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President-elect Donald Trump has made many wild Cabinet decisions, but only one was so stunning that he barely lasted more than a week: Matt Gaetz for U.S. attorney general. In addition to being a far-right firebrand with minimal legal experience, the U.S. representative from Florida faced the release of a House Ethics Committee report accusing him of having sex with a minor.

Although it has been more than a month since Gaetz resigned from Congress and withdrew his name from consideration for the General Assembly, the committee released its final report on December 23. In the 37-page document, the committee alleged that Gaetz spent thousands on illegal drugs and sex – including an encounter with a 17-year-old girl that violated Florida’s statutory rape law. Here’s what we know so far about the committee’s findings and Gaetz’s response.

After weeks of debate, the House Ethics Committee voted last week to release the Gaetz report. As of Monday, several news outlets had received a copy of a draft of the final report. It was discovered that the congressman had paid tens of thousands of dollars to 12 women over a three-year period, likely in exchange for sex and drugs, and that he had attempted to obstruct the committee’s investigation. The panel examined financial transactions made to 12 women via PayPal, Venmo and CashApp, as well as text messages in which the payments were discussed. According to the committee, Gaetz was “uncooperative” throughout the investigation, provided “minimal documentation” and did not participate in a voluntary interview with the panel.

“The Committee concluded that there is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House rules and other standards of conduct that prohibit prostitution, statutory rape, illegal drug use, improper gifts, special favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress “, says the report.

The panel’s investigators heard testimony from several women. A woman identified as “Victim A” claims she met Gaetz at a party in 2017 when she was just 17 and later had sex with him, a claim Gaetz has consistently denied.

“Victim A recalled receiving $400 in cash from Representative Gaetz that evening, which she viewed as payment for sex. At that time, she had just completed her freshman year of high school,” the committee wrote. “Victim A said she did not inform Deputy Gaetz that she was under 18 at the time, nor did he ask her age.”

The committee found significant evidence that Gaetz was involved in illegal drug use, writing that the then-congressman even set up a fake email account from his House office to obtain marijuana. “There is substantial evidence that Rep. Gaetz used cocaine, ecstasy and marijuana. At least two women witnessed Rep. Gaetz using cocaine and ecstasy at various events,” the committee wrote.

Although the panel was not able to speak to every woman who received a payment from Gaetz, several testified that there was “a general expectation of sex.” While several witnesses said they engaged in consensual sexual activity with Gaetz, one woman said she felt drug use at the parties affected her “ability to really know what was going on or to fully consent.”

The panel also examined a trip to the Bahamas in September 2018 and found that Gaetz likely violated House rules by accepting gifts, including transportation and lodging, “in excess of the allowable amount.” The report also makes a new allegation against Gaetz, alleging that the congressman helped a woman with whom he had sexual relations obtain a passport by lying to the State Department about her being one of his constituents. However, the committee acknowledged that it could not find sufficient evidence that Gaetz violated the sex trafficking law, as previously alleged.

The House Ethics Committee first began investigating Gaetz’s actions in 2021, examining whether the congressman had committed sexual misconduct and illegal drug use, among other things. But the panel paused its investigation as the Justice Department launched its own investigation into Gaetz. When the federal government refused to bring charges against Gaetz last year, the committee reopened its investigation.

The ethics report drew renewed attention as Trump appointed Gaetz as his attorney general, and members of Congress and the public called for his release as part of the review process. The committee was divided over whether to release the report after Gaetz suddenly resigned from Congress, ending its jurisdiction over the ex-congressman. Although congressional panels have priority on releasing reports on former members, they typically avoid doing so.

Although the committee ultimately voted for his release last week, Chairman Michael Guest noted the dissenting members’ objections in the final report.

“While we do not question the Committee’s findings, we have serious concerns that the majority deviated from the Committee’s established standards and voted to issue a report on an individual who is no longer within the Committee’s jurisdiction, an action the committee has not taken since 2006,” he wrote.

Gaetz tried to get ahead of the story with a lengthy statement sent to X on December 18th.

“My 30s were a time when I worked very hard – and played hard too,” he wrote. “It’s embarrassing, but not criminal, that I probably partied, womanized, drank and smoked more than I should have earlier in life. I live a different life now.”

On Monday, Gaetz filed a lawsuit against the House Ethics Committee, seeking to block release of the report, claiming the damage to his reputation was “immediate, severe and irreversible.” The New York Just reports that Gaetz was informed by a federal court clerk that his lawsuit was improperly filed.

Gaetz remained in the spotlight despite the looming allegations against him. After leaving Congress, he opened an account on Cameo and sold personalized videos for $500 each. An American News Network, a right-wing cable channel, hired Gaetz to host his own political talk show starting in January. And Gaetz has apparently not ruled out a return to Congress. While speaking at the Turning Point Action event in Arizona over the weekend, Gaetz raised the possibility of a run for Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s seat, which will likely be open following his nomination as Trump’s secretary of state.

“Many have asked what position I will fight from,” Gaetz told the crowd. “Maybe I’ll just run for Marco Rubio’s vacant U.S. Senate seat and join some of these people.”