Former Rep. Matt Gaetz Files Lawsuit to Block Release of House Ethics Committee Report
Former Representative Matt Gaetz has filed a lawsuit in a Washington, DC court, seeking to block the official release of a long-awaited House Ethics Committee report about his potential misconduct while in office. The report’s findings reportedly focus on his alleged sexual misconduct and drug use.
According to the report, Gaetz claims that releasing the report would cause “immediate, severe, and irreversible” damage to his reputation due to widespread media coverage. He also argues that he was not notified of the panel’s plans to release the report and was not provided with a copy of the materials.
Gaetz’s lawyers maintain that he has “frequently and vehemently” declared his innocence regarding the alleged misconduct and has requested that the committee cease their investigation and provide him with appropriate due process rights. They claim that the Republican-run panel has been “unresponsive” to these demands.
The lawsuit also alleges that the committee lacks jurisdiction over former members, has failed to follow constitutional notions of due process, and has failed to adhere to its own procedural rules and precedent, threatening fundamental constitutional rights and established procedural protections.
After filing the lawsuit, Gaetz published a post on social media, criticizing the committee’s actions and disputing the report’s findings. He claimed that giving funds to someone he is dating is not prostitution and cited testimony from a woman who said she did not charge him for sex.
It is unclear whether the lawsuit will be effective in blocking the release of the report, as it was released on the House Ethics Committee’s website shortly after the lawsuit was filed.
