A woman has testified under oath to the House Ethics Committee that she witnessed former Congressman Matt Gaetz having sex with a minor, according to her lawyer.
Attorney Joel Leppard, who represents two women who gave closed-door testimony earlier this summer, confirmed the shocking claim to ABC News. The testimony was part of an ongoing investigation into Gaetz as the committee probed multiple serious allegations against him.
“My client testified to the House Ethics Committee that she witnessed Matt Gaetz having sex with a minor,” Leppard said. He suggested that these revelations raise urgent questions about Gaetz’s past behavior, particularly as he faces scrutiny over his potential nomination by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as Attorney General.
“As the Senate considers former Rep. Gaetz’s nomination for attorney general, several questions demand answers,” Leppard added. “What if multiple credible witnesses provided evidence of behavior that would constitute serious criminal violations?”
Leppard also argued that the public should be made aware of the full details. “We believe it should be released for transparency,” he said, referring to the investigation and testimony.
The House Ethics Committee had been investigating Gaetz over allegations of sexual misconduct, illicit drug use, accepting improper gifts, dispensing special privileges to individuals with whom he had personal relationships, and attempting to obstruct government investigations into his conduct, according to CNN.
Despite the gravity of these allegations, Gaetz has consistently denied any wrongdoing, including the specific accusation of engaging in sexual acts with a minor. “I have never paid for sex, nor have I engaged in any illegal or inappropriate sexual conduct,” Gaetz stated.
The Ethics Committee’s investigation into Gaetz was dropped after he resigned from the House of Representatives in late 2024, which removed him from their jurisdiction.
A separate investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ) was also closed in 2023, with no criminal charges brought against Gaetz. In response to the renewed allegations, a spokesperson for Gaetz pointed to the DOJ’s decision, saying: “Merrick Garland’s DOJ cleared Matt Gaetz and didn’t charge him.”
As Gaetz faces heightened scrutiny over his potential nomination to lead the Department of Justice, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has indicated that he will request the House Ethics Committee not release its report on the matter.
“I do not think the report should be released,” Johnson told reporters. “I think it’s a terrible breach of protocol. The rules of the House have always been that a former member is beyond the jurisdiction of the Ethics Committee, and so I don’t think that’s relevant.”
Gaetz’s nomination to serve as Attorney General now faces an uphill battle in the Senate, despite Republicans holding a majority in the chamber. While Gaetz will have the chance to make his case for the role, his confirmation process could be significantly complicated by the renewed attention on the allegations against him.
