The House Ethics Committee was about to meet this week in order to vote upon the release of a report on Matt Gaetz, who has recently resigned on Wednesday from the Congress. This came right after the President-Elect Trump had nominated his canditure for the role of Attorney General, as per two sources familiar with the discussion.
The report, long-awaited, was due to be released on Friday, the sources stated. But as Gaetz resignation came in the release of the report remains uncertain.
For the Ethics Committee there was only a small window of opportunity to release the report, as the Bipartisan Committee prohibits the release of a report close to the elections. It was unable to release the information prior to Florida’s August primary or the general election in November.
The primary focus of the report circled around the allegations that Gaetz may have “engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, accepted improper gifts, dispensed special privileges and favors to individuals with whom he had a personal relationship, and sought to obstruct government investigations of his conduct.”. Gaetz has denied the alligations repeatedly.
Although, the chairman of the committee Michael Guest said that the probe would end if he resigns from his position to sit as the attorney general, as the panel can only scrutinize those who are currently serving the congress.
“If he were to be appointed, then he would have to resign his position in the House so the ethics investigation at that point would cease, just like with any other member, we only have jurisdiction being the Ethics Committee, as long as a person is a member of Congress,” the Mississippi Republican told media sources.
“I think like most members, I was shocked. The name was not one that I had heard come up prior to that,” a guest on the news segment said Wednesday. Despite the shock, the guest stressed that, like all Cabinet appointments, the selection would go through the confirmation process. “But you know, like with any other Cabinet-level selection, there’ll be a confirmation process, and so if any of the senators have questions about his-or any other cabinet members’ ability to serve, those questions will be figured out during that confirmation process.”
While stunned by the statement, he did not further criticize the president’s decision. “You know, I am not going to question the president on his selections, whether it be attorney general or any other Cabinet-level position, he added, well aware that the decision of the choices that Trump made in forming his administration rested in the hands of the president.
Gaetz’s Resignation Clears the Path for Trump’s Nomination
Later in the day, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced that Gaetz resigned from his congressional seat to make room for Trump’s AG appointment. His resignation was needed so that the Republican Party could fill the seat before the new Congress assembles in January. “Matt would have done us a great service by making that decision, as he did on the fly. And so, we’re grateful for that,” Johnson said.
Resignation also hastens the process of filling the seat, in that Republicans want to retain a slim majority when Congress assembles.
Under Florida state law, a special election must be held to fill Gaetz’s seat within eight weeks, giving the GOP ample time to select a new representative before the next legislative session.
A Shockwave on Capitol Hill
According to Speaker Johnson, Trump made the announcement earlier on Wednesday, which brought a flurry of reaction on Capitol Hill. It was expected that nomination of Gaetz, who had gained notoriety for such legal and ethical challenges he faces, would bring forth intense debate and sharp scrutiny as it heads toward the Senate confirmation process.
Washington is reeling from the resignation of Matt Gaetz and President Trump deciding to appoint him as Attorney General, which has come as a thunderbolt to those many members of Congress and political observers. With the process of confirmation now arising, many questions have cropped up about the way senators might react to the candidature of Matt Gaetz and what it may lead to for the Republican Party with regard to their efforts to continue ruling Congress.
(Includes inputs from online sources)
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