# Matt Gaetz being investigated for sex with 17 year old girl (DOJ declines to charge 2023-02-15) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 30, 2021, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052 "2021-03-30T22:13:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 36
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2023, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/704 "2023-03-30T17:15:45Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > I’m ignorant of how this works: how much of the investigation will become public record once the investigation closes? Also ignorant so take it with a grain of salt but my sense would be that this comes into an intersection between presumption of innocence and public interest. Under the presumption of innocence, publishing information that might be unflattering (but not provably criminal) is effectively defamatory and shouldn’t (generally) be done. But, likewise, he is an important national figure and - to some extent - his electorate deserves to know who the person is that they’re voting for, My expectation would be that the newspapers will sue for FOIA rights, convince a judge to issue an order for the government to release anything that’s not overly covered by privacy rights, and the newspapers will get some largely-redacted notes from the investigation that don’t say much. They’ll write that it hints that “he did it”, regardless of how much is actually in the docs to support that while also largely ignoring what actually is in the documents, and what that implies about what’s in the redacted segments. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/705 "2023-07-13T19:33:58Z")
Maybe starting up anew? > **[House Ethics Committee reaching out to witnesses in revived Matt Gaetz probe...](https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/13/politics/matt-gaetz-house-ethics-committee-investigation/index.html)** > > Investigators from the House Ethics Committee have begun reaching out to witnesses as part of a recently revived investigation into Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, focused on allegations that he may have engaged in sexual misconduct, illicit drug use or... ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/706 "2023-07-13T19:49:02Z")
> [@Turek](#): > > Maybe starting up anew? Given the concessions that McCarthy made to become Speaker, I’d venture to guess that he was very particular in his choices when he appointed people to the Ethics Committee. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/707 "2023-07-13T21:08:56Z")
A reincarnation of Diogenes just when we need one. /s ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2024, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/708 "2024-01-25T02:58:24Z")
“Those allegations were not true, have never been true, and the people who spread those lies have been _exposed, indicted, and imprisoned,_” Gaetz said in response to CNN Wednesday. Hadn’t heard that, Matt. [https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/24/politics/house-ethics-matt-gaetz/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/24/politics/house-ethics-matt-gaetz/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![DeadTreasSecretaries](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deadtreassecretaries/32/4817_2.png) [@DeadTreasSecretaries](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadTreasSecretaries)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2024, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/709 "2024-01-25T03:33:00Z")
Personally I think more than enough people have been exposed already. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2024, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/710 "2024-02-02T13:49:36Z")
Gaetz’s girlfriend has been contacted by the House Ethics Committee. Will anything happen or are they just making noise? > **[House Ethics Committee contacts Matt Gaetz's ex-girlfriend as part of ongoing...](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/house-ethics-committee-contacts-matt-gaetzs-girlfriend-part/story?id=106886030)** > > The House Ethics Committee has reached out to a former girlfriend of Rep. Matt Gaetz seeking an interview amid the committee's ongoing investigation, a source said. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2024, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/711 "2024-02-02T14:37:32Z")
> [@dougrb](#): > > “Those allegations were not true, have never been true, and the people who spread those lies have been _exposed, indicted, and imprisoned,_” Gaetz said in response to CNN Wednesday. > > Hadn’t heard that, Matt. I assume he’s talking about [Joel Greenberg](https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/01/politics/joel-greenberg-sentencing/index.html). Who was exposed, did go to prison and did spread ~~lies~~ information to authorities about Gates, but unlike Gates was trying to imply, the first two were not related to the third. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2024, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/712 "2024-02-04T17:50:22Z")
> [@](#): > > “The Ethics Committee is engaging in payback against me for ousting the person who singularly appointed every Republican - Kevin McCarthy,” Gaetz said in a statement to ABC News Thursday night when asked about the latest development. Probably. Also: ![](https://media.tenor.com/JEvo86tsGJQAAAAM/nelson-simpsons.gif) ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2024, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/713 "2024-04-19T11:50:21Z")
A follow-up story on the House Ethics Committee investigation of Matt Gaetz (GaetzGate?): [Matt Gaetz attended 2017 party where minor and drugs were present, woman's sworn statement obtained by Congress claims - ABC News](https://abcnews.go.com/US/matt-gaetz-attended-2017-party-minor-drugs-present/story?id=109324572) The party of something something. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2024, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/714 "2024-04-19T13:36:45Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > The Ethics Committee is engaging in payback against me for ousting the person who singularly appointed every Republican - Kevin McCarthy,” Gaetz said in a statement to ABC News Thursday night when asked about the latest development. > > Probably. I enjoy watching the republicans eat their own. > **[McCarthy says Gaetz ousted him to stop ethics complaint over sex scandal](https://amp.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/10/matt-gaetz-removed-kevin-mccarthy-house-speaker-ethics)** > > Former House speaker says Matt Gaetz led charge to remove him to quash allegations Florida representative ‘slept with a 17-year-old’ ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2024, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/715 "2024-09-08T09:59:24Z")
Possible update incoming: > **[Never-Before-Seen Details About Matt Gaetz’s Alleged Sex Scandal May Soon Be...](https://www.notus.org/congress/never-before-seen-details-about-matt-gaetzs-alleged-sex-scandal-may-soon-be-public-thanks-to-a-friend)** > > One of Matt Gaetz’s friends sued a number of people in the alleged sex scandal, generating a number of juicy depositions. Now those depositions could become public. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2024, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/716 "2024-09-20T10:19:38Z")
And here’s the other shoe. > **[New Court Filings Place Matt Gaetz at a Party at the Center of the Sex...](https://www.notus.org/florida/new-court-filings-matt-gaetz-dorworth-sex-party)** > > This is the first public filing that cites sworn testimony alleging that Gaetz attended one of the long-rumored parties with a teenage girl. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2024, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/717 "2024-09-20T11:45:58Z")
The thing about Republicans is that they’ve already got more “shoes” than Imelda Marcos, and yet _nothing happens_. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2024, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/718 "2024-11-14T20:06:10Z")
> **[Damning Gaetz Report Could Be Made Public Despite His Resignation From...](https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2024/11/14/damning-gaetz-report-could-be-made-public-despite-his-resignation-from-congress-threatening-ag-chances/)** > > Gaetz officially resigned from Congress Thursday, a day after Trump nominated him for attorney general. A semi-conservative lawyer I know told me just this morning that he thinks it’s a trap. Trump, he says, is working behind the scenes with former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who hates Gaetz’s guts. Gaetz has resigned from the House before the ethics report was released, so he’s now out of office. Trump and McCarthy know the Senate will never approve his nomination as AG (especially if Trump says through back channels that he wants it killed). Intriguing, but I’m not quite _that_ conspiracy-minded. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2024, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/719 "2024-11-14T20:11:31Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Gaetz has resigned from the House before the ethics report was released OK, so Gaetz has resigned from the current House. But he was just re-elected, so could he be back in office when the new House is sworn in? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2024, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/720 "2024-11-14T20:44:01Z")
I don’t believe that’s how it works. Per [this article](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-picks-rep-matt-gaetz-attorney-general/story?id=115835796): > [House Speaker Mike] Johnson said the resignation took him by “surprise” but that the Florida congressman did so to “start the clock” on the process for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to call a special election to fill the vacancy. > > “So Matt would have done us a great service by making that decision, as he did, on the fly. And so we’re grateful for that so we move forward,” Johnson added. > > Gaetz’s resignation will narrow the slim majority that Republicans will have in the new Congress in January, but he represents a reliably Republican district in the Florida Panhandle. Sounds like he’s all the way out… although I suppose he could run in the special election meant to replace him. But he’d have to be re-elected all over again. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2024, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/721 "2024-11-14T21:05:19Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Sounds like he’s all the way out… although I suppose he could run in the special election meant to replace him. But he’d have to be re-elected all over again. Yep, and this is good news- let us say the current guess is that the GOp will have a 4 vote majority in the House- this makes it 3. Then trump has nominated or signaled two other GOP house members for cabinet positions- that makes it 1 vote. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2024, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/722 "2024-11-14T21:23:17Z")
Gaetz was re-elected with 2/3rds of the votes from his district. Seems pretty unlikely that they’ll replace him with a democrat. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2024, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/723 "2024-11-14T21:44:24Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Seems pretty unlikely that they’ll replace him with a democrat. Yep, but that still means 6- 11 months. Special elections are expensive, maybe DeSantic will call for one earlier, sure. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052.md?page=35) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052.md?page=37)