Former Florida Representative Matt Gaetz recently shared a note he received from President-elect Donald Trump amidst allegations of sexual misconduct and drug use while in Congress. The House Ethics Committee found evidence of Gaetz’s alleged misconduct, prompting him to post the note online.
The handwritten message from Trump, reading “Very Unfair!” was displayed at the top of a printout of an article questioning the credibility of the allegations against Gaetz. The article, published by The Federalist, raised doubts about the accusers’ reliability.
The House report released on Monday accused Gaetz of breaking state and federal laws, including paying women for sexual activities and drug use. It also alleged that he engaged in illegal drug possession and paid a 17-year-old girl for sex in 2017. Despite these claims, the report did not find Gaetz guilty of violating federal sex trafficking laws.
The House Ethics Committee interviewed several witnesses who attended events with Gaetz between 2017-2020, including Joel Greenberg, who is currently serving a prison sentence for federal crimes, including sex trafficking.
Gaetz has consistently denied the allegations against him and questioned the credibility of his accusers. He emphasized that he never engaged in sexual activities with individuals under the age of 18 and admitted to past behaviors that he now finds embarrassing.
Following the House investigation, Gaetz resigned from Congress after being nominated by Trump for the position of attorney general. However, he withdrew his bid for the post due to concerns surrounding the ongoing investigation. The House Ethics Committee initially declined to release its findings but later reversed that decision, leading to the public disclosure of the report.
