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Yesterday โ€” 3 December 2024Main stream

House Dem moves to force vote on releasing Gaetz ethics report

3 December 2024 at 14:23

A Democratic lawmaker is moving to force a vote on releasing the results of the House Ethics Committee's report into former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.

Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., introduced legislation on Tuesday afternoon aimed at mandating a House-wide vote on whether to make the Gaetz report public.ย 

He introduced it as a "privileged resolution," a mechanism that forces House leaders to consider it within two legislative days โ€“ putting the deadline on Thursday.

HACKER OBTAINS HOUSE ETHICS TESTIMONY ON MATT GAETZ AS TRUMP MAKES CALLS FOR AG NOMINEE

The House Ethics Committee's multi-year investigation into Gaetz, involving allegations of sex with a minor and illicit drug use, came to an abrupt halt last month after he resigned from Congress hours after President-elect Donald Trump tapped him to be his attorney general.

Gaetz dropped out of consideration amid quiet but steady GOP opposition, but the committee nevertheless lost jurisdiction over the probe when Gaetz left the House of Representatives.

His resignation came just before the committee was expected to meet to consider releasing the report.

Gaetz has consistently denied any accusations of wrongdoing.

An earlier federal investigation into the allegations ended without charges against Gaetz.

GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP'S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR?

It's highly unusual for the House Ethics Committee, a panel normally shrouded in secrecy, to release reports on lawmakers who have left office. It's a detail House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., raised when telling reporters last month that he was against releasing the report.

But it's not unheard of, as Casten pointed out on Tuesday.

"The Committee on Ethics has, on many occasions, released its reports on former members," Casten said in a statement. "Resigning from Congress should not allow Members to avoid accountability for allegations as serious as those faced by Matt Gaetz. Withholding this report from the American people would impede the dignity and integrity of the legislative proceedings of the House."

Casten introduced a similar resolution last month, but his office said it was allowed to expire by House GOP leaders over the Thanksgiving break.ย 

The new resolution will likely not be sidelined so easily, with the House expected in session from now until Friday.ย 

The last day to consider the resolution will be Thursday, the same day the Ethics Committee will meet after previously failing to come to an agreement on releasing the Gaetz report.

Rep. Susan Wild, D-Pa., the top Democrat on the panel, hinted that the vote to do so fell along party lines.

"I'd say that a vote was taken. As many of you know, this committee is evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans, five Dems, five Republicans, which means that in order to affirmatively move something forward, somebody has to cross party lines and vote with the other side โ€“ which happens a lot, by the way, and we often vote unanimously," Wild told reporters after the last meeting. "That did not happen in today's vote."

GOP lawmaker gifts 'chip of the Berlin Wall' to colleagues in bid for top committee spot

3 December 2024 at 10:17

FIRST ON FOX: A senior GOP lawmaker is getting creative with his campaign to chair the House Foreign Affairs Committee next year.

Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., is giving fellow lawmakers chips from the Berlin Wall, according to a photo provided by a source to Fox News Digital.

An inscription accompanying the chip suggests Wilson got the pieces himself nearly 35 years ago, an indirect affirmation of his decades of foreign affairs work. "This symbolizes the collapse of totalitarian communism and the success of democratic capitalism," the elaborate display reads.

JOHNSON BLASTS DEM ACCUSATIONS HE VOWED TO END OBAMACARE AS 'DISHONEST'

It said the chip was "secured by State Senator Joe Wilson on June 12, 1990, at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany."

"Sen. Wilson was returning from service as a member of the U.S. Observation Delegation of the June 10, 1990, parliamentary elections in the Republic of Bulgaria, that country's first free elections after 59 years of Nazi and Communist dictatorship," it said.

Wilson told Fox News Digital the chips "serve as important symbols of Peace through Strength." His office also provided a photo of Wilson, then a state lawmaker, chipping portions of the Berlin Wall himself.

"This is a critical time and as Chair I am best positioned to work with President Trump to present a unified, conservative vision for the House Foreign Affairs Committee and American foreign policy," he said of his candidacy.

