It’s been an unusual month for former Rep. Matt Gaetz. Over the course of a few weeks, the Florida Republican won reelection, was chosen to serve as the next U.S. attorney general, withdrew from consideration for the Cabinet post, resigned from Congress and pledged not to serve Capitol Hill in the new administration. year, despite his successful 2024 campaign.
At least Gaetz can disappear from the public spotlight now, right? Well, not yet. NBC News reported:
Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., is forcing a vote this week to require the House Ethics Committee to release a report on its yearslong investigation into former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. Casten introduced a resolution Tuesday that would force the bipartisan ethics panel to take action. Because the resolution is “privileged,” it must be put to a vote within two legislative days.
For those who might benefit from a refresher, let’s revisit our previous coverage and see how we got to this point.
The House Ethics Committee first launched an investigation into Florida more than three years ago, and over the summer members of the panel released a rare statement explaining that their original investigation into Gaetz had expanded.
NBC News reported in June that the bipartisan panel said in a lengthy statement that it was investigating whether Gaetz may have “engaged in sexual misconduct and illegal drug use, accepted inappropriate gifts, granted special privileges and favors to individuals with whom he had a personal relationship.” relationship”. , and attempted to obstruct government investigations into his conduct.”
In September, the then-congressman, who has long denied any wrongdoing, said he believed the House Ethics Committee’s lines of inquiry had become “curious” and that he would no longer cooperate with the investigation.
The panel nevertheless produced a final report on its findings, although members were divided along party lines over whether the document would be released.
After Gaetz resigned from Congress, Republican leaders said the matter was effectively over, arguing that the investigation is now moot since the Republican is now a private citizen, rather than a sitting member.
But it’s not that simple. As Casten, the sponsor of the privileged resolution, was quick to point out, there is plenty of precedent for the House issuing reports on former lawmakers after they have resigned, and the same has happened in the Senate.
In theory, the vote on the privileged resolution could very well fail despite Republican opposition, but let’s not forget that some Republican members hold Gaetz in very low regard, and they might still be willing to support the Democratic measure.
As for why the Ethics Commission’s findings remain relevant despite the former congressman’s resignation, the NBC News report added:[T]there has been speculation — some of it fueled by Gaetz himself — that he could run for governor of Florida in 2026 or join the Trump White House in a position that doesn’t require Senate confirmation.
Watch this space.
This message updates our related previous reporting.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
