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On Thursday, House Republicans twice blocked the release of a potentially damaging report from the House Committee on Ethics regarding former Rep. Matt Gaetz, effectively burying allegations of sexual misconduct and drug abuse that had partially derailed his attempt to be confirmed as President-elect Donald Trump’s attorney general.

In quick succession, the House voted along near party lines, with votes of 206-198 and 204-198, sending the matter back to the Ethics panel. Rep. Tom McClintock of California was the only Republican to break ranks, voting with Democrats to push for the public release of the scandal, the New York Post reported.

Reps. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) and Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) introduced competing measures on Tuesday as privileged resolutions, which necessitate a vote within two legislative days. Casten’s resolution called for the release of the report, while Cohen’s resolution demanded both the release and preservation of the documents.

“Resigning from Congress should not allow Members to avoid accountability for allegations as serious as those faced by Matt Gaetz. The Ethics Committee has often released reports on former Members,” Casten argued.

Interest in the House Committee on Ethics’ long-anticipated investigation into sex trafficking allegations against Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz intensified last month after President-elect Donald Trump selected him as his nominee for U.S. attorney general.

However, Gaetz ultimately withdrew from consideration after it became clear he would face a difficult Senate confirmation process. Trump then announced former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi (R) as his new pick for the position.

Before Congress’ break for Thanksgiving, the Ethics Committee convened for a vote but chose not to release the report, despite objections from Democratic members of the bipartisan panel, The Post noted.

Although the committee did not confirm what they were voting on, Chairman Michael Guest (R-Miss.) and ranking member Susan Wild (D-Pa.) strongly indicated that they were considering the potential release of the report, the outlet continued.

The House Committee on Ethics met again Thursday ahead of the vote on Casten’s resolution but did not release the report or provide specific details about the meeting, The Post said.

The report continued:

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) had publicly opposed the release of the report and after Gaetz dropped out of consideration for the AG post, momentum to do so seemingly lost steam.

Witnesses had allegedly come forward to the committee with accusations that Gaetz paid for sex with two women and had sex with a then-17-year-old over seven years ago, according to multiple attorneys.

Gaetz has strenuously denied wrongdoing. He had roiled many of his Republican and Democratic colleagues in Congress alike last year by spearheading the effort to oust former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.)

Accusers had alleged that Gaetz sent Venmo payments in exchange for sex. The intercourse with the then-minor allegedly took place at a party in July 2017.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has opposed releasing the report.

“Someone who is no longer a member of Congress, we are not in the business of investigating and publishing a report of people who are not a part of this institution,” the speaker told reporters Friday. “The ethics committee’s jurisdiction is for sitting members of Congress.”

One of the accusers alleged that they witnessed Gaetz in the act with the minor, according to Orlando-based attorney Joel Leppard, who represents the two accusers who were not minors at the time.

Leppard said that the witness said “her understanding was that Gaetz did not know that [the 17-year-old] was a minor, and that when he learned that she was a minor, that he broke off things and did not continue a sexual relationship until she turned 18,” ABC News reported.

The Justice Department under President Joe Biden investigated the claims against Gaetz but did not find evidence to charge him.

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