The nomination of Rep. Matt Gaetz as the upcoming attorney general has stirred concerns among lawmakers, including some Republicans, regarding President-elect Donald Trump’s selection, particularly due to ongoing investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct.

Trump announced his selection on Truth Social, praising Gaetz as “an exceptionally talented and determined attorney.”

“(Gaetz) has set himself apart in Congress with his dedication to enacting crucial reforms in the Department of Justice,” Trump stated in his post on Truth Social. “Few issues in America are more pressing than halting the partisan manipulation of our justice system.”

Republican senators, including Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), expressed their doubts about Gaetz’s nomination leading up to a confirmation hearing. Murkowski described it as not “a serious nomination,” and Collins expressed her surprise at Trump’s choice and anticipated “many questions” during the hearing.

Alongside Gaetz’s criticism of the U.S. Justice Department, he may encounter inquiries regarding previous allegations of sexual misconduct. Here’s what to know about the claims that may follow Gaetz into the Department of Justice.

Justice Department Investigation Into Matt Gaetz for Allegedly Trafficking a 17-Year-Old Girl

In March 2021, the New York Times reported that the U.S. Justice Department was looking into Gaetz for suspicious activities linked to a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl.

It was alleged that Gaetz paid the underage girl for sexual encounters, purportedly occurring around 2019, and investigators suspected he financed her travels between states, as reported by the New York Times via “three individuals informed on the situation.”

These individuals elaborated that the then-38-year-old Gaetz was part of a broader investigation surrounding Joel Greenberg, a political associate and local Florida official. Greenberg faced multiple charges, including sex trafficking of a minor, resulting in his indictment in summer 2020.

Greenberg, a Republican who served as the tax collector in Seminole County, Florida, took a plea deal in May 2021, admitting to paying women and an underage girl for sex with him and other unnamed men. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2022.

Throughout the investigation, Gaetz maintained his innocence. Although no charges were filed against him, the Justice Department continued to investigate allegations of child sexual abuse and illicit drug use by the U.S. House Ethics Committee until his resignation on Wednesday.

Matt Gaetz Refutes Claims of 2017 ‘Sex Party’

A September report from NOTUS revealed sealed testimonies from three witnesses in the sex scandal linked to Greenberg, alleging Gaetz attended a “sex party” in 2017 that involved illegal drugs and a naked underage girl.

The federal court documents, containing the sealed testimonies, marked the first mention of Gaetz at such parties since the conclusion of the Justice Department’s investigation, according to the Washington-based media source.

The documents included testimony from “A.B.,” the 17-year-old girl central to the case, along with two other women claiming Gaetz was present at a Lake Mary, Florida-area “sex party” on July 15, 2017, as reported by NOTUS.

Upon being contacted by the Pensacola News Journal, which is part of the YSL News Network, a representative for Gaetz declared in September, “Congressman Gaetz has never engaged in the activities outlined in the NOTUS report. If anyone claims otherwise, they are either mistaken or dishonest. This particular journalist previously worked for the liberal outlet Daily Beast and forecasted the congressman’s arrest in 2021, and apparently had to seek other employment.”

The testimonies from the women alleging Gaetz’s presence at the party were drawn from depositions and affidavits mentioned in a lawsuit involving Joel Greenberg’s family and the alleged organizer of the event, former Florida Rep. Christopher Dorworth, as noted by the News Journal.

Dorworth filed a federal defamation lawsuit in 2023 against the 17-year-old girl, Greenberg, and some family members of Greenberg, accusing them of “colluding with Joel’s trafficking victim, A.B., to falsely accuse Dorworth and Gaetz of sexual misconduct.”

Conclusion of US House Ethics Committee’s Investigation Into Gaetz After His Resignation

The inquiry by the U.S. House Ethics Committee regarding allegations of child sexual abuse against Matt Gaetz came to an end after his attorney resigned from Congress in November, as reported by Rep. Michael Guest, the Republican chair of the House Ethics Committee.

Guest explained to CNN, “If he were to be appointed, then he would have to resign his position in the House, which would also terminate the ethics investigation, since our jurisdiction as the Ethics Committee only covers current members of Congress.”

Initially, the committee had widened its investigation in June to look into more accusations and was scheduled to determine on Friday whether they would make their report public. However, Gaetz’s resignation essentially concluded the probe, according to YSL News.

Gaetz faced a three-year scrutiny from the committee based on claims of sexual misconduct, drug use, accepting “improper gifts,” and providing special advantages to people he knew.

It remains uncertain whether the committee’s findings will ever be disclosed, particularly in light of Gaetz’s recent nomination for attorney general.