The House Ethics Committee is expected to publish a report

On By Littum

WASHINGTON (AP) – The House Ethics Committee is expected to release its long-awaited report Monday to former Rep. Matt Gaetz, ending a year-long investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct with minors and the use of illegal drugs while the Florida Republican was in office.

The expected release comes after at least one Republican joined all five Democrats on the panel earlier this month in a secret vote to release the report on their former colleague, despite initial opposition from GOP lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, to publish findings about a former member of Congress.

While ethics reports have been released in the past following a member’s resignation, this is extremely rare. Gaetz has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and said last week that he had “no opportunity to debate or refute” the findings as a former member of the House.

On Monday, Gaetz filed suit is trying to block the report’s release, saying it contains “untruthful and defamatory information” that would “significantly damage” his “status and reputation in the community.” Gaetz’s complaint claims he is no longer under the committee’s jurisdiction since he resigned from Congress.

“The committee’s position that it can nevertheless publish potentially defamatory findings about a private citizen over whom it claims no jurisdiction represents an unprecedented expansion of congressional power that threatens fundamental constitutional rights and established procedural protections,” Gaetz wrote lawyers in their request for a temporary detention. order.

The often secretive, bipartisan panel has been investigating claims against Gaetz since 2021. However, its work gained more urgency last month when President-elect Donald Trump selected Gaetz as his nominee for attorney general. Gaetz resigned from Congress the same day, putting him outside the ethics committee’s jurisdiction.

But Democrats had pushed to release the report even after Gaetz was no longer a member and had withdrawn as Trump’s choice to lead the Ministry of Justice. A vote in Parliament this month to force the report’s release failed; all but one Republican voted against.

___ Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro and Alanna Durkin Richer contributed to this report.