The House Ethics Committee’s investigation into Rep. Matt Gaetz has taken a significant turn as it reaches out to the woman involved in the alleged sexual relationship with the congressman when she was a 17-year-old minor. This previously unreported development indicates a broader inquiry into potential sex crimes by the GOP-led committee.
Simultaneously, the committee has contacted the Justice Department, seeking materials from its investigation into Gaetz, which included allegations of lobbying violations, sex trafficking, and obstruction of justice. Despite the federal probe concluding in 2023 without charges, the Ethics Committee’s recent outreach signifies an expansion of the investigation.
Gaetz maintains his innocence, vehemently denying any wrongdoing and dismissing the allegations as lies. He asserts that those spreading these accusations have been exposed, indicted, and imprisoned.
The renewed vigor in the Ethics Committee’s activities, including contacting multiple witnesses and initiating interviews, reflects a heightened phase in the probe. Remarkably, this increased activity comes under Republican leadership, noteworthy since the investigation was initially launched by House Democrats in 2021.
As Gaetz navigates the intensifying scrutiny, internal dynamics within the GOP are highlighted. Gaetz has privately accused former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of reigniting the investigation, a claim that McCarthy vehemently rejects. McCarthy attributes Gaetz’s attempts to oust him from leadership to the ongoing ethics probe.
Both the Ethics Committee and the Justice Department have refrained from commenting on these recent developments. The Justice Department’s independence in responding to the committee’s voluntary request underscores the sensitivity of the materials involved.
Gaetz’s involvement in the wider investigation became apparent during the Justice Department’s inquiry, which included examining allegations of sexual contact with a minor. Despite Gaetz avoiding charges, his close associate Joel Greenberg pleaded guilty to related federal charges.
The Ethics Committee, initially led by Democrats, had opened its investigation in 2021, encompassing a spectrum of allegations against Gaetz. After a pause at the Justice Department’s request, the committee resumed its work, planning to delve into the same allegations from the investigation’s inception.
