Rep. Matt Gaetz says he will not resign from office amid a growing sex-trafficking scandal

• Rep. Matt Gaetz said Friday he would not resign amid a sex-trafficking investigation into him.
• He told The Hill rumors of him planning to resign were false.
• Gaetz's spokesperson resigned earlier Friday.

Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz said Friday that he did not plan to resign amid a growing firestorm of sexual-misconduct allegations.

In a text conversation with The Hill, Gaetz said rumors that he would step down were "false" and it was "very safe" to say he didn't have any intention of resigning.

The New York Times reported this week that the Justice Department was investigating whether Gaetz had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl and whether he broke federal sex-trafficking laws. Investigators are also said to be examining whether Gaetz used campaign money to fund travel and other expenses for women.

On Thursday, The Times reported investigators were zeroing in on Gaetz's interactions with several women who were recruited online for sex and received cash payments. The outlet cited people close to the inquiry, as well as texts and receipts it said it reviewed.

One person familiar with the conversations told The Times that Gaetz told the women to say that he paid for dinners and hotel rooms as part of their dates if anyone asked about the nature of their relationships.

Gaetz said earlier this week that while he was "generous" with women he'd previously dated by paying for things, he was "absolutely" confident none of them were underage.

People familiar with the encounters also told The Times that some of the men and women, including Gaetz, took MDMA before having sex and that, in some cases, the Florida lawmaker asked the women to find others who may want to have sex with him and his friends.

"Matt Gaetz has never paid for sex," his office told The Times on Thursday. "Matt Gaetz refutes all the disgusting allegations completely. Matt Gaetz has never ever been on any such websites whatsoever. Matt Gaetz cherishes the relationships in his past and looks forward to marrying the love of his life."

Gaetz's spokesperson Luke Ball resigned earlier Friday.

"The Office of Congressman Matt Gaetz and Luke Ball have agreed that it would be best to part ways," the lawmaker's office said in a statement. "We thank him for his time in our office, and we wish him the best moving forward."