It’s a nice gesture, but a) the cat is out of the bag on the allegations against former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), and b) someone will leak it. We should expect something to that effect to drop soon. The Hill is awash with enemies of Donald Trump and Mr. Gaetz. The horse has left the barn; all that remains is what has been printed.
Regardless, House Speaker Mike Johnson, who will remain at his post since Republicans retained control of the House, has asked the Ethics Committee to quash their report on their investigation into the Florida Republican, who Trump nominated to serve as our next attorney general (via Axios):
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said he'll ask the House Ethics Committee not to release a potentially damaging report on the conduct of former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), President-elect Trump's attorney general nominee.
Why it matters: Johnson said making the report public would set a "terrible precedent," demonstrating how far he's willing to go to help Trump's nominees.
Gaetz resigned from the House Wednesday — a move that would typically disband the Ethics Committee's investigation — but senators of both parties have said they want to see the panel's findings as they prepare to consider whether to confirm Gaetz.
"I'm going to strongly request that the Ethics Committee not issue the report because that is not the way we do things in the House, and I think that would be a terrible precedent to set," Johnson said, as first reported by Politico.
Johnson's comments are a notable pivot from his previous stance that he does not wade into Ethics Committee matters.
Catch up quick: In June, the ethics panel officially confirmed its probe into Gaetz had picked up where the Justice Department left off in some of its investigations.
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The big picture: Trump's decision to select Gaetz — a staunch ally and polarizing figure in the House — sent shockwaves through Congress, with his critics arguing the allegations should disqualify him.
Republicans on the House Ethics Committee met on Thursday, but it remains unclear whether they will vote to release their findings.
Just brace yourselves, folks. It’s going to be a crazy few months.
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