US House Ethics Committee expands investigation into Representative Matt Gaetz

US House Ethics Committee expands investigation into Representative Matt Gaetz

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A three-year U.S. House of Representatives investigation into allegations of ethical misconduct, including sexual misconduct and illegal drug use, against Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz will be expanded to examine whether he tried to obstruct the investigation, the lead committee said on Tuesday.

The House Ethics Committee said in a statement: “In the course of its investigation, the committee also identified additional allegations that require review.” The panel noted that it was “difficult” to obtain information from the congressman.

The committee, which has been investigating Gaetz since April 2021, said it was closing its investigation into some allegations against Gaetz, including claims that he misused campaign funds and state identification cards.

Gaetz, 40, is a four-term congressman from northwest Florida and a close ally of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump who played a central role in ousting House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in 2023. He has repeatedly denied all allegations of wrongdoing.

“The Ethics Committee is now launching a new, frivolous investigation,” Gaetz said in a statement to X, accusing McCarthy, who is no longer a member of Congress, of seeking revenge. “Kevin McCarthy showed them the man, and they are now trying to expose the crime.”

The committee said it would continue its investigation into Gaetz’s conduct, saying it had spoken to more than a dozen witnesses, issued 25 subpoenas and reviewed “thousands of pages of documents.”

In addition to allegations of sexual misconduct and illegal drug use, the panel is also continuing to investigate whether he accepted inappropriate gifts and granted special privileges and favors to people with whom he had a personal relationship, the committee said.

“There has been a significant and unusual amount of public reporting on the committee’s activities during this Congress. Many of these reports have been inaccurate,” the committee said in its statement.

The panel is also investigating Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas after he and his wife were charged with bribery.

Last year, then-Republican Representative George Santos was expelled from Congress after the House Ethics Committee unanimously found that he filed false or incomplete campaign finance reports, used campaign funds for personal purposes and was guilty of fraudulent conduct.

(Reporting by Richard Cowan; Editing by Scott Malone and Deepa Babington)