The race for the House Foreign Affairs Committee gavel is one of the most critical happening ahead of the 119th Congress.

The role will be of particular importance in U.S. relations with the rest of the globe next year, when Republicans are set to control all the main levers of power in Washington, D.C.

REPUBLICANS PROJECTED TO KEEP CONTROL OF HOUSE AS TRUMP PREPARES TO IMPLEMENT AGENDA

Wilson is running against fellow committee members Reps. Ann Wagner, R-Mo., and Darrell Issa, R-Calif. The subcommittee chair for Oversight & Accountability, Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., is also in the race.

Wilson is chair of the panel's subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia.

Current Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, is stepping aside in order to adhere to House Republicans' internal conference rules that mandate a lawmaker serve no more than three terms in the top spot on a committee.

MIKE JOHNSON WINS REPUBLICAN SUPPORT TO BE HOUSE SPEAKER AGAIN AFTER TRUMP ENDORSEMENT

"It has been an honor to serve as your Chairman and leader for the last six years," McCaul wrote to colleagues in a message obtained by Fox News Digital. "[O]ut of respect for the will of the Conference, I intend to abide by these rules and support new leadership."

"Serving as Chairman has truly been the most rewarding highlight of my career in Congress! I would like to thank all of you for your hard work and patriotism in confronting the major challenges we face across the Globe."

Fox News Digital reached out to Wilson's office for comment.ย 

House Dem moves to force vote on releasing Gaetz ethics report

3 December 2024 at 14:23

A Democratic lawmaker is moving to force a vote on releasing the results of the House Ethics Committee's report into former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.

Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., introduced legislation on Tuesday afternoon aimed at mandating a House-wide vote on whether to make the Gaetz report public.ย 

He introduced it as a "privileged resolution," a mechanism that forces House leaders to consider it within two legislative days โ€“ putting the deadline on Thursday.

HACKER OBTAINS HOUSE ETHICS TESTIMONY ON MATT GAETZ AS TRUMP MAKES CALLS FOR AG NOMINEE

The House Ethics Committee's multi-year investigation into Gaetz, involving allegations of sex with a minor and illicit drug use, came to an abrupt halt last month after he resigned from Congress hours after President-elect Donald Trump tapped him to be his attorney general.

Gaetz dropped out of consideration amid quiet but steady GOP opposition, but the committee nevertheless lost jurisdiction over the probe when Gaetz left the House of Representatives.

His resignation came just before the committee was expected to meet to consider releasing the report.

Gaetz has consistently denied any accusations of wrongdoing.

An earlier federal investigation into the allegations ended without charges against Gaetz.

GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP'S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR?

It's highly unusual for the House Ethics Committee, a panel normally shrouded in secrecy, to release reports on lawmakers who have left office. It's a detail House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., raised when telling reporters last month that he was against releasing the report.

But it's not unheard of, as Casten pointed out on Tuesday.

"The Committee on Ethics has, on many occasions, released its reports on former members," Casten said in a statement. "Resigning from Congress should not allow Members to avoid accountability for allegations as serious as those faced by Matt Gaetz. Withholding this report from the American people would impede the dignity and integrity of the legislative proceedings of the House."

Casten introduced a similar resolution last month, but his office said it was allowed to expire by House GOP leaders over the Thanksgiving break.ย 

The new resolution will likely not be sidelined so easily, with the House expected in session from now until Friday.ย 

The last day to consider the resolution will be Thursday, the same day the Ethics Committee will meet after previously failing to come to an agreement on releasing the Gaetz report.

Rep. Susan Wild, D-Pa., the top Democrat on the panel, hinted that the vote to do so fell along party lines.

"I'd say that a vote was taken. As many of you know, this committee is evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans, five Dems, five Republicans, which means that in order to affirmatively move something forward, somebody has to cross party lines and vote with the other side โ€“ which happens a lot, by the way, and we often vote unanimously," Wild told reporters after the last meeting. "That did not happen in today's vote."

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