House Speaker Mike Johnson has come out to speak against the release of a House Ethics Committee probe on Matt Gaetz, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be the next attorney general. The investigation in question is related to the now former Florida lawmaker allegedly having sex with a minor. Gaetz rejects any wrongdoing.
Speaking to press on Friday, Johnson said he was going to "strongly request that the Ethics Committee not issue the report." "I do not. No, I think it's a terrible breach of protocol," Johnson added, saying "that is not the way we do things in the House, and I think that would be a terrible precedent."
Questioned about whether the public has the right to have more information about the potential next attorney general, Johnson said "the rules of the House have always been that a former member is beyond the jurisdiction of the ethics committee, and so I don't think that's relevant."
The woman at the heart of the investigation reportedly testified to the committee that Gaetz had sex with her when she was 17, sources familiar with the investigation told ABC News. Now in her 20s, the woman testified for several days to the committee, recounting that the politician approached her sexually while she was a minor in high school.
"These allegations are invented and would constitute false testimony to Congress," Gaetz said in response to the outlet's reporting. "This false smear following a three-year criminal investigation should be viewed with great skepticism."
Immediately after Donald Trump announced him as the nominee on Wednesday, Gaetz resigned from his role in the Congress, a strategy that appeared to seek avoiding further scrutiny, triggering an eight-week process under Florida law to fill his seat. Gaetz's resignation virtually ended the committee's investigation, which has been described as "highly damaging."
Trump's nomination of Gaetz as attorney general is coming under heavy criticism, even within his party. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) told reporters on Thursday that several Republican senators are unwilling to confirm Gaetz as attorney general.
In fact, Senate Republicans, including Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), reacted with shock and disapproval, according to Punchbowl News. Many privately added that some senators believed Gaetz would struggle to secure the votes necessary for confirmation.
Morever, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) told reporters on Thursday that enough Republican senators are unwilling to confirm Gaetz. He said he could name five to 10 Senate Republicans who were likely to vote against Gaetz' nomination. Speaking to CBS News, he also stated that he would advocate for the release of the committee's investigation.
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