Gaetz admits to sending money to ‘women he dated’ as he blasts House plan to release ethics report

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Matt Gaetz admits he “probably partied, womanized, drank and smoked” more than he should have in his 30s as the 42-year-old former congressman lambasted an imminent report from a long-running ethics investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct with underage girls and drug use while he was in office. open image in gallery The House Ethics Committee investigation has reportedly changed course and is now expected to release the results of a long-running investigation into now-former congressman Matt Gaetz Gaetz withdrew his name for consideration as Donald Trump’s nominee for US attorney general following reports that a woman testified to the committee that she had sexual encounters with Gaetz at a party in 2017 when she was 17 years old. The committee’s report follows a lengthy probe into allegations against the Republican, including whether he engaged in sexual misconduct, used illicit drugs, “shared inappropriate images or videos on the House floor, misused state identification records, converted campaign funds to personal use, and/or accepted a bribe, improper gratuity, or impermissible gifts,” according to the committee’s announcement last year. open image in gallery Gaetz abruptly resigned from Congress after Trump nominated him for attorney general, though he withdrew his name from consideration as ethics committee members debated releasing a report into allegations of sexual misconduct Gaetz’s abrupt resignation from Congress after Trump nominated him to lead the Justice Department effectively ended the House investigation, though committee members weighed whether to force the House to release a report.