Congress To Release Gaetz Report
Gaetz's own party hates him almost as much as the Democrats hate him
Matt Gaetz, President-elect Trump’s first choice for Attorney General, just got some surprising news: the House Ethics Committee has voted to release their investigation into the former Congress person’s alleged behavior. More details from CNN:
The House Ethics Committee secretly voted earlier this month to release its report into the conduct of former Rep. Matt Gaetz before the end of this Congress, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the matter.
The report is now expected to be made public after the House’s final day of votes this year as lawmakers leave Washington for the holidays, those sources said.
The vote, which has not previously been reported, amounts to a stark reversal for the panel after it had voted along party lines in late November not to release the results of the investigation. The decision to release the report suggests that some Republicans ultimately decided to side with Democrats on the matter, and it is unclear if the committee will once again change course now that it has voted.
[…]
It is exceedingly rare for an ethics report to be released after a member has left Congress, though it has happened on a couple of occasions in the past. The committee revisited the issue behind closed doors earlier this month after a feud over the report spilled into public view before Thanksgiving.
The Ethics Committee’s report concludes a years-long probe into numerous allegations against Gaetz, including whether he engaged in sexual misconduct, used illicit drugs, “shared inappropriate images or videos on the House floor, misused state identification records, converted campaign funds to personal use, and/or accepted a bribe, improper gratuity, or impermissible gifts,” according to an announcement by the panel last summer.
This report was the tool that Republican senators used to torpedo Gaetz’s nomination for Attorney General. What’s telling is that Republicans remain in control of the House Ethics committee and had previously taken steps to block the release while he was being considered for the AG role.
The fact that at least some of those same Republicans decided to reverse course (albeit in an secret vote) speaks to how little love is lost between Gaetz and his former colleagues within the Republican party. Whether or not this is revenge for Gaetz’s role in ousting former Speaker Kevin McCarthy or just general dislike of the grandstanding former Congressman will be a source of great speculation.
I suspect the answer is “Why not both?!”
However, one note of caution for those of us getting ready to pop our popcorn in anticipation of reading the resport, it’s still possible Speaker Mike Johnson will find some way to either significantly redact the report or block it’s release all together.
And there are good reasons for trying to block this release from a partisan perspective. If the bipartisan committee report is anywhere near as damning as the leaks suggest, will reflect poorly on Gaetz and President Trump’s decision to choose someone with that many ethical issues* to head the Department of Justice.
* – Yes, I am opting to not make the obvious joke that all that experience criming and hiding the evidence would have given Gaetz a real insider’s view on the workings of the criminal legal system. I would never sink that low.
Of course you wouldn’t sink that low.
Aaahhh…go on.
Will be interesting what the police in District 1 FL will do once that information is public.
Will there be a frogmarch of Gaetz to jail? A presidential pardon on Jan 20th?
Absolutely nothing?
An extraordinary display of noble restraint, no doubt. I applaud ye in your yeoman’s effort, taking such great pains to avoid inclusion of the included joke. Exceptional control.
@liberal capitalist: I’m waiting for the reaction of the bipartisan anti-Garland caucus.
I suspect it might be “let’s get ahead of this” rather than get blindsided later by the inevitable leak.
If what has been alleged is true and provable, it is going to get leaked or come out anyway, so it’s best you CYA.
I have a sneaking suspicion that Gaetz was nominated as AG as a doomed sacrificial lamb in order to get him out of the House asap. One would think it was beyond his ken, his knowledge, and assent and he fell for it. McCarthy’s revenge.
What is the protocol? Does one have to resign their elected position if nominated for an administration job? You’d have to once confirmed, but what is the established protocol around nomination and resignation? Are there rules and regulations?
Like, it’s not like we’ve never had an ephibiphile, drug abusing Attorney General before.
There was some chicanery going on irt Gaetz by Republicans.
I’m on the “get ahead of this” bandwagon.
At some point Gaetz is going to want to do something else in politics – after all this dies down.
Also at some point, perhaps the same point, the Democrats will control the house and have access to and authority over releasing any and all reports they wish to release.
If the Gaetz stuff can be “old news” and Gaetz does the equivalent of ‘going to rehab’, he will be in a position to move on in politics.
The awful shenanigans that have been hinted at, or previously exposed to the public, make him a strong contender for the Republican POTUS nomination in 2028 or 2032.
@Tony W:
FWIW, Geatz stepped down when he was nominated. As to when you need to step down, I did some quick checking and it doesn’t seem like there is a hard or fast rule beyond you definitely need to be out of the position upon approval: https://www.wltx.com/article/news/verify/national-verify/yes-elected-officials-picked-for-trumps-cabinet-will-have-to-resign-before-taking-new-role/536-2160231a-b299-4c60-8a81-3c7893149954
@liberal capitalist:
I don’t know about the cops, although I have suspicions. Being FL-1, if Gaetz chooses to run for his old seat, he’ll be reelected.
Florida police? In the Gates district? My guess is that they just take notes from the investigation so that they too can have sex with teen girls. Seriously, I will be shocked if Johnson lets this get released.
Steve
@steve:
Did you just say FL police rape young women? Is that the position you want to stake out?
Think about what a scum this guy must be that this is the best statement he can make:
“In my single days, I often sent funds to women I dated — even some I never dated but who asked. I dated several of these women for years,” Gaetz said. “I NEVER had sexual contact with someone under 18. … My 30’s were an era of working very hard — and playing hard too.”
He added, “It’s embarrassing, though not criminal, that I probably partied, womanized, drank and smoked more than I should have earlier in life,” he said. “I live a different life now.”
In other words, I’m a complete pile of human sleaze, but there’s nothing in there that can send me to jail.
@Jack:
Maybe Steve is thinking about this particular recent incident:
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article293018184.html
From the article:
There’s also this one, though technically this was a former police officer…
https://www.dhs.gov/hsi/news/2024/04/24/intercept-task-force-former-police-officer-arrested-online-enticement-minor
And I mean you were the guy who used one interaction with someone who you thought didn’t speak English in a Florida big box store to draw sweeping presumptions, so maybe slow down on the pearl clutching.
@Jack:
Minneapolis cops do.
@Jack:
Former TPD officer accused of rape pleads to felony assault charge
Miramar Police officer arrested on child sexual abuse charges
There are others
Former is the operative word in that sentence, Matt. If Gaetz had removed himself from consideration for AG, but remained in the House, the Ethics committee would have kept on protecting him. Once he resigned, and recognizing the GOP’s elite skills in memory-holing prior bad acts, they’ve decided they can cut Gaetz loose without damaging the party brand. Some GOPers will likely take some credit for “getting him” to leave.