Matt Gaetz ethics report says his drug use and sex with a minor violated state laws
CBSN
Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican who briefly stood to become President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be attorney general, was found by congressional ethics investigators to have paid numerous women — including a 17-year-old girl — for sex, and to have purchased — and used — illegal drugs, including from his Capitol Hill office, according to a final draft of a comprehensive investigative report obtained by CBS News.
Those were among the findings of the long-running investigation by the House Ethics Committee into Gaetz, which concluded the former Florida congressman violated multiple state laws related to sexual misconduct while in office.
"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 37-page report concludes.
[This story previously aired on Dec. 18, 2021. It was updated on Dec. 21, 2024.] POLICE: You have no idea where Laci is? POLICE: You have any questions? SCOTT PETERSON [voicemail]: Hey, beautiful. I just left a message at home 2:15. I'm leaving Berkeley. I won't be able to get to Vella Farms to get the basket for Papa. I was hoping you would get this message and go on out there. I'll see you in a bit, sweetie. Love you. Bye. SCOTT PETERSON [police interview]: It seemed too cold to go play golf at the club, so ... SCOTT PETERSON [phone recording]: I wanted to call you. SCOTT PETERSON: We took care of each other very well. She was amazing – is amazing. GLORIA GOMEZ: Why would you leave Laci … alone to go fishing on Christmas Eve? SCOTT PETERSON: We have separate pursuits. … and being, you know, seven-and-a-half months pregnant she's not going to want to go out in a boat. SCOTT PETERSON: Want me to turn that off? AMBER FREY [phone recording]: Hello. SCOTT PETERSON [phone recording]: Amber are your there? SCOTT PETERSON [phone recording]: … I'm near the Eiffel Tower, the New Years' celebration is unreal. AMBER FREY [phone recording]: I deserve to understand an explanation of why you told me you lost your wife, and this was the first holidays you'd spend without her? That was December 9th – you told me this and how all- of-a sudden your wife's missing? Are you kidding me? … POLICE: You remember what part you saw? SCOTT PETERSON [phone recording]: I was staggered by it. I had no idea it was coming. SCOTT PETERSON [phone recording]: It's pretty awesome, fireworks there at the Eiffel Tower. POLICE INTERVIEW: OK, so then about 9:30 you left? SCOTT PETERSON: We were watching her favorite show, "Martha Stewart."