JUST IN: Matt Gaetz Gets Big News That Could Decide His Chances At Confirmation

The House Ethics Committee declined on Wednesday to release its long-awaited report on allegations of sexual misconduct against former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.). The move has amplified tensions in Washington as Gaetz prepares for a high-stakes confirmation process after being tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as attorney general.

The 10-member panel, composed evenly of Republicans and Democrats, reportedly voted along party lines, with Democrats favoring public disclosure of the findings and Republicans opposing it. This split has left questions swirling about Gaetz’s suitability for the role and cast a shadow over Trump’s controversial nomination. Gaetz has consistently denied the allegations against him.

Following a roughly two-hour meeting, Ethics Chair Michael Guest (R-MS) told reporters, “There is not an agreement by the committee to release the report.”

The allegations, which surfaced during Gaetz’s time in Congress, centered on accusations of sexual misconduct and improper use of campaign funds. Although federal investigators reportedly decided against pursuing charges earlier this year, the Ethics Committee’s probe remained active.

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During a closed-door meeting, the panel took multiple votes, according to a source familiar with the situation who spoke to The Hill. The votes included one to release the report as-is, which failed; another to publish only the exhibits associated with the report, which also failed; and a third to formally “complete” the report, which passed with bipartisan support.

This concludes a week filled with speculation about the committee’s actions. Lawmakers from both parties have been advocating for the report’s release. Meanwhile, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has been actively pushing for the report to remain confidential, even as Trump’s team proceeds with the selection of Gaetz amidst the ongoing drama.

According to The Hill, members concluded the meeting with the understanding that the report would be “ready” by the next gathering, indicating the possibility of another vote to release the body of work at that time.

“I will say that a vote was taken,” Rep. Susan Wild (D-PA) mentioned. “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—which happens a lot, by the way, and we often vote unanimously.”

In an interview with ABC News, Joel Leppard, an attorney representing two women who testified before the House Ethics Committee, claimed that former Rep. Gaetz paid both of his adult clients for sex. Leppard also said that one of his clients witnessed Gaetz having sex with a third woman, who was then 17 years old, at a house party in Florida.

“She testified [that] in July of 2017, at this house party, she was walking out to the pool area, and she looked to her right, and she saw Rep. Gaetz having sex with her friend, who was 17,” said the attorney.

Leppard, who is advocating for the House Ethics Committee to release its report in the wake of Gaetz’s nomination to serve as President-elect Donald Trump’s attorney general, told ABC News that the former congressman paid both of his clients for sex using Venmo.

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