The House Ethics Committee secretly voted to release its report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz and will soon make public the findings of its investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct with a minor, illicit drug use, and misuse of campaign funds. According to CNN, the report is expected to be released before the end of this session of Congress, with the timeline for release potentially as early as Thursday, when lawmakers are scheduled for their final votes of the year before leaving Washington.
Tom Rust, a spokesperson for the panel, refused to confirm CNN’s reporting, according to the Washington Times. The ethics investigation into Gaetz began in 2021, focusing on allegations that he engaged in sexual misconduct with a 17-year-old girl, used illegal drugs, shared inappropriate images or videos on the House floor, misused state identification records, converted campaign funds for personal use, and accepted a bribe, improper gratuity, or impermissible gift.
The inquiry was sidelined when the Justice Department launched a two-year sex trafficking probe, which ultimately concluded with no charges against the Florida lawmaker. The ethics panel continued its investigation after the Justice Department’s probe ended, revisiting some of the original charges, including underage sex and graft, while also looking into new allegations of obstructing government investigations. Last month, the panel struggled to reach a consensus on whether to release the report after Gaetz resigned from Congress following President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of him for attorney general.
Gaetz’s resignation ended the Ethics Committee’s jurisdiction over him, and he later withdrew his name from consideration for attorney general amid significant opposition from Senate Republicans. Republican leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson and Ethics Committee Chair Michael Guest, opposed releasing the report, citing precedent against making reports about former lawmakers public.
In a lengthy post on social media, Gaetz ripped the panel’s decision to release its findings, arguing that the Justice Department spent years reviewing allegations against him and was “charged with nothing: FULLY EXONERATED.” Gaetz said that he would often send “funds to women I dated — even some I never dated but who asked,” but that he “NEVER had sexual contact with someone under 18” and that any such claim “would be destroyed in court — which is why no such claim was ever made in court.” “My 30s were an era of working very hard — and playing hard too,” he added. “It’s embarrassing, though not criminal, that I probably partied, womanized, drank and smoked more than I should have earlier in life. I live a different life now.”
Gaetz is slated to join the primetime roster on One America News Network (OAN) in January, the network announced on Tuesday. Gaetz will host his hour-long program, “The Matt Gaetz Show,” at 9 p.m. EST every weeknight, according to OAN’s press release. The network brought on the former congressman after he resigned from his seat and withdrew his nomination to serve as U.S. Attorney General in President-elect Donald Trump’s upcoming administration.
“With Gaetz rounding out OAN’s prime-time lineup, the network is poised for a groundbreaking 2025, reaffirming its mission to deliver credible, independent news and unfiltered commentary to audiences across the nation,” the press release reads. “Matt Gaetz has earned a reputation as a relentless champion of conservative values, taking on entrenched Washington bureaucrats and exposing government overreach.
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