Rep. Matt Gaetz was at a 2017 party with a 17-year-old girl at the heart of an alleged sex trafficking scandal, according to legal documents filed Thursday.
The filings cite affidavits based on three witness testimonies—which remain sealed—which put the Florida congressman at the party, according to Notus. One witness cited by the filings says the girl, a high school junior, was naked and said people were there to “engage in sexual activities” while drugs including cocaine and ecstasy were present.
The documents were filed by lawyers trying to recoup legal fees in a lawsuit filed by Chris Dorworth—a lobbyist friend of Gaetz’s who hosted the alleged party at his Florida home.
According to Notus, the new documents are the first time that “that sworn testimony has been referenced in public court filings alleging that the congressman attended one of the long-rumored parties tied to an alleged underage sex scandal.”
Gaetz has previously denied engaging sex trafficking or having sex with a minor, and a DOJ investigation ended without charges being brought against the congressman.