Two women told House Ethics Committee investigators that former Rep. Matt Gaetz , who has been tapped to be attorney general in the next Trump administration, paid them for sex, and one of the women testified she saw him having sex with a 17-year-old, according to an attorney for the women.
Joel Leppard, who represents the two women, described the testimony his clients gave the House ethics panel, which has been investigating the Florida Republican over allegations of sex trafficking involving a 17-year-old girl. The Justice Department separately ended its own sex trafficking investigation into Gaetz without criminal charges.
The House committee's investigation effectively ended last week when Gaetz resigned from Congress after Trump nominated him to lead the Justice Department .
Gaetz has denied ever having a relationship with a 17-year-old, and any other wrongdoing. A lawyer who has represented Gaetz said he would not answer any questions when reached Tuesday by The Associated Press.
A Trump transition spokesperson said Tuesday that they are "baseless allegations intended to derail the second Trump administration," adding that the Justice Department "investigated Gaetz for years and cleared him of wrongdoing."
