US House Republicans block bid to release results of Gaetz ethics probe

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By Bo Erickson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday blocked an effort to expedite the release of an ethics probe into former Representative Matt Gaetz, who dropped his bid to become Donald Trump’s attorney general.

The probe centered on allegations against Gaetz of sexual misconduct with a teenage girl and drug use. The Republican-majority chamber voted 206-198 against the measure introduced by a Democratic lawmaker.

Gaetz, 42, resigned from Congress in November hours after Trump tapped him as a potential attorney general. He has denied all wrongdoing.

The House Ethics Committee met earlier on Wednesday and made no decision about what to do with the findings of its investigation into Gaetz. His resignation from Congress raised questions about whether the committee should release its findings, given that it technically no longer has jurisdiction over him.

Democratic Representative Sean Casten, who introduced the measure calling for the full House to vote on whether to release the committee’s findings, cited at least four examples since 1987 of the ethics panel continuing its work and releasing investigative findings after a representative resigned from Congress. 

The committee — made up of five Republicans and five Democrats — deadlocked along party lines last month when they voted on releasing the investigative findings.  

At the time, its top Republican, Representative Michael Guest, told reporters he had “reservations” about releasing the report because it was not yet complete. The committee’s top Democrat, Representative Susan Wild, said there was no unanimity within the panel on how to move forward with the probe. 

(Reporting by Bo Erickson; Editing by David Gregorio, Stephen Coates and Cynthia Osterman)