admin This week, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz made headlines for leading the ouster of GOP House speaker Kevin McCarthy, a first in US history. Yet amid all the chaos that he’s caused in the house, it’s important to remember that until recently, the congressman was vigorously denying allegations of sex with a minor—to say nothing of dealing with various ethics issues.
Below, find a timeline of the accusations against Gaetz, a closer look at his involvement in McCarthy’s ouster—and what his political prospects look like from here.
What was Gaetz accused of?
Prosecutors spent months investigating allegations that Gaetz had been part of a scheme that led to the sex trafficking of a 17-year-old girl. Gaetz would have faced charges including sex with a minor and transportation of his alleged victim across state lines, but in February of this year, the Justice Department announced that it would not charge Gaetz. (Joel Greenberg, however, a former ally of Gaetz’s who pleaded guilty to charges including sex trafficking of a minor, identity theft, stalking, and wire fraud in 2021, was sentenced to 11 years in prison last December.)
How did Gaetz respond to the allegations?
“We have just spoken with the DOJ and have been informed that they have concluded their investigation into Congressman Gaetz and allegations related to sex trafficking and obstruction of justice and they have determined not to bring any charges against him,” Gaetz’s lawyers said in a statement in February, with Gaetz repeatedly denying any wrongdoing.
What other ethics issues is Gaetz facing?
For the last two years, Gaetz has been under investigation by the House Ethics Committee over allegations that he “engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, shared inappropriate images or videos on the House floor, misused state identification records, converted campaign funds to personal use and accepted impermissible gifts under House rules,” among other misdeeds. These investigations were paused during the Justice Department’s probe, but resumed once that inquiry ended.
How was Gaetz involved in the ousting of McCarthy as House speaker?
Gaetz and McCarthy have frequently found themselves at odds over the course of their political careers, but those tensions came to a head this week when Gaetz filed a motion to remove McCarthy as speaker. “I have enough Republicans where at this point next week, one of two things will happen: Kevin McCarthy won’t be the speaker of the House or he’ll be the speaker of the House working at the pleasure of the Democrats,” Gaetz told reporters. Sure enough, the house voted on Tuesday to remove McCarthy from his GOP leadership role.
Could Gaetz take over McCarthy’s role?
To say that Gaetz has few political allies among his fellow Republicans would be understating the situation; as of Tuesday, the GOP was considering expelling Gaetz from its caucus, with Nevada congressman Don Bacon telling reporters of Gaetz: “He shouldn’t be in the Republican Party.” As detailed in a New Republic story memorably titled “Pretty Much Everyone Hates Matt Gaetz Now,” his colleagues have called him “divisive, disrespectful, and selfish,” with GOP Rep. Matt Lawler referring to Gaetz as a “charlatan.”
What’s next for Gaetz, now that McCarthy has been removed as speaker?
Some have speculated that Gaetz’s antics in the House this week were designed to draw attention to his potential run in Florida’s 2026 gubernatorial race, in which Gaetz would likely face off against fellow Florida congressman Byron Donalds for current governor Ron DeSantis’s seat.
