Members of Congress applauded Matt Gaetz’ absence on Friday after a clerk announced that the former U.S. Rep from Florida “will not serve in the House in the 119th Congress.”
Gaetz resigned his position in Congress on Nov. 13 after President-elect Donald Trump tapped him for Attorney General, an appointment that was met with universal criticism. Gaetz had been under investigation by the House Ethics Committee and removed himself from consideration for the cabinet post the following week. Trump named Pam Bondi, a former Florida Attorney General, in his place.
The ethics report (which was released on Dec. 23 and which you can you can download here) found that Gaetz paid a 17-year-old girl and other women for sex and also purchased and used illegal drugs in his Capitol Hill office.
Watch the moment when Congress applauds in the video embedded above.
“The Committee determined there is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House Rules and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress,” the report reads.
On the day the report was released, Gaetz filed an unsuccessful lawsuit in federal court to block it, arguing that he was now a private citizen.
