House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) does not get to dictate what the House Ethics Committee does, said the bipartisan committee's Republican chair on Monday, per Politico.
The committee has to decide whether to release a potentially explosive report into former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who faces an investigation into alleged child sex trafficking, illicit drug use, and acceptance of improper gifts, among other transgressions.
Gaetz, who was tapped by Donald Trump to serve as his attorney general last week, resigned from Congress shortly after the nomination was announced. Johnson has argued that because Gaetz is no longer a member of Congress, he is outside the jurisdiction of the Ethics Committee and it is no longer appropriate to release the report.
ALSO READ: It's time for Democrats to declare class warfare
However some experts have noted that this is not precedent, and several former Ethics Committees chose to release reports on scandal-plagued members of Congress who had already resigned. And there is mounting pressure from Senate Republicans who themselves want to see the report before the nomination can be put to a vote.
Regardless, Ethics Committee chair Michael Guest (R-MS) has not tipped his own hand about whether he'll actually vote to release the report — but told Politico that the pressure from Johnson will not be a factor.
“We did talk this weekend. I appreciate Mike reaching out,” said Guest. “I don't see it having an impact on what we as a committee ultimately decide.” He added that the Trump transition team has not been in touch with him.
The Ethics Committee was originally supposed to vote on whether to release the report last Friday, but that vote was canceled at the last minute. A new vote is currently scheduled for Wednesday.
