House Democrat renews push to release Gaetz report, forcing action this week

House floor consideration of a resolution forcing the House Ethics Committee to release its report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) is expected this week, after Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) on Tuesday renewed his move to force action on an updated version of the resolution — despite Gaetz having withdrawn his name to be President-elect Trump’s Attorney General.

The privileged resolution move will require House action on the matter within two legislative days, which could force action on the matter this week.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) publicly opposed releasing the Gaetz ethics report even before he withdrew his name, arguing it was improper to release a report on a nonmember. House GOP leaders are expected to make a motion to kill the resolution, such as by tabling it, to prevent a vote on the underlying resolution.

“The Committee on Ethics has, on many occasions, released its reports on former members,” Casten said in a Tuesday statement. “Resigning from Congress should not allow Members to avoid accountability for allegations as serious as those faced by Matt Gaetz. Withholding this report from the American people would impede the dignity and integrity of the legislative proceedings of the House.”

Casten initially made a move to force a vote on releasing the Gaetz report before Congress left for the Thanksgiving holiday, but his office said the matter expired after two days.

His new resolution includes multiple examples of the House Ethics Committee continuing investigations into or releasing reports on former House members.

While rare, there is precedent for the Ethics panel to release a report on a non-member. In 1987, it released a report on former Rep. Bill Boner (D-Tenn.) after it examined allegations of campaign fund misuse and a bribe. In 2006, the panel released the results of its investigation into former Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.), focusing on the conduct of House Republican leaders.

The Ethics Committee, which generally does not have jurisdiction over former lawmakers, in November declined to release its not-quite-complete report shortly after Trump picked Gaetz to be attorney general. As of last week, the panel was scheduled to meet again this Thursday with the expectation of further considering the Gaetz matter, according to a source familiar with the committee schedule.

The committee investigated Gaetz over allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, and accepting improper gifts, among other claims. Gaetz has vigorously denied wrongdoing, including allegations that he had sex with a 17-year-old girl. The Department of Justice declined to charge Gaetz after investigating similar matters.

Casten is not the only Democrat aiming to force action on releasing the report. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) also moved to force a vote on extracting the Gaetz report before the Thanksgiving break.

Cohen had signaled on MSNBC after Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration that he planned to continue to push for a vote on releasing the report. His office did not immediately respond to an inquiry on if he is still forcing action on a separate resolution.

In the slim House majority, at least a handful of Republicans would have to break ranks with GOP leadership and vote to release the Gaetz report in order to force it out with the House vote, assuming all Democrats support the move.

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