In case anyone is wondering what’s going on with the House Ethics Committee report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), there’s an update after previous reports on Thursday promised fireworks that the committee might vote on it, whether it will be published or not the report.
The stories – from Fox News And NBC News — he breathlessly recounted the prospect, with the former media outlet writing that a Democrat member forced a vote that triggered the meeting in the first place:
The House Ethics Committee is scheduled to meet Thursday after the panel failed to agree last month on whether to release its report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.
However, the report could still be published even if history repeats itself. Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., on Tuesday moved to force a vote on releasing the report through a measure known as a “privileged resolution.”
Classifying a resolution as “privileged” gives House Democrats two legislative days to consider it, with that deadline set for Thursday.
Related reading: “I’m Not Going Anywhere”: Matt Gaetz announces what’s next
BOMBSHELL: Gaetz resigns from Congress
That all came to nothing on Thursday afternoon, as the committee voted 206 to 198 against publication:
NEWS
House Republicans have rejected a measure introduced by Democrats that would have led to the release of the House Ethics Committee report on former congressman Matt Gaetz.
The vote was 206 to 198.
– Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) December 5, 2024
NBC has now updated its story:
But after two and a half hours, the panel did not release the report, saying in a statement that it was “continuing discussion of the matter.” Ethics Chairman Michael Guest, R-Miss., told reporters that his panel would meet again before the end of the year.
“I will not speculate on future actions the committee might take,” Guest said when asked if he might still vote to release the report.
None of the other committee members made a comment, according to NBC, including the “top Democrat, Rep. Susan Wild of Pennsylvania,” who not only did not attend the meeting but also had no comment from her office.
UPDATED [6:49 p.m. EST]: Politico reported in an update that a second vote on the Gaetz investigation/report took place separately on Thursday, which also failed:
Separately, House members rejected a request from Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) that asked the committee to preserve and release records related to its investigation into several allegations against Gaetz, including that he had sex with a minor.
You can read the full Cohen resolution Here.
RedState will keep you posted with any updates on this developing story.
