Gaetz rages at secret vote to release ethics report — insists he was 'fully exonerated'

In an angry statement ending in vulgarity, Republican former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz expressed outrage after the House Ethics Committee voted in secret to release its report on its years-long investigation into numerous allegations against him, including possible sexual misconduct.

The House Ethics Committee has said it was investigating allegations that Gaetz “may have engaged in sexual misconduct and/or illicit drug use, 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 gift, in violation of House Rules, laws, or other standards of conduct.”

Calling it a “stark reversal,” CNN, in an exclusive, reported Wednesday that the “House Ethics Committee secretly voted earlier this month to release its report into the conduct of former Rep. Matt Gaetz before the end of this Congress, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the matter.”

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“The report is now expected to be made public after the House’s final day of votes this year as lawmakers leave Washington for the holidays, those sources said.”

CNN also noted that the House Ethics Committee’s vote last month to not release the report was made when Gaetz was Trump’s nominee to become Attorney General. “Since then, Gaetz withdrew himself from consideration for the Senate-confirmed post, though he maintains frosty relations with many in his party and is still active in GOP politics.”

Last month, NBC reported that a “woman told the House Ethics Committee that she saw Matt Gaetz, who is President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for the U.S. attorney general, have sex with a minor, her lawyer said.”

Gaetz released a statement declaring that he had been “FULLY EXONERATED” by the Biden Dept. of Justice. The DOJ reportedly only declined to bring charges against the former Congressman.

“The Biden/Garland DOJ spent years reviewing allegations that I committed various crimes,” Gaetz’s statement reads. “I was charged with nothing: FULLY EXONERATED. Not even a campaign finance violation. And the people investigating me hated me.”

“Then, the very ‘witnesses’ DOJ deemed not-credible were assembled by House Ethics to repeat their claims absent any cross-examination or challenge from me or my attorneys. I’ve had no chance to ever confront any accusers. I’ve never been charged. I’ve never been sued. Instead, House Ethics will reportedly post a report online that I have no opportunity to debate or rebut as a former member of the body.”

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Somefound the next portion of his statement of particular interest.

“In my single days, I often sent funds to women I dated – even some I never dated but who asked. I dated several of these women for years. I NEVER had sexual contact with someone under 18. Any claim that I have would be destroyed in court – which is why no such claim was ever made in court. My 30’s were an era of working very hard – and playing hard too.”

“It’s embarrassing, though not criminal,” Gaetz concluded, “that I probably partied, womanized, drank and smoked more than I should have earlier in life. I live a different life now.”

“But at least I didn’t vote for CR’s that f*ck over the country!” he added, referring to the controversial continuing resolution the House passed that will keep the federal government open and running past Friday’s midnight deadline.

Longtime Capitol Hill correspondent Jamie Dupree noted that “Gaetz resigned from Congress seemingly in a bid to stop the public release of the ethics report. Now he complains that as a former member, he can’t rebut the report about him.”