Gaetz's Sexual Misconduct Report Release Blocked by House GOP
Source: Bloomberg
November 20, 2024 at 5:11 PM EST
Republicans on the House Ethics Committee voted Wednesday to keep confidential its findings on the sexual misconduct probe into Matt Gaetz, President-elect Donald Trumps pick for attorney general, the panels top Democrat said. The 10-member panel met behind closed doors for more than two hours, with all five GOP members voting to block the reports release ahead of the Senates consideration of Gaetzs nomination, Democrat Representative Susan Wild of Pennsylvania said after the deliberations. Democrats calling to disclose the findings needed at least one Republican to have crossed over, she said.
The Ethics Committee, which typically operates in private, faces mounting pressure to publicize its finding as scrutiny of Gaetz intensifies after Trump nominated him on Nov. 13 to lead the Justice Department. Ethics Chairman Michael Guest provided few details other than to say there was no agreement to release the report. Wild fired back after the meeting, saying Guests remarks incorrectly characterized the deliberations.
I do not want the American public or anyone else to think, she said, that what transpired today would be some sort of indication that the committee had unity, or consensus on this issue. House Democrats plan to force the issue, and will need at least a few Republicans to back them. Illinois Representative Sean Casten said hell file a privileged House resolution on Wednesday to force a vote that will require the committee to release its findings.
The privileged resolution gives Speaker Mike Johnson up to two legislative days to schedule floor action. A vote to table Castens resolution could precede a vote on the resolution itself. This information must be made available for the Senate to provide its constitutionally required advice and consent, Casten said in a statement.
Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-20/gaetz-s-sexual-misconduct-report-release-blocked-by-house-gop
Article updated and now "live". Changing source.
New source no paywall (gift)
Original article/headline -
Nov. 20, 2024, 3:49 p.m. ET
The House Ethics Committee deadlocked on Wednesday on whether to release a report about sexual misconduct and illicit drug use allegations against former Representative Matt Gaetz, the Florida Republican who is President-elect Donald J. Trump's choice for attorney general, setting up a possible constitutional clash between the House and the Senate.
Senators in both parties have clamored to see the bipartisan conclusions of the panel's yearslong investigation into Mr. Gaetz's conduct as part of their vetting of presidential nominees, who normally require Senate confirmation.
But since Mr. Trump named Mr. Gaetz last week as his choice to head the Justice Department, House Republicans have been reluctant to make the report public. And following an hourslong meeting of the secretive ethics panel on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Representative Michael Guest, the Mississippi Republican who chairs the committee, emerged to say only: "There was no agreement by the committee to release the report." He declined to comment further, as did other members of the panel, which includes five Republicans and five Democrats.
Speaker Mike Johnson pressured the committee last week not to release its findings on Mr. Gaetz, arguing that it would constitute a "terrible breach of protocol" to do so after a member had resigned, putting him beyond the panel's jurisdiction. He also privately urged Mr. Guest not to make the findings public.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/20/us/politics/matt-gaetz-house-ethics-report.html
No paywall (gift)
CousinIT
(10,179 posts)apcalc
(4,518 posts)NoodleyAppendage
(4,623 posts)If the MAGA cult allow Gaetz to be confirmed, that, then, will be your signal to get the hell out of the country ASAP.
It will be then that it is signaled that nothing will stop Trump from his criminal aims.
J
BlueKota
(3,643 posts)no resources to do it with.
Boomerproud
(8,406 posts)Trueblue1968
(18,110 posts)That wipes out my savings.
BlueKota
(3,643 posts)It's an investigation done on the taxpayers dime, and we have a right to know, but they will keep their secrets. Republicans break rules with impunity with no regard for we the people, and the Democrats always follow the rules even when it's clear following those so called "rules," will be more detrimental to we the people, than helpful. Pretty much feel abandoned at this point.
I think it's becoming crystal clear the people are being hung out to try. Sorry to sound so Debbie Downer, but it's how I feel. I don't know why I still continue to speak out because it seems like those people who still have enough of a platform to get any traction, are mum, and nobody cares what a lot of the rest of us say.
SWBTATTReg
(24,085 posts)in a way, it's been released by their actions in not wanting to release the report. They fear what it'll will do to their conference.
And what gets me, is that (since I am going to assume the Gaetz did the worse (teen sex)), Gaetz did it and did it a multiple of times. Why otherwise will they not release the report?
Democrats need to start shifting their stance and go on the attack and accuse Geatz of this and that the repugs are covering it up.
We are barely in a position to effect things. This is a level that we can use, so let's use it! We don't need names of the teenagers, protect them, or if they are older (several years older than '17', the reputed ages of these girls that he's paid for having the 'big bang'), release it.
No more Mr. (or Ms./Mrs./Miss) nice person. They go low, we go lower should be our motto. They (everyone else in the world besides Democrats) already know our well-known motto, if they go low, we go higher. The times are different. We have just been thrown a bone w/ some meat on it, attack it. I daresay that they'll moan and complain as they always do that Democrats aren't playing nice, but I beg to disagree w/ you. It's time not to be Mr. Nice Person.
And sure, we have some important mandates. Protecting our Social Security and other such programs, but they'll want to do some things too, such as, of course, the standard 'cut taxes' thing for the ultra-rich. This will call for the exchanging of favors, so let's make sure that the favors we get in exchange are well worth the tradeoff.
Hang in there folks, we're in for the ride of our lives (literally). One thing to consider, is that tRUMP is getting people that kiss his ass, so they aren't exactly going to be the sharpest tools in the barn. And of course, none of them are going to say, even if they should, that hey, this isn't a 'good thing' on bad bills, or other bad things they may do, in their exec. orders, etc. And, tRUMP is getting older, believe it or not. If we're still going to deal w/ him, draw him out into the public, and go one on one w/ him, and wear him out. Everything we do should tax his feeble reserves, after all, I (and probably all of us) see him huffing and puffing all of the time. His health is already getting up there. Wear him out.
gab13by13
(25,221 posts)Have asked Garland to release the DOJ file on Gaetz.
Pretty sure Garland doesnt want to appear to be partisan.
patphil
(6,940 posts)If he hasn't committed a crime, then there is no reason not to release the report.
Orrex
(64,101 posts)In the nightmare where we currently find ourselves, other rules apply.
Specifically, GOP fuckheads contend that the report was a political hit-job intended to baselessly undermine Gaetz' credibility. Therefore, in their fucked up version of things, they have to block its release.
They will repeat the lie endlessly, the media will parrot their lie endlessly, MAGA fuckheads will parrot and expand upon the lie endlessly, and Gaetz will be confirmed as AG.
moniss
(5,705 posts)Prof. Toru Tanaka
(2,289 posts)There is damning evidence in it and it very likely involves others besides Mattress.Gaetz.
tanyev
(44,501 posts)Zambero
(9,761 posts)With the GOP, bright shiny objects are used to distract from the not-so-pretty contents of their own glass houses.
Prof. Toru Tanaka
(2,289 posts)The same bunch that always wants to ban books for containing pornography.
Fucking hypocrites.
hadEnuf
(2,698 posts)Criminal filth.
NBachers
(18,129 posts)Initech
(101,900 posts)Yet they're actively protecting and CHEERLEADING a REAL sex offender and supporting his nomination for the ATTORNEY GENERAL of the United States! Make it make fucking sense.