House Ethics Committee votes to release report on Matt Gaetz before Christmas, reports say

The House Ethics Committee in the coming days will release its report on former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz after a secret vote earlier this month, according to multiple reports.

The report, which is expected to detail allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, will reportedly be released as lawmakers leave Washington for the holiday. CNN reported the vote Wednesday morning, citing multiple sources with knowledge of the matter.

The vote is an about-face for the committee, which had declined to release the report in November after Gaetz resigned during his brief time as President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be U.S. Attorney General.

The 10-member committee is equally divided between Republicans and Democrats and holds its meetings behind closed doors.

The full House also rejected an attempt by Democrats earlier this month to force the Ethics Committee to release the report in a party-line vote.

House Speaker Mike Johnson had previously said he does not think the report should be released because Gaetz is no longer in Congress.

Gaetz has been under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use. The former Florida lawmaker has vehemently denied the allegations and, in September, sent the House Committee a letter refuting them.

More: Former Rep. Matt Gaetz says he 'often sent funds' to girlfriends

According to multiple media outlets, the probe centers around allegations that he sexually assaulted a minor and paid for her travel after he was allegedly introduced to her by Joel Greenberg, a one-time friend who is serving an 11-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to sex trafficking in 2022.

Gaetz blamed the Justice Department for leaking the allegations to the media, saying in a letter to the Ethics Committee that the "Biden Justice Department loathes me."

"I believe the Biden Justice Department leaked to the New York Times in 2021 to impact the behavior and testimony of witnesses," Gaetz wrote. "My basis for this belief is a recording of Joel Greenberg from prison wherein he claims the DOJ told him that the New York Times piece put him in 'golden position.'"

After Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration at Attorney General, he announced he is going to start his own TV show on the One America News network.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Matt Gaetz ethics report will come out before Christmas, reports say