US House Speaker, Mike Johnson, has rejected demands for the release of an ethics report on Donald Trump’s controversial attorney general nominee, Matt Gaetz, arguing that the report is unnecessary since Gaetz is no longer a member of Congress.
While speaking with CNN on Sunday, Johnson said, “It should not come out. And why? Because Matt Gaetz resigned from Congress. He is no longer a member. There’s a very important protocol, tradition and rule.”
Gaetz, a polarising former Republican congressman from Florida, resigned from the House shortly after being nominated by Trump, effectively ending an ethics investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and other wrongdoing.
The claims against him include accusations of paying for sex with a 17-year-old girl, illicit drug use, misusing campaign funds, and sharing inappropriate images on the House floor, all of which he has denied.
Trump’s decision to nominate Gaetz as attorney general has drawn criticism from Democrats and unease within Republican ranks. Many see the nomination as an effort to protect Trump from ongoing legal battles, with critics arguing that Gaetz would likely drop cases against the former president if confirmed.
Democratic Senator-elect, Adam Schiff, a prominent Trump critic, condemned the nomination, calling Gaetz unqualified and disqualified.
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Speaking on CNN, Schiff questioned whether someone with such serious allegations should lead the Justice Department.
“Are we really going to have an attorney general who, there’s credible allegations (that) he was involved in child sex trafficking, potential illicit drug use, obstruction of an investigation? Who has no experience serving in the Justice Department — only being investigated by it?”
Gaetz’s history in Congress has been contentious. He was instrumental in the removal of Johnson’s predecessor, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and frequently clashed with colleagues.
Republican Senator, Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma revealed earlier this year that Gaetz had shown inappropriate videos to House colleagues. On Sunday, Mullin told NBC that the ethics report “absolutely” should be made available to the Senate for the confirmation process.
Despite bipartisan pressure, Johnson remains opposed to releasing the findings, asserting that the Senate’s vetting process is sufficient.
He said, “They don’t need to rely upon a report or a draft report or a rough draft report that was prepared by the ethics committee for its very limited purposes.”
Meanwhile, Democratic Senator John Fetterman described Gaetz as just an absolute troll and dismissed the nomination as a poor choice.
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