House Ethics Committee Chairman Michael Guest (R-MS) has indicated that his committee is unlikely to heed Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) request to hold back the release of its investigation into former Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Breitbart reports.

Matt Gaetz, who resigned after President-elect Donald Trump announced him as his pick for Attorney General, is no longer part of the House, meaning he no longer falls under the Ethics Committee’s jurisdiction. Johnson has expressed strong opposition to releasing the report, directly conveying this to Guest over the weekend, according to Politico.

“I appreciate Mike reaching out,” Guest told Politico. “I don’t see it having an impact on what we as a committee ultimately decide.”

The Ethics Committee is set to meet on Wednesday to discuss whether to move forward with the report’s publication.

The Ethics Committee, which does not hold legislative power or the ability to solicit campaign donations, is widely regarded as an unenviable assignment in Congress. Members are typically appointed by party leaders based on loyalty, often in exchange for political favors or strategic appointments elsewhere.

Gaetz has long been a disruptive figure for House leadership, consistently challenging entrenched practices and corruption in Washington. His most notable act was spearheading the removal of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing and claims the Ethics investigation is a form of retaliation for orchestrating McCarthy’s removal.

At a 2024 CPAC event, Gaetz criticized congressional stock trading practices and took aim at Guest for his financial dealings.

“For the same reason you don’t let the umpire bet on the game, members of Congress should not be allowed to trade individual stocks,” Gaetz said. “How about the Ethics Committee take up those reforms?”

Gaetz then directly targeted Guest, pointing out his voting record and financial activities.

“He has become a brilliant stock trader while in office, and I admire the obvious genius,” Gaetz said sarcastