In a significant development, the House Ethics Committee has decided to release a long-anticipated ethics report regarding former Representative Matt Gaetz. This decision raises the prospect that allegations surrounding the Florida Republican, once considered a leading candidate for attorney general under President Donald Trump, may soon come to light. The committee, comprised of an equal number of Republicans and Democrats, reached this conclusion earlier this month, as revealed by an unnamed source familiar with the situation.
This recent vote marks a remarkable shift for the usually quiet committee, which just last month opted to maintain secrecy regarding the findings of its extensive investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct involving minors and the use of drugs during Gaetz’s congressional tenure. Despite the investigation’s findings remaining under wraps for nearly four years, Democratic members of the committee had advocated for the report’s public release, especially since Gaetz is no longer serving in Congress and has stepped back from consideration for a high-ranking Justice Department position.
A push to mandate the report’s disclosure on the House floor earlier this month fell short, with nearly all Republican members voting against it. Gaetz responded to the committee’s recent decision on social media, reiterating his stance of innocence. He expressed his frustration over the timing of the report’s release, emphasizing that he would not have the chance to address the allegations as a former member of Congress. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, he reflected on his past lifestyle, acknowledging his more excessive habits but asserting that he now leads a more responsible life.
Many Republicans maintain that the ethics investigation into Gaetz effectively ceased when he resigned from the House. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson requested that the committee reconsider the report’s release, arguing that doing so would set a concerning precedent. Although it is uncommon, ethics reports have been made public after a member’s resignation in the past.
Gaetz has also pointed out that a parallel investigation by the Justice Department related to allegations of sex trafficking involving minors was closed last year without any federal charges filed against him. This investigation gained public attention primarily due to the actions of Joel Greenberg, a former political ally and Republican official in Florida. Greenberg entered into a plea agreement with federal prosecutors in 2021, admitting to having engaged in illicit activities, including paying for sex with women and an underage girl, while the identities of other men involved were not disclosed in court records. In late 2022, Greenberg was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for his crimes.
