House Ethics Committee to meet with vote on releasing Gaetz report looming

The House Ethics Committee is set to convene on Thursday following its failure to reach a consensus last month on whether to release a report regarding former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. Despite the previous deadlock, the report could still potentially be made public. Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., has taken action to push for a vote on releasing the report through a “privileged resolution.”

Designating a resolution as “privileged” grants House leaders two legislative days to consider it, setting the deadline for Thursday. The House Ethics Committee has been engaged in a lengthy investigation into allegations against Gaetz involving sexual misconduct with a minor and drug use. Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, and a federal investigation into him concluded without any charges being filed.

The House Ethics Committee’s probe was abruptly halted last month when Gaetz resigned from Congress shortly after being nominated by then-President-elect Trump to serve as Attorney General. However, Gaetz withdrew his candidacy in the face of opposition from some GOP members. With Gaetz’s departure from the House of Representatives, the committee lost jurisdiction over the investigation.

Gaetz’s resignation occurred just before the committee was scheduled to meet to discuss releasing the report. The meeting was eventually held about a week later but ended without a resolution. Chairman Michael Guest, R-Miss., revealed that there was no agreement on releasing the report, leading to criticism from Rep. Susan Wild, D-Pa., for breaching the committee’s confidentiality.

Despite the lack of consensus, Casten’s move to force a House-wide vote on the report indicates ongoing efforts to make the findings public. With Gaetz no longer in contention for the position of Attorney General, there may be less pressure on Republicans to support the report’s release. Many GOP members who were open to disclosing the report cited public interest as a reason, especially concerning Gaetz’s potential leadership of the Department of Justice, a scenario that no longer applies.

In conclusion, the House Ethics Committee’s upcoming meeting holds significance as it may determine the fate of the report on Gaetz. The ongoing developments underscore the importance of transparency in addressing allegations of misconduct involving public officials. Stay tuned for further updates on this unfolding story.