The House of Representatives Ethics Committee voted secretly earlier this month to release its report on former lawmaker Matt Gaetz. That reversed a November party-line vote to block the report’s release, NBC News reported, citing two sources familiar with the matter.
The report is expected to be made public before the end of the year and possibly as early as the end of this week, the sources told NBC News. CNN was the first to report the committee’s vote.
Gaetz abruptly resigned from Congress last month after President-elect Donald Trump appointed him secretary of defense in his new administration. But Gaetz withdrew from consideration less than two weeks later after Senate Republicans reportedly protested his selection.
The House Ethics Committee — a 10-member panel evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats — had been investigating Gaetz for years over allegations of sexual misconduct and illegal drug use. But the panel lost its jurisdiction over the Florida Republican when he left Congress.
Gaetz has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. A separate Justice Department investigation into sex trafficking allegations against him concluded last year without any charges being filed against him.
Gaetz will host a new TV show with the conservative One America News Network in January.
This is a development story. Check back for updates.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
