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Should Matt Gaetz sit for a hearing with the Senate Judiciary Committee for U.S. attorney general next year, he is expected to face tough questions about a House Ethics Committee investigation into his alleged conduct — including from Senate Republicans.
The lawmaker from Florida has been the subject of a House ethics investigation over allegations of sexual misconduct and illegal drug use. The Justice Department last year closed its probe into sex trafficking and obstruction of justice allegations with no charges against Gaetz. The former congressman has denied any wrongdoing relative to both investigations. After Trump announced Gaetz as his pick for U.S. attorney general on Wednesday, the Florida Republican abruptly resigned from the House, a move that ends the committee’s jurisdiction and would typically prevent the release of any report.
Punchbowl News reported earlier in the week that the House committee was preparing a Friday vote on whether to release that report. Then on Friday, House Ethics Chair Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., said that the committee had postponed, not canceled, its meeting to discuss the report.
Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee have urged Guest to release the findings. And some Republicans on the Judiciary committee have said they’re interested, too — including Sen. John Cornyn, who told ABC News he “absolutely” wants to see the ethics report.
“I think there should not be any limitation on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s investigation, including whatever the House ethics committee generated,” Cornyn said.
Other Republicans who are not on the Judiciary committee have similarly said the findings are pertinent. Sen.-elect John Curtis of Utah said he believes the report “would be very relevant” and that he would “absolutely” like to see them, NBC News reported.
Guest, however, said on Thursday that the Ethics Committee would not make the report public and declined to say whether it would share the report with the Senate Judiciary Committee. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Friday morning that he “strongly” requested the committee not release the report, adding that it “would be a terrible precedent to set.”