Ethics Committee votes to release Gaetz report in massive reversal

The House Ethics Committee has voted to release its report into former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and plans to publish its body of work as soon as this week, a source confirmed to The Hill.

The development marks a massive reversal for the secretive panel, which voted against releasing the investigation last month.

The committee now plans to release the report after the House holds its last vote of the year, the source said. The chamber is scheduled to break for holiday recess Thursday, though it could remain in session as lawmakers consider a government funding measure.

Gaetz fired back at news reports of the panel’s plans Wednesday, proclaiming his innocence, criticizing the panel and defending “embarrassing, though not criminal” behavior from his past.

The Ethics Committee declined to comment when reached by The Hill.

The imminent release of the report — which was first reported by CNN — marks the culmination of the panel’s roughly three-and-a-half year investigation into Gaetz, which covered allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, among other accusations. He was also investigated for allegedly accepting improper gifts, dispensing special privileges and favors to individuals with whom he had a personal relationship and seeking to obstruct government investigations of his conduct.

Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing.

The panel’s work moved into the spotlight after Gaetz was nominated by President-elect Trump to be attorney general and hastily resigned from Congress, then withdrew his name from consideration and said he would not retake office in January, a series of events that sparked a debate over whether the committee should release its report.

The panel’s investigation came to an abrupt end after Gaetz resigned from office, since the group does not have jurisdiction over former members of Congress.

News of the committee planning to release its report contrasts with the opinion of Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and several other Republicans, who had advocated against the publication of the body of work.

A pair of House Democrats forced votes on resolutions earlier this month that would have compelled the Ethics Committee to release its reports into Gaetz, which ended in a GOP-led vote to refer the matter back to the panel — a defeat for the Democrats.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) had previously investigated Gaetz but declined to charge him after looking into allegations of a sexual encounter with a 17-year-old. On Wednesday, Gaetz pointed to that outcome, calling himself “FULLY EXONERATED.”

“The Biden/Garland DOJ spent years reviewing allegations that I committed various crimes.  I was charged with nothing: FULLY EXONERATED.  Not even a campaign finance violation.  And the people investigating me hated me,” he wrote. “Then, the very ‘witnesses’ DOJ deemed not-credible were assembled by House Ethics to repeat their claims absent any cross-examination or challenge from me or my attorneys. I’ve had no chance to ever confront any accusers. I’ve never been charged. I’ve never been sued.”

Updated at 12:58 p.m. EST.

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Author: Mychael Schnell