House Democrats will push to release the Ethics Committee report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) despite Gaetz’s decision Thursday to withdraw his name from the running to lead the Justice Department in President-elect Trump’s incoming administration.
Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.), who had introduced a resolution Wednesday to force a House vote on releasing the report, said the public still has the right to know what Ethics investigators found as they probed allegations that Gaetz had used illicit drugs and had sexual relations with a minor while he was a sitting congressman. Gaetz has vigorously denied any wrongdoing.
“While I welcome the news that Matt Gaetz is withdrawing from consideration for Attorney General, it remains important that the Gaetz report be made available to the American people,” Casten said in a brief statement.
Casten’s resolution is “privileged,” meaning it must receive a floor vote within two legislative days of its introduction. Casten’s decision to push ahead sets the stage for the House to hold that vote when lawmakers to Washington following the Thanksgiving break, in the first week of December, when GOP leaders are expected to attempt to “table” the motion.
It’s unclear if the resolution has the votes to pass.
Republicans control the lower chamber, and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has made clear that he opposes the idea of releasing the report, citing Gaetz’s resignation from Congress last week. The Ethics Committee has no jurisdiction to investigate former members of Congress, and Johnson says releasing the report would violate that contract — and set a dangerous precedent besides.
But Gaetz also made plenty of enemies during his eight years on Capitol Hill, including a long list of Republicans who are still infuriated that he led the successful effort to boot former Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from the Speakership last year. The lingering resentments have led to speculation that some House Republicans would want to release the Ethics findings, if only to embarrass Gaetz, even if it meant risking the ire of Trump.
Shortly before Gaetz withdrew his name from the running, Casten acknowledged the political pressures facing his GOP colleagues. He said he is not actively pressing Republicans to support his resolution.
“We’re past whatever moral and ethics tests [there are],” he said. “At this point, it’s [a question of], ‘How were you raised?’ I can’t whip that question.”
“There are a large number of Republicans who do not like Matt Gaetz as an individual. And I think there are a large number of Republicans who will cower before Donald Trump and do not want to do anything that smacks of oversight or standing up to him,” Casten continued. “I don’t know how that push comes through. But I think it is appropriate for us to call the vote and not allow people to hide behind what the Ethics Committee may or may not have decided behind closed doors.”
Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.), a member of the evenly split Ethics Committee, indicated before Gaetz’s withdrawal that he’s likely to support Casten’s resolution when it hits the floor in December.
Ivey also criticized Johnson, who has argued that the report should not be released because it’s just a “rough draft.” Ivey said even the Speaker of the House should not have been made aware of the details of the investigation or its status.
“I do kind of wonder how he would know that — he’s not supposed to know that – and he’s already had comments directed at us about not releasing it,” Ivey said. “I’ll say again: I just don’t think it’s his place to be commenting on this at all. Because I think it politicizes it in a way that he really shouldn’t.”
Updated at 2:12 p.m.
