Republican senator calls on House to share Matt Gaetz ethics report

WASHINGTON - Republican US Senator Markwayne Mullin called on the House of Representatives on Nov 17 to share an unreleased ethics report into alleged sexual misconduct involving a 17-year-old girl by Mr Matt Gaetz, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general.

Mr Gaetz, 42, resigned his seat in the Republican-controlled House on Nov 13, hours after Trump unveiled his choice of the lawmaker and two days before the

House Ethics Committee was expected to release its report,

which also looked into allegations of illegal drug use. Mr Gaetz denies any wrongdoing.

Mr Mullin told NBC’s Meet The Press TV programme that the Senate, which holds the authority to confirm or deny Trump’s nominations to high-level positions, needs to see the report.

“The Senate should have access to that,” he said. “Should it be released to the public or not? That I guess will be part of the negotiations.”

Mr Gaetz is one of a number of Cabinet nominees tapped by Trump last week who lack the resumes normally seen in candidates for high-level administration jobs. He would need to be confirmed by the Senate – where Trump’s Republicans will have a majority of at least 52 of the 100 seats – to get the post. A handful have expressed scepticism at the choice.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson on Nov 15 said the ethics committee should not release its report. He stood by that on Nov 17.

“The Speaker does not have the authority to stop the release of a report by the ethics committee, but I’ve just simply said what I believe is an obvious point, that we don’t want to go down that road,” Mr Johnson said on CNN.

Mr Mullin has previously described Mr Gaetz as unprincipled, and he said on Nov 17 that “the background of Matt Gaetz does matter”.

But he said he had not made a decision on whether to vote for or against Mr Gaetz.

“I’m going to give him a fair shot just like every individual,” Mr Mullin said.

The Justice Department investigated Mr Gaetz for nearly three years over sex trafficking allegations involving the teenager. His office said in 2023 he had been told by prosecutors he would not face criminal charges.

The girl’s lawyer on Nov 14 called for the report to be released to the public.

Mr Mullin also appeared open to the idea of letting Trump bypass the Senate altogether as an “absolute last resort” if lawmakers somehow could not agree.

The technique, called a recess appointment, allows the president to short circuit the Upper Chamber’s power to block political nominees. Trump has publicly called for Republican lawmakers to give him that power, a move that would give him extraordinary latitude to appoint whomever he wished.

Senate Democrats have expressed widespread opposition to the Gaetz pick.

“The Senate has a constitutional role,” said Democratic Senator Chris Coons on Fox News Sunday. “It’s called our advice and consent role to make sure that a president-elect mostly gets their choice ... but doesn’t get to put people in who are unqualified or who lack the requisite character and capabilities to lead an incredibly important agency like the Department of Justice.” REUTERS