The House Ethics Committee has decided to release a report on former GOP lawmaker Matt Gaetz, which is sure to stir things up, especially for House Speaker Mike Johnson. The report, which had previously been shelved due to Gaetz no longer being a member of Congress, will now be made public, despite the unusual nature of publishing such reports after someone leaves office.
Mike Johnson, who has long been opposed to the release, had expressed his concerns when Gaetz was considered for Attorney General, citing House rules that stated a former member is outside the Ethics Committee’s jurisdiction. Johnson had hoped to keep the report under wraps, but it seems some Republicans on the committee voted in favor of making it public, making his stance much less influential.
The controversy surrounding Gaetz gained significant attention in November, especially when Donald Trump nominated him as Attorney General, despite serious allegations against Gaetz, including accusations of sex trafficking, sexual misconduct involving minors, and drug use. Although Gaetz faced a three-year investigation by the Justice Department, little came of it, and his decision to resign just before the report was due to be released seemed like an attempt to evade scrutiny.
As of now, there is no confirmed release date for the report, but given that Gaetz has no plans to return to Congress and Johnson has no control over the panel, it’s only a matter of time before the details of Gaetz’s actions are made public.