 "Republican US Representative Matt Gaetz speaks at a campaign rally for Republican presidential nominee and former US President Donald Trump in Henderson, Nevada, US, October 31, 2024. File Image/Reuters")
Matt Gaetz, a former Florida congressman and fierce Trump loyalist, has been nominated by United States President-elect Donald Trump as Attorney General.
However, his nomination has sparked significant controversy due to longstanding allegations of sexual misconduct, drug use, bribery, and ethical violations.
These accusations, while unproven in a court of law, have raised serious questions about his fitness for top law enforcement role in the US.
What are the allegations against Matt Gaetz?
Claims of sex with a minor
The most explosive allegations against Gaetz date back to 2017 when he allegedly had sexual relations with a 17-year-old girl during a party in Florida. Witnesses testified to the presence of drugs, including cocaine, marijuana, and ecstasy, at the gathering.
One woman claimed she saw Gaetz having sex with the minor, while another testified to engaging in sexual activity with him at the same event.
Joel Greenberg, a former Seminole County tax collector and Gaetz associate, was a central figure in the federal investigation. Greenberg pleaded guilty to six federal charges, including sex trafficking of a minor, wire fraud, and identity theft, and is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence.
He cooperated with prosecutors and implicated Gaetz, alleging the congressman had also had sexual relations with the 17-year-old.
Despite these claims, the Justice Department closed its three-year investigation into Gaetz in 2023, citing insufficient evidence to pursue charges. Gaetz has vehemently denied the accusations, calling them a “smear campaign” by political enemies.
“These lies were weaponised to try to destroy me,” Gaetz stated on X, adding, “The liars faced prosecution and prison — not me.”
Probe by the House Ethics Committee
Separate from the federal investigation, the House Ethics Committee launched an inquiry in 2021 into allegations of sexual misconduct, drug use, and misuse of campaign funds by Gaetz.
Witnesses testified that Gaetz used Venmo to pay women for sexual encounters and communicated about “party favours” and “vitamins,” terms reportedly understood to mean drugs.
Also Read | From Robert F Kennedy Jr to Tulsi Gabbard: The most controversial picks in Donald Trump’s Cabinet
One attorney, Joel Leppard, revealed that the committee heard from at least four women who described attending drug-fuelled parties with Gaetz. “Democracy demands transparency. Release the Gaetz Ethics report,” Leppard told CBS.
The Ethics Committee inquiry stalled while the Justice Department pursued its case but was revived in 2024 after new evidence emerged from a civil lawsuit.
This lawsuit involved Gaetz associates, including Christopher Dorworth, who owned the house where the alleged sexual encounter with the minor occurred. Dorworth denied the allegations, calling them fabrications, but the testimonies from multiple witnesses, including the then-17-year-old, remained central to the case.
Details from the depositions
A civil lawsuit between Gaetz associates unearthed new evidence that was shared with the Ethics Committee. Depositions revealed claims that Gaetz had sex with the minor on an air hockey table at a party, with Dorworth allegedly present.
Although Dorworth denied witnessing such events, other witnesses corroborated the allegations, describing a party environment filled with drugs and alcohol.
The lawsuit also highlighted a 2017 trip to the Bahamas involving Gaetz, the minor, and other women. Witnesses stated that the trip featured similar illicit activities, though the age of the women at the time remains contested.
Will these allegations impact Gaetz’s Attorney General nomination?
Hours after Trump announced Gaetz as his pick for Attorney General, Gaetz resigned from Congress . This move effectively halted the Ethics Committee investigation, as congressional jurisdiction applies only to sitting members. Critics have accused Gaetz of timing his resignation to avoid accountability.
While House Speaker Mike Johnson defended withholding the Ethics Committee’s findings, saying it would “breach protocol” to release reports on former members, public pressure is mounting. Some Senate Republicans, tasked with vetting Gaetz’s nomination, have expressed interest in reviewing the findings.
The Senate Judiciary Committee, controlled by Democrats, is expected to scrutinise Gaetz’s nomination heavily. They have requested not only the Ethics Committee’s report but also all underlying evidence. Some believe leaked details from the report could derail Gaetz’s confirmation, even if the full findings are not officially released.
Also Read | What are recess appointments? Can Trump use it to confirm Matt Gaetz and others?
Trump’s team dismissed the allegations, calling them “baseless” and part of an effort to sabotage his administration. “Matt Gaetz will be the next Attorney General. He’s the right man for the job and will end the weaponisation of our justice system,” Trump’s spokesperson Alex Pfeiffer told CBS.
The allegations against Gaetz, whether proven or not, have put a spotlight on the contentious nature of his nomination. Critics argue that the unresolved accusations tarnish the credibility of his potential tenure as Attorney General, while supporters view them as politically motivated attacks.
With inputs from agencies