Gaetz gets ahead of ethics report release with admission about his 'single days'

Republicans on the House Ethics Committee voted last month to block the results of the panel's investigation into former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, which apparently detail claims that Gaetz had sex with a minor and engaged in illicit drug use. On Dec. 5, House Republicans spiked a Democratic-pushed resolution to release the report. That same day, the committee indicated it had resumed discussions of "the matter of Representative Matt Gaetz."

Unnamed sources told CNN and confirmed to The Hill this week that the House Ethics Committee ultimately voted in secret to release the report before year's end.

In an apparent attempt to get ahead of the release, Gaetz issued a statement on X Wednesday providing some context for what the American people might read about him in the days to come as well as about the alleged nature of the people who conducted the investigation.

"The Biden/Garland DOJ spent years reviewing allegations that I committed various crimes," wrote Gaetz, who was briefly President-elect Donald Trump's pick to run the Justice Department. "I was charged with nothing: FULLY EXONERATED. Not even a campaign finance violation. And the people investigating me hated me."

'I probably partied, womanized, drank, and smoked more than I should have earlier in life.'

"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," continued the former Florida congressman. "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."

The committee's ultimate decision to release the report means one or more Republican members would have needed to flip. The Republican members of the committee are as follows: Reps. Michael Guest (Miss.), David Joyce (Ohio), John Rutherford (Fla.), Andrew Garbarino (N.Y.), and Michelle Fischbach (Minn.).

The committee did not respond to CNN's request for comment. Rep. Guest confirmed to The Hill that the committee held its final meeting of the 118th Congress last week but did not divulge what they discussed.

"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," Gaetz said in his statement. "Any claim that I have would be destroyed in court — which is why no such claim was ever made in court."

Gaetz continued, writing, "My 30s were an era of working very hard — and playing hard too. It's embarrassing, though not criminal, that I probably partied, womanized, drank, and smoked more than I should have earlier in life. I live a different life now."

The former congressman added, "But at least I didn't vote for CRs that f*** over the country!"

After Trump announced on Nov. 13 that he wanted Gaetz to replace Attorney General Merrick Garland, the Florida Republican resigned from Congress. Some of Gaetz's colleagues reportedly speculated that his resignation had something to do with the Ethics Committee's report. After all, the panel lacks jurisdiction over former members and even CNN admitted it is "exceedingly rare" for such a report to be released after a House member's departure.

Less than two weeks after Gaetz's resignation, he withdrew from his AG nomination, noting that "it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the crucial work of the Trump/Vance Transition."

The report will likely be made public later this week.

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