The House Ethics Committee is expected to meet on Thursday after failed to come to an agreement last month on whether to release its report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.
Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., has moved to force a vote on releasing the report via a “privileged resolution”. This move gives House leaders two legislative days to consider it, with the deadline being on Thursday.
The House Ethics Committee has been conducting a years-long investigation into allegations against Gaetz, including sex with a minor and illicit drug use. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing, and a parallel federal investigation ended without charges being filed.
Gaetz resigned from Congress last month, hours after being named as President-elect Trump’s attorney general nominee. However, he withdrew from consideration amid quiet but steady GOP opposition. The committee lost jurisdiction over the probe as a result of his resignation.
The panel’s meeting last month ended in a tense note, with Chairman Michael Guest, R-Miss., stating that there was no agreement on releasing the report. Rep. Susan Wild, D-Pa., the top Democrat on the committee, criticized Guest for discussing the meeting, saying he had “betrayed the process” by revealing what was discussed.
With Gaetz no longer in the running for attorney general, there may be less pressure on Republicans to consent to releasing the report. Several GOP lawmakers had initially expressed openness to releasing the report, but only if Gaetz were to lead the Department of Justice. That factor is now no longer in play.
