The House of Representatives Ethics Committee said in a
statement, "During the course of its investigation, the
committee has also identified additional allegations that merit
review." The panel noted "difficulty" in obtaining information
from the congressman.
The committee, which has been investigating Gaetz since April
2021, said it was ending its investigation of some of the
allegations against Gaetz, including claims that he had misused
campaign funds and state IDs.
Gaetz, 40, is a four-term northwest Florida congressman and
close ally of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump who
played a central role in the 2023 toppling of House Speaker
Kevin McCarthy. He has repeatedly denied all allegations of
wrongdoing.
"The Ethics Committee is now opening new frivolous
investigations," Gaetz said in a statement on X, as he blamed
McCarthy, who no longer is a member of Congress, for seeking
revenge. "Kevin McCarthy showed them the man, and they are now
trying to find the crime."
The committee said it was continuing its probe into Gaetz's
behavior, having spoken with more than one dozen witnesses and
issued 25 subpoenas while reviewing "thousands of pages of
documents."
Besides allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use,
the panel also is continuing to look into whether he accepted
improper gifts and dispensed special privileges and favors to
individuals 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 this Congress. Much of
that reporting has been inaccurate," the committee said in its
statement.
The panel is also looking into Democratic Representative Henry
Cuellar of Texas, after he and his wife were indicted in a
bribery case.
Last year, Republican then-Representative George Santos was
expelled from Congress after the House Ethics Committee
unanimously found that he had filed false or incomplete campaign
finance reports, used campaign funds for personal purposes and
engaged in fraudulent conduct.
(Reporting by Richard Cowan; Editing by Scott Malone and Deepa
Babington)
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