Hundreds Of Democrats Target Gaetz
A group of nearly 100 House Democrats has called on the House Ethics Committee to release its draft report regarding allegations of misconduct by former Rep. Matt Gaetz. The letter, spearheaded by Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois and Rep. Susan Wild of Pennsylvania, urges the committee’s chair, Rep. Michael Guest, to make the findings public. In the letter, the Democrats argue that withholding the results could prevent the Senate from fulfilling its constitutional duty to offer informed advice and consent on President-elect Trump’s nomination of Gaetz as attorney general. They claim that Gaetz’s recent resignation from Congress should not obstruct the Senate’s ability to review the allegations.
Gaetz stepped down from his congressional seat shortly after being nominated by President Trump for the attorney general position. His resignation effectively ended the Ethics Committee’s investigation, which began in April 2021. The investigation focused on serious allegations, including claims that Gaetz was involved in sexual misconduct with a 17-year-old, accepted inappropriate gifts, and attempted to impede the investigation into his actions.
House Democrats, in their letter, pointed out that the Ethics Committee has continued investigations into former officials even after their resignations. They cited the cases of former Democratic Rep. Eric Massa and former Republican Sen. John Ensign as examples of past precedents.
The nomination of Gaetz by Trump has raised eyebrows among some political observers in Washington, who expected Trump to nominate a more traditional candidate like Sen. Mike Lee of Utah. However, Trump has strongly defended Gaetz, saying that he will “end Weaponized Government,” protect the southern border, dismantle criminal organizations, and restore trust in the Justice Department.
Meanwhile, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, has expressed opposition to the release of the report, arguing that it would set a dangerous precedent and undermine the traditional workings of the House.
