The House Ethics Committee is set to convene on Thursday to address the issue of whether to make public its report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. Last month, the committee failed to reach a consensus on the matter.
However, Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., has taken steps to push for the report's release by introducing a 'privileged resolution' on Tuesday. This move gives House leaders two legislative days to consider the resolution, with a deadline set for Thursday.
The investigation into Gaetz by the House Ethics Committee has been ongoing for several years, focusing on allegations involving sexual misconduct with a minor and drug use. Gaetz has consistently denied any wrongdoing, and a federal investigation into him concluded without charges being filed.
The committee's inquiry hit a roadblock when Gaetz resigned from Congress shortly after being nominated by President-elect Trump for the position of attorney general. This resignation led to the committee losing jurisdiction over the probe.
Despite the committee's recent meeting to discuss the report's release, no agreement was reached. Chairman Michael Guest stated that there was no consensus on the matter, leading to tensions within the committee.
Rep. Susan Wild, the top Democrat on the committee, criticized Guest for disclosing details of the meeting to the press, emphasizing that there was no agreement among committee members regarding the report's release.
With Gaetz no longer in contention for the role of attorney general, there may be less pressure on Republicans to support the report's release. Previously, some GOP lawmakers had indicated a willingness to make the report public, citing the public interest in the matter if Gaetz were to lead the Department of Justice.
As the House Ethics Committee prepares to reconvene, the decision on whether to release the report on Gaetz remains uncertain, with political dynamics potentially influencing the outcome.
