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A woman told the House Ethics Committee that she personally saw Matt Gaetz having sex with a minor at a party in Florida in 2017, his lawyer said Friday.

The testimony was presented during the lengthy investigation into Gaetz by his former congressional peers. Gaetz resigned his seat Wednesday after the presidential election Donald Trump announced plans to appoint the former far-right lawmaker to head the Justice Ministry.

President of the House Mike Johnson said On Friday, he declined to release the committee’s report, citing House “precedent.”

However, the woman’s anonymous lawyer said NBC News said Americans deserve to hear what its client, who was not named, told Congress.

“My client testified before the House Ethics Committee that she witnessed Rep. Gaetz having sex with a minor at a party in Orlando in 2017,” the attorney said. Joel Leppard said. “The American people deserve to know the truth about who will become the nation’s top law enforcement official. »

Gaetz, who was first elected in 2016, has denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged with any crimes.

A representative for the former congressman told ABC News, “Merrick Garland’s DOJ cleared Matt Gaetz and did not charge him.” Are you claiming Garland is part of a cover-up? »

ABC noted that Leppard represents two separate women who both testified before the ethics committee. The network reported:

The two witnesses, whom ABC News is not naming, both reportedly attended parties with the congressman. Gaetz’s former friend, Joel Greenberg, is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence after reaching a deal with prosecutors in May 2021 in which he pleaded guilty to several federal crimes, including sex trafficking the woman while she was a minor and her presentation to others. “adult men” who also had sex with her when she was a minor.

According to Greenberg’s plea agreement, the woman, whom ABC News is not identifying, met Greenberg online in 2017 and began meeting with him at hotels and homes in the Middle District of Florida, where he ” introduced the minor to other adult men, who engaged in sexual activities. commercial sexual acts with the minor in the Middle District of Florida,” court documents state.

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