Attorney claims two women informed House Ethics Committee that Matt Gaetz compensated them for sex: reports
A lawyer from Florida, who represented two women during the House Ethics Committee’s investigation of former Republican Representative Matt Gaetz, stated that the women claimed Gaetz paid them for sexual services, as reported by various media outlets.
Reports from both the Washington Post and ABC News noted that one of the women also asserted she witnessed Gaetz engaged in sexual activity with a 17-year-old girl. These reports were based on information from Florida attorney Joel Leppard, who represented the women. Leppard did not immediately respond to a request for comments from YSL News.
Gaetz has been selected by President-elect Donald Trump to be attorney general. After Trump expressed his choice, House Speaker Mike Johnson indicated that the committee’s report on Gaetz should not be made public, despite some Republican senators wanting to review it. The Senate is tasked with confirming nominees for significant positions in Trump’s upcoming administration.
The Justice Department had investigated Gaetz concerning a sex-trafficking inquiry but chose not to bring forth any charges. Gaetz has consistently denied any wrongdoing related to this investigation and resigned from Congress just two days before the House report was due to be released.
A representative for Gaetz’s House office, Jacob Bliss, referred YSL News to a statement by Trump transition spokesperson Alex Pfeiffer. Pfeiffer labeled the allegations as a “frivolous” attempt to hinder Trump’s upcoming administration.
“The Biden Justice Department investigated Gaetz for years and determined he did no wrong,” Pfeiffer said. “Matt Gaetz will be the next Attorney General. He is the right person for the role and will put an end to the politicization of our justice system.”
Leppard, the attorney for the two women, informed ABC News that the client who reported seeing Gaetz engaging in sexual conduct with a minor claimed that Gaetz ceased when he realized the girl was underage.
“The understanding was that Matt Gaetz did not know she was a minor, and upon learning her age, he interrupted the encounter and did not resume any sexual relationship until she turned 18,” Leppard told ABC News.
