House Republicans scuttle effort to make Gaetz ethics investigation public

Dec. 5 (UPI) -- House Republicans on Thursday blocked a Democratic effort to make public the results of an ethics investigation into former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who is accused of sex trafficking a minor.

The House voted 206-198 along party lines in favor of sending the measure back to the House Ethics committee, which had investigated the Florida Republican.

Rep. Tom McClintock was the only Republican to vote with the Democrats.

"Today, the majority of the House of Representatives took the easy way out," Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., said in a statement following the vote.

"The House voted to sweep these allegations under the rug and set an unfortunate precedent that, if you are ever facing scrutiny, resigning from Congress can make your problems go away."

Gaetz was the subject of a House Ethics Committee investigation for alleged sex trafficking and drug use. Among the alleged transgression was that he funneled money to a 17-year old girl for sex, an accusation that was corroborated by one of Gaetz's friends. Joel Greenberg has admitted to having sex with the underage girl and has said Gaetz paid Greenberg to bring the girl to him.

Scrutiny over the ethics investigation ramped into high gear when President-Elect Donald Trump nominated Gaetz to serve as U.S. attorney general, a nomination that Gaetz eventually withdrew himself from due to a firestorm of outrage, even among some members of his own party.

The latest move to scuttle the findings leaves the future of the ethics investigation unclear, and is broken down mainly along party lines.

Gaetz was nominated for the attorney general post, resigned from his congressional seat, withdrew himself from consideration for the top legal spot and then said he doesn't plan to take the congressional oath of office when the House convenes next month. All of that took place in a matter of nine days.

Despite the vote Thursday to send the measure back to the House Ethics Committee, the report could still be made public, pending discussion of panel members.

"The Committee met today to discuss the matter of Representative Matt Gaetz. The Committee is continuing to discuss the matter. There will be no further statements other than in accordance with Committee and House Rules," the panel wrote.

The panel has been investigating Gaetz for more than three years on allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use. He has also been accused of accepting improper gifts, giving special privileges and favors to people he knows personally and seeking to obstruct government investigations into the nature of his conduct.

There is precedent for ethics panels to release the results of their investigations. In 1987, the panel released its report into former Rep. William Boner, D-Tenn., after he resigned from the House., and in 2011, the Senate Ethics Committee released a preliminary report into former Sen. John Ensign R-Nevada.

The House Ethics Committee has not released a timeline on whether it plans to release the results of the Gaetz investigation.

Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing.