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Matt Gaetz shared a note he said he received from President-elect Donald Trump in which he called a House Ethics Committee report on allegations of misconduct against him “very unfair.”

The former House Republican posted a photo of the note written in an article about the report by a conservative-leaning media outlet The Federaliston X on Monday. Gaetz added: “I got great news from President Trump.”

When contacted by Newsweek, Trump transition team spokesman Steven Cheung said, “Merry Christmas, James,” without further comment. Newsweek contacted Matt Gaetz via email outside of regular office hours on Tuesday.

Why it matters

The House Ethics Committee released its long-awaited report to Gaetz on Monday, concluding that there was “substantial evidence” that the Florida Republican violated House rules regarding “prostitution, statutory rape, illegal drug use , impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges, etc. have violated obstruction of Congress.”

Gaetz disputed the report’s findings in a series of social media posts.

Trump had named Gaetz as the next attorney general, heading the same Justice Department that launched an investigation into him, although the Florida Republican later withdrew from the probe amid public backlash. The note suggests that Trump remains at the side of Gaetz, who was re-elected to another term in the House in November but resigned from Congress after receiving the nomination for attorney general.

What you should know

The ethics committee report concluded that there was “substantial evidence” that Gaetz violated a number of House rules, including paying a 17-year-old girl for sexual intercourse in 2017, which is illegal under Florida law is considered statutory rape.

Gaetz was the subject of a Justice Department investigation into alleged sex trafficking of the 17-year-old girl, although he was not charged with any crimes. In 2021, Joel Greenberg, a former Gaetz aide, pleaded guilty to a number of charges, including sex trafficking of minors, wire fraud and conspiracy to bribe a public official, and was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

In a series of X posts, Gaetz denied any wrongdoing and claimed that some of the funds the report linked to prostitution were actually gifts to a woman he was dating.

He said: “Giving someone you’re dating money that they didn’t ask for and isn’t ‘charged’ for sex is now prostitution?!?” There’s a reason they did this to me on a Christmas Eve- Eve report and not in a courtroom of any kind where I could present evidence and challenge witnesses.

Trump’s note to Gaetz was written on what appeared to be a printed copy of an article by The Federalist Editor-in-Chief Mollie Hemingway titled: “House investigation into Matt Gaetz draws on witness testimony. The DOJ has found a lack of credibility.” It claimed the Ethics Commission report was based on “two key witnesses” with “serious credibility issues.”

The report was scheduled to be released shortly after Gaetz resigned from the House of Representatives in November after being nominated for attorney general. Gaetz unsuccessfully took legal action to block the publication, arguing that it should not be done because he is no longer a member of Congress.

What people say

In a post on X, Yale Review Editor James Surowiecki said, “I’m a little puzzled by Matt Gaetz’s continued insistence that it’s normal to just send money to women you casually date.”

Attorney Tristan Snell wrote: “Sex trafficking, sex trafficking of minors, statutory rape, cocaine/ecstasy use, bribery, abuse of office, obstruction of justice. Federal prosecutors knew EVERYTHING about Matt Gaetz. And yet they didn’t charge him with anything – they let him go.”

House Republican Andy Biggs wrote: “The investigation into Matt Gaetz relies on testimony from witnesses that even Biden’s corrupt Justice Department found unreliable.”

“But The Swamp still wasted time and money with this smear campaign. Where is Epstein’s client list?”

Heath Mayo, a lawyer and self-described conservative Christian, wrote: “Summary of Matt Gaetz’s ethics report. This is what happens when you have no moral standards for those you elect. There is utter garbage running through the halls of Congress abusing them.” offices to have sex with little girls. Thank you, MAGA.

What happens next

Trump’s note suggests that the president-elect believes Gaetz is both innocent and tough, raising the prospect that he will be offered another job by the new administration.

Gaetz has indicated he might be interested in the Florida Senate seat vacated by Marco Rubio, although the Ethics Commission report would almost certainly be used against him in any campaign.