The committee’s report accuses Gaetz of being “uncooperative” throughout its review. It says that he provided minimal documentation, never agreed to a voluntary interview and drew out the process.
Despite a subpoena, he never appeared for his testimony.
The report found that “there is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House rules and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favours or privileges, and obstruction of Congress.”
From 2017 to 2020, Gaetz made payments totalling more than $90,000 (£72,000) to 12 different women “that the Committee determined were likely in connection with sexual activity and/or drug use”, the 42-page report found.
Additionally, the report contains testimony that Gaetz paid for sex with a 17-year-old at a party in 2017, giving her $400 “which she understood to be payment for sex”. Gaetz has denied having sex with a minor.
The Department of Justice also investigated an allegation that he had sex with a minor but ultimately did not file any criminal charges against him.
In a court filing seeking a temporary restraining order ahead of the release, Gaetz accused the ethics committee of trying to exercise its jurisdiction over a private citizen.
Gaetz represented Florida’s first congressional district in the US House of Representatives, having come to power in the same election in 2016 that propelled his ally Trump to the White House the first time.
The former Florida lawmaker was believed to be beyond the reach of the committee when he resigned from Congress last month, following his nomination by Trump to serve as US attorney general – America’s top law enforcement official who heads the Department of Justice.