[ad_1]
The House of Representatives rejected a bid by Democrats to force the release of an ethics report into former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., on Thursday evening.
Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., filed a measure known as a “privileged resolution” to make the Gaetz report public, a maneuver that forces House leaders to take up a resolution within two legislative days.
House lawmakers voted to refer Casten’s resolution to the relevant committee for consideration. It’s highly unlikely a GOP-controlled committee would take it up, however, meaning the move essentially defeated the Democrat’s effort.
HACKER OBTAINS HOUSE ETHICS TESTIMONY ON MATT GAETZ AS TRUMP MAKES CALLS FOR AG NOMINEE
Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., speaks at a campaign rally for Republican presidential nominee, President-elect Trump on Oct. 12, 2024 in Coachella, Calif. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Gaetz abruptly resigned from Congress last month in a now-failed bid to be President-elect Donald Trump’s next attorney general.
His resignation also came just before the House Ethics Committee was set to consider the release of its report into the Florida Republican.
The panel had been conducting a years-long investigation into accusations against Gaetz that involved sex with a minor and illicit drug use.
GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP’S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR?
President-elect Donald Trump tapped Gaetz to be his attorney general, but that has since collapsed. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
But its jurisdiction ended when Gaetz left Congress, and Republicans have shown little appetite to buck tradition and release a report on someone who has departed Congress.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters last month that he was against releasing the report.
“I do not believe that that is an appropriate thing. It doesn’t follow our rules and traditions and there is a reason for that. That would open up Pandora’s box and I don’t think that’s a healthy thing for the institution,” he said.
Speaker of the House…
[ad_2]
