House Ethics Committee cancels meeting on Matt Gaetz probe

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Axios

1 hour ago


The Republican-led House Ethics Committee cancelled a planned meeting regarding its investigation of former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), two sources familiar with the matter confirmed to Axios.

Why it matters: Gaetz's resignation from Congress after President-elect Trump nominated him for attorney general puts an abrupt end to the panel's investigation.

The committee had been looking into allegations of sex trafficking, illicit drug use and accepting improper gifts, all of which Gaetz has denied.

What we're hearing: Republican members of the committee — which is split 50-50 between the two parties — met Thursday night, both sources confirmed to Axios.

The panel had been set to vote on the release of what lawmakers expect will be a highly damaging report before Gaetz stepped down from his seat.

Republicans on the panel and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) have signaled their opposition to releasing the report now that Gaetz is a former member and thus no longer under the committee's jurisdiction.

The meeting's cancellation was first reported by CNN.

The other side: Democrats on the panel have been looking into whether they can formally make the report public, Axios previously reported.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/2024/11/15/house-ethics-committee-cancels-matt-gaetz-meeting

[sheshe2]

1. Please release it!

The public has a right to know.

[magicarpet]

2. Erase the chalkboard,...

... make all those inflammatory accusations of alleged pedophilia, drunken, druged up, pornographic videos of minors, paying minors for sex, crossing state lines for prostitution, and contributing to the delinquency of minors - all just POOF go away.

[BOSSHOG]

3. Conservative logic

We won’t release the report because He’s no longer in congress. He’s no longer in congress because he’s been nominated to be the countries number one prosecutor so there’s that reason for not releasing the damaging report. We wouldn’t want America to know. And besides trump supporters don’t care of his “indiscretions” so there’s that.

Christian leadership in the house. So comforting.

[Galraedia]

5. Democrats should just release it and make republicans look stupid for trying to withhold it.

The people payed for the investigation and he has been nominated to a high ranking position in the federal government. The fact that he was even under investigation by the house it concerning enough.

[BOSSHOG]

6. The hand wringing could be funny if only.

Yeah, some democrat stroll to the podium and pass out copies. Per rule, they can’t act on it. So be it. Don’t act on it, share it. Silly question. Why would republicans not want the info made public? Gosh Johnson two months before he gets inaugurated and he’s already clogging up your septic tank.

[Justice matters.]

10. If the shoe was on the other foot, Republicans would ignore the "rule" and release it.

Rules don't matter to them. Why do they only matter to Dems?

[Bengus81]

15. Because Dems always *yawn* just gotta take the high road......

Just like Biden giving Trump office space and calling him on his win. Meanwhile Trump after 2020 loss...well,everyone already knows how that went down.

I wouldn't have given that POS fascist an inch of office space nor would I have called him congratulating him on his win.

[Galraedia]

4. Given his nomination by Trump to attorney general it's even more of a reason for it to be released

If he was under investigation by the House the public has the right to know the findings of the investigation, even more so now that he has been nominated for attorney general. If republicans refuse to release it and it is leaked I'm sure it would look bad for Matt Gaetz and republicans for trying to withhold it. The smart move would be for republicans to just release it.

[Qutzupalotl]

7. Just the fact that the report exists and could be leaked at any time

means Gaetz is compromised, because he could be manipulated by someone with the means to leak it.

This is now a national security issue. Release the report.

[oasis]

11. Leak the report. Leak it for sure.

[mzmolly]

8. "And some lawmakers have speculated that the report may leak through unofficial channels."

Let's hope so.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

9. The republicans on this committee are cowards

[bluestarone]

12. I'm not very smart with these kind of things, BUT i've heard before on this site that a memmber of congress can

Read something into the records on the House floor. Is this something that a Democrat on that panel read into record on the house floor?

[BumRushDaShow]

13. They might

but what would probably happen is a motion to have what was read "stricken from the record".

[FemDemERA]

14. But would that really matter as to getting the word out?

Does “stricken from the record” mean much if it is read aloud live on C-SPAN? Or heard by some reporter in attendance? At that point it is out there, which always seems to be the real point when someone does that. If so, maybe we will see more of that?

I don’t know the procedurals at all. Just asking as I am clinging to straws of hope to keep from drowning in a pool of tears…

[BumRushDaShow]

18. Well sure

People could record it themselves but in the "official Congressional Record", it would be removed, and I expect CSPAN, which is controlled by Congress, would probably have them remove the portions that they recorded for their archive.

[bluestarone]

17. Was away for awhile. So

Even if it was stricken from the record, I'm thinking news media would have full access to (while it's read on the floor) it BEFORE it was stricken?

[BumRushDaShow]

19. I expect so

but then they seem to like to "selectively" enforce the First Amendment so who knows what draconian thing they might try to implement to wipe it from history and "threaten" the media and public about any "copies" they have!

[republianmushroom]

16. I can plainly see there will be no need for this committee any longer.