Wetin to know about di allegations against Matt Gaetz wey Trump nominate to be America attorney general

Di man wey dem pick to be America next top law enforcement officer, Matt Gaetz, dey di centre of some allegations wey fit prevent am from getting di job. Dis na all you need to know about dem.

Di Florida lawmaker na subject of a long-running investigation by congressional ethics panel into some claims involving drugs, bribes and sex.

One woman wey attend one 2017 party wit am don testify to di House committee say she see di den-congressman dey have sex wit a minor, her lawyer tok. E don deny any wrongdoing and call di investigation "smear campaign".

Di Justice Department - wey Gaetz fit lead - also investigate di claim but ultimately dem no file any criminal charges against am.

Wen e learn of im nomination by President-elect Donald Trump, e resign from Congress, e put am out of di reach of investigation by di ethics panel.

Pressure don dey build for di panel to publish dia findings and di level of cross-party concern fit affect im nomination, wey require senate approval.

Dis na di allegations break down.

Wetin be di allegations?

Gaetz, 42, represent Florida first congressional district for di US House of Representatives from 2017 until im resignation on Thursday.

Na strong Trump defender, e don tey wey e don dey vex Democrats but also many Republicans wit im public conduct and alleged hard-partying lifestyle.

On and off since 2021, di secretive House Ethics Committee don investigate Gaetz over various allegations, including claim say e have sex with an underage girl, use illicit drugs, accept bribes, misuse campaign fund and share inappropriate fotos on di House floor.

Di Floridian don repeatedly and strongly deny wrongdoing, saying di probe na attempt to spoil im name by powerful enemies im get in politics.

E also use as im defence di fact say di Justice Department end a separate three-year federal sex-trafficking investigation last year, by deciding say dem no go bring di charges against am.

"Dem Weaponize lies to try to destroy me," Gaetz post ontop X on Friday.

"Dis lies result in prosecution, conviction, and prison. For di liars, no be me."

Joel Greenberg, Gaetz one-time friend, na di pesin dem charge for di Justice Department sex trafficking investigation. Im cooperate wit investigators and reportedly tell prosecutors information about multiple others, including Gaetz.

Greenberg still dey serve 11-year prison sentence after im agree to plead guilty to multiple federal charges, including under-age sex trafficking, wire fraud, stalking, identity theft, producing fake ID card, and conspiring to defraud di US goment.

Case dey against Gaetz?

As part of im cooperation wit federal prosecutors, Greenberg - one local tax collector for di Orlando, Florida area - admit say e don repeatedly pay young women to attend parties wit am and im friends, wia dem dey use drugs and have sex with dem.

At least one of di girls, e don pay for sex bin dey 17 years old at di time - and Greenberg allege say Gaetz don also have sex with am - claims federal authorities don investigate but dem never verify am.

No charges dey filed against Gaetz, who don strongly deny dis allegations, and dem later close di probe.

But now, di explosive claim dey for di centre of di House ethics probe and dey endanger im nomination.

Di committee inquiry don pause to allow di Justice Department to do dia work. Gaetz claim say dem only revive am becos den-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy consider am tough meat in di side of Republican leadership.

Last year, Gaetz lead di internal fight wey comot McCarthy from di speakership - di top job for di US House of Representatives. Di California Republican, wey resign from Congress less dan three months later dom claim say Gaetz only want am to dey removed becos of di ethics investigation.

Gaetz nomination as Attorney General last Thursday bin dey followed hours later with im resignation from di House.

Im resignation stop di release - wey bin reportedly dey planned just days later - of di ethics probe findings. Im departure from Congress mean say e no longer dey under congressional jurisdiction.

One attorney wey represent di den-minor don call for di report release, she don testify to di committee say she have wit Gaetz while "she be high school student, and she say witnesses dey".

E go affect Gaetz chances of confirmation?

Sitting House Speaker Mike Johnson argue against di report release for one Sunday appearance on Fox News, saying e fit "open Pandora box" if di panel start issuing report into pipo wey no be members of di body.

"We no dey issue investigations and ethics report on pipo wey no be members of Congress," e tok. "I tink e go break di protocol, e fit become dangerous for us in di future."

E also tell reporters say e go "strongly request" di report not to dey public becos di rules outline say "former member dey beyond di jurisdiction of di ethics committee".

Members of di committee plan to meet on Friday and hold vote on weda to release di report.

But di meeting never happun, Chairman Michael Guest say dem postpone am, but dem go re-schedule am. Guest don previously say e go need to "maintain [di ] confidentiality" of di panel work.

Public pressure however dey mount and even some Senate Republicans, wey go get di task of vetting im nomination and voting on whether to confirm am to di attorney general post, don indicate say dem go like to see di report.

Also on Friday, Joel Leppard - one attorney wey represent two women wey don testify for di ethics probe - say one of im clients tok say she bin witness Gaetz having sex wit di den-17-year-old.

"What if sworn testimony get information on conduct wey fit disqualify anyone from serving as our nation chief law enforcement officer?" e tok for di statement.

"Democracy demand transparency. Release di Gaetz Ethics report."

CBS News, di BBC US partner, don learn say di committee don hear di testimony of at least four women wey say dem pay dem to attend parties wia drugs and sex dey, Gaetz bin allegedly dey present for di party, and di panel don see evidence of transactions on di Venmo mobile app between Gaetz and di women.

Many for Washington expect say, even if dem no formally release di report, dem fit leak am to di press.