The National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) expressed “grave concerns” about President-elect Donald Trump’s decision to nominate Matt Gaetz as attorney general, writing in a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee that Gaetz’s alleged attendance at “sex parties” with underage girls needs to be investigated further.
The nonpartisan group is calling on the Senate to withhold confirmation hearings for Gaetz “until a full and transparent investigation is conducted into his possible role in the exploitation of young women and girls at the ‘sex parties’ he has admitted to attending.”
“These parties reportedly included young women, some allegedly minors, who were paid to participate in sex acts,” the letter reads. “It is further alleged that Mr. Gaetz did not merely attend these events but actively participated. Evidence suggests he sent payments through Venmo and Cash App to an associate, who then transferred funds to the women, labeling payments as ‘tuition.'”
“Some on Mr. Gaetz’s team argued that the prostitution fell outside U.S. jurisdiction because it took place on yachts in international waters, an excuse that does not stand up to moral, and perhaps, legal scrutiny,” NCOSE adds.
If he is confirmed, Gaetz will lead the department that was investigating him for sex trafficking as recently as last year.
Gaetz’s lawyers announced in February 2023 that they had been informed the DOJ concluded its years-long investigation into allegations that he was part of a scheme that led to the sex trafficking of a 17-year-old girl. Investigators ultimately closed the probe related to sex trafficking and obstruction of justice and declined to bring charges against him.
Sealed testimony from three witnesses in the sex scandal case involving Joel Greenberg, a Gaetz ally and local Florida official, placed Gaetz at a “sex party” in 2017 that included illegal drugs and a nude underaged girl, according to reporting from NOTUS. Gaetz’s team has dismissed the allegations.
“Congressman Gaetz has never participated in the activities reflected in the NOTUS reporting. If people said otherwise, they are either confused or lying. This particular reporter used to work at the Daily Beast liberal publication and predicted the congressman’s arrest in 2021. Apparently he had to find other work,” a Gaetz spokesperson told the Pensacola News Journal.
Greenberg, for his part, was sentenced to eleven years in prison in 2022 after he took a plea deal and admitted to paying women and an underage girl to have sex with him and other unidentified men.
After the nomination announcement, Gaetz resigned from the House of Representatives effective immediately. The resignation came days before the House Ethics Committee was reportedly set to release a report on its own investigation into allegations that Gaetz engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use. Gaetz has denied the allegations.
Now that he has resigned from Congress, the ethics report will not be released, though its contents will likely be made public during the confirmation process.
NCOSE is not alone in its reservations about Gaetz as attorney general.
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R., Alaska) raised concerns about Trump tapping Gaetz for the attorney general position, saying she didn’t think it was a “serious nomination.”
“We need to have a serious attorney general and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to consider somebody that is serious. This one was not on my bingo card,” she said.