Matt Gaetz Paid Women for Sex, Had Sex With Minor, Lawyer Claims

Matt Gaetz, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for Attorney General, paid 2 adult women for sex and had sex with a 17-year-old girl in a pool ... according to the lawyer representing the women Gaetz allegedly paid for sex.

Florida attorney Joel Leppard told ABC News his clients testified before the House of Representatives ethics committee investigating Gaetz ... claiming the former Congressman used Venmo to pay them for sex.

Leppard also says one of his clients told lawmakers she witnessed Gaetz having sex with her 17-year-old friend at a July 2017 house party she attended.

The attorney says his client's understanding is that Gaetz did not know the girl was a minor when they had sex, and after finding out her age, he did not continue a sexual relationship with the girl until she turned 18.

Gaetz resigned from Congress last week after Trump nominated him for Attorney General ... a move that shut down the ethics committee's investigation into Gaetz.

For his part, Gaetz has denied all allegations of sexual misconduct.