FEC clears allegation that Gaetz used campaign funds to cover legal fees

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Federal Election Commission voted unanimously to drop allegations that Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., used campaign contributions to fund his legal battle against debunked sex trafficking charges.

The commission found “no reason to believe” that the representative, his treasurer or the campaign PAC, Friends of Matt Gaetz, fraudulently used political funds to finance his personal legal affairs.

The Department of Justice put Gaetz under investigation in 2021 after an anonymous source claimed that the lawmaker had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl. The department dropped the investigation in February 2023 after finding no substantial evidence to convict.