Former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz (R) is a MAGA favorite and a controversy magnet. His scandals have been open secrets. Now they’re part of the public record.

Over Christmas week, the Republican-controlled house released an ethics report that’s been years in the making. The report says there is “substantial evidence” of “prostitution, statutory rape, and illicit drug use.” The report says there is proof Gaetz paid a 17-year-old for sex.

"The Ethics Committee report details egregious and illegal activities on the part of Matt Gaetz while he was an elected representative of Florida, including having sexual relations with an underage girl,” Kristen Browe, President of the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus said.

President-elect Trump nominated Gaetz to be Attorney General, and even Republican senators wanted to know what was in the report. His reputation was enough for enough senators to block his nomination if they didn’t see the report. 

Gaetz, who resigned his seat for the lame-duck session, quickly withdrew his nomination. That wasn’t enough to keep two Republicans on the House Ethics Committee from joining all committee Democrats in a vote to release the report.

Browde and other Democrats say this is a glaring example Gaetz’s duplicitous nature.

“Most outrageously and in typical hypocritical fashion, Gaetz routinely accused LGBTQ+ people of ‘indoctrinating’ children in schools. Coupled with his illegal drug use and his disgraceful sexual activities with a child, Gaetz represents the worst of politicians. Florida is better off without this liar and charlatan representing our state in Congress."

Gaetz could face criminal prosecutions.