Over $90,000 at $400 a pop. Dude has a problem. I guess that's probably the understatement of the year, and it's December 23rd.

[–] eestileib@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

That's 225 encounters over 4 years, about one a week.

If he was doing it in a jurisdiction where it was legal and regulated, not committing immigration fraud, or involving minors, can't say I'd give much of a shit about it.

[–] Anticorp@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Yes, but it's none of those things, so 225 separate instances of multiple felonies, and that's just what they know of.

[–] eestileib@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Well yeah, but with Merrick Garland on the case, obviously nothing was going to happen.

[–] Anticorp@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Definitely. At what point is it just gloating? "Look at all these laws we're breaking, and you can't do anything about it!"

[–] NegativeLookBehind@lemmy.world 17 points 2 days ago (2 children)

And they'll do absolutely nothing about it

[–] eestileib@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 day ago

It kept him from being nominated as Attorney-General (and probably prompted his resignation), so although he is getting off very easily, he's not completely skating.

[–] HowManyNimons@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

I propose we nick him for it when Trump's term is over. Otherwise he'll just get pardoned won't he?

[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

So I saw the people talking about it and decided to double check that what they were saying was true. And yeah it's worse. Representative Gaetz paid for access to women to both them and another man in both cash (nebulous pricing model, not an explicit price) and in drugs. That's how he met the 17 year old who he statutory raped and sex trafficked.

I hope this makes it to court. If I were on the jury I would convict of a lot of things including sexual trafficking of a minor and statutory rape based on this evidence.

And I especially encourage people to read the dissenting opinion atvtge end. They agree with the facts presented, and solely dissent on the issue of releasing this report after his resignation.

[–] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

I doubt anything will happen to him. I think this is just revenge in that the r's and d's trying to ruin any future career for him. That might work.

[–] eestileib@sh.itjust.works 8 points 1 day ago

Remember, Merrick Garland's DoJ spiked any federal law enforcement action related to this.

Well done everybody. 🥳

[–] myrrh@ttrpg.network 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

...it's not a problem for his god-emperor, why should it be a problem for him?..

[–] DarkCloud@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago (5 children)

Shouldn't the real story be why a 17 year old felt the need to become a sex worker? Isn't that the actual systemic issue here?

[–] athairmor@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago

No. There’s nothing in this particular case that can be extrapolated to “lots of teens out there forced into selling their bodies for money because of the system.”

This is one incidence and we don’t know her motivations. What we do know is that a fully mature adult, a sitting Congressman took advantage of a teen that was willing to sell sex.

[–] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 day ago

Both are real stories. A sitting congressmen bought underage sex and brought her across state lines. Why was the girl selling herself for sex is another story.

[–] Drusas@fedia.io 2 points 1 day ago

It might not have been a need. Could just have been some extra cash for her. 400 bucks is no joke to a 17-year-old.

[–] Reddfugee42@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

As if this can't also be a "real story".

False dichotomy.

[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 0 points 1 day ago

Both are important stories. But I'm actually more concerned that a congressman hired one.

[–] frustrated_phagocytosis@fedia.io 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Does he own guns? Because I've heard doing drugs while owning guns is the worst thing you can ever do

That's just because they don't want you to know how cool it is to do drugs and have guns.