Texts Show FL's Gaetz Asked Woman On Trip Who Was Paid For Sex: Report

FLORIDA — New text messages obtained by ABC News show U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida invited a woman on a trip who was previously paid for sex by a former close friend.

Gaetz, a Republican, asked the woman join him and other people "on a three-day trip to the Florida Keys in May 2017" on a private plane, ABC News first reported, citing the text messages. The woman, initially agreed to go, then later declined the trip, according to the report. She was at least 21 years old at the time.

The messages were acquired by Congressional House Ethics investigators, the outlet reported.

Joel Greenberg, who was close with Gaetz at the time, told investigators he paid the woman to have sex with other women, ABC News reported.

WEAR News obtained the following statement from Gaetz's office:

"Rep. Gaetz has no knowledge of these activities by Mr. Greenberg and was not involved in them. Rep. Gaetz has never paid for sex. Rep. Gaetz does not know anything about the woman ABC News is referencing, though he takes thousands of selfies each year."

Read more via ABC News and WEAR News.