A Democratic representative is pushing for a vote to make public the findings from the House Ethics Committee regarding former Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida.
On Tuesday, Rep. Sean Casten from Illinois introduced legislation that would require the entire House to vote on whether to disclose the ethics report concerning Gaetz. This resolution is known as a “privileged resolution,” which means House leaders are obligated to address it within two legislative days, creating a deadline for action by Thursday.
Gaetz has been under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for several years, with allegations involving serious misconduct. The investigation abruptly ended last month after Gaetz resigned from Congress shortly after being considered for a position in Donald Trump’s administration.
Interestingly, when Gaetz resigned, the committee lost the ability to continue its investigation. Gaetz has denied all allegations against him, and a previous federal investigation did not result in any charges.
It is uncommon for the House Ethics Committee to release reports about former members, and many in Congress, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, have expressed reluctance to disclose the findings. However, Casten argues that resigning from Congress should not shield anyone from accountability for serious accusations. He believes that keeping the report secret would undermine the integrity of the House’s legislative process.
Casten previously attempted to introduce a similar measure last month, but it did not advance due to inaction from House Republican leaders. His current resolution is expected to receive more attention, as Congress will be in session until Friday.
The House Ethics Committee plans to meet again on Thursday, which is the same day by which the resolution must be considered. According to Rep. Susan Wild, the leading Democrat on the committee, previous attempts to move the report forward have not received bipartisan support, indicating a division along party lines.
This situation continues to unfold, and many are watching to see how it will impact the ongoing discussion about transparency and accountability in Congress.
