The House Ethics Committee is meeting to discuss whether to release a report on their investigation into former Rep. Matt Gaetz, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general. The investigation focused on allegations of sexual misconduct, illicit drug use, accepting improper gifts, and obstructing the probe. Gaetz has denied all allegations. The committee interviewed two women who claimed Gaetz paid them for sex and witnessed him having sex with a 17-year-old friend. The women want the report to be made public. Despite concerns from Republican senators overseeing Gaetz’s confirmation, Trump is not reconsidering his nomination. The committee has options to release the report, forward it to the Senate, or take no action. Democrat Rep. Susan Wild believes the report should be released to the public or at least sent to the Senate. The committee has released reports on former members in the past, such as Rep. Bill Boner and Rep. Buz Lukens. If the committee does not release the report, a House member can try to force a vote. In 1996, House Democrats attempted to force the release of a report on then-Speaker Newt Gingrich but were unsuccessful. Members of the committee include Chairman Michael Guest, a Republican from Mississippi, and Rep. Susan Wild, a Democrat from Pennsylvania. Ultimately, the decision on whether to release the report on Gaetz lies with the House Ethics Committee.
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House Ethics Committee to convene to determine the release of report on Matt Gaetz
