House Ethics Committee Reveals Matt Gaetz Violated Florida Laws — Is He Going to Jail?

Content warning: This article mentions sexual misconduct, statutory rape, and illicit drug use.

Since stepping down as President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz has faced a lot of trouble. The House Ethics Committee recently published its findings from an extensive investigation into his actions, revealing that Gaetz violated several state laws concerning sexual misconduct during his time in office.

Given these revelations, one question remains: Is Matt Gaetz going to jail? Here's what you need to know so far, including the disturbing details uncovered in the House Ethics Committee's report on the Florida politician.

As of now, it remains unknown whether Matt Gaetz will face jail time or avoid punishment. However, it's clear that many on social media are calling for the former Representative to be incarcerated for his actions.

"The report's findings on Matt Gaetz is damning, he should be in jail," one person posted on X (formerly Twitter).

A second person questioned, "Why isn't Matt Gaetz sitting in a jail cell?" While a third user suggested, "Matt Gaetz should go to jail for 20 years."

The House Ethics Committee had originally voted to keep the report confidential but changed course in a secret vote in early December 2024.

According to a final draft of the House Ethics Committee's report obtained by CNN, Gaetz "tens of thousands of dollars" to multiple women for sex or drugs on at least 20 occasions, including a payment to a 17-year-old girl for sex in 2017.

The report revealed that the panel investigated transactions personally made by Gaetz, often through PayPal or Venmo, to over a dozen women during his time in Congress.

Investigators also examined a 2018 trip to the Bahamas, which they determined "violated the House gift rule." During the trip, Gaetz "engaged in sexual activity" with several women, including one who described the trip itself as "the payment" for sex. Additionally, a woman on the trip told the committee that Gaetz used ecstasy while there.

The committee's explosive findings concluded that Gaetz violated Florida state laws, including its statutory rape law.

"The Committee determined there is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House Rules and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress," the panel investigators shared.

According to CBS News, the report uncovered"substantial evidence" that Gaetz also engaged in uncontrolled illicit drug use. The committee shared text messages he allegedly sent where he referred to drugs as "party favors," "rolls" or "vitamins."

Additionally, it was reported that Gaetz apparently created a fake email from his Capitol Hill office specifically to purchase marijuana. The report also mentioned that Gaetz had denied using illicit drugs in his written responses to the committee.

Beyond accusations of sexual misconduct and drug use, the report also alleged that Gaetz accepted luxury travel gifts that exceeded permissible limits.

It even claimed that Gaetz arranged for his chief of staff to help a woman he had engaged in sexual activity with obtaining a passport, falsely presenting her as one of his associates to the State Department.

Gaetz has consistently denied any wrongdoing, and on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, he filed a lawsuit in federal court to prevent the release of the report, arguing that as a private citizen, he is no longer under the committee's jurisdiction.

According to The Hill, Gaetz's attorneys argued that the report contains "untruthful and defamatory information" that could severely damage his reputation.

"The Committee's apparent intention to release its report after explicitly acknowledging it lacks jurisdiction over former members, its failure to follow constitutional notions of due process, and failure to adhere to its own procedural rules and precedent represents an unprecedented overreach that threatens fundamental constitutional rights and established procedural protections," Gaetz's legal team wrote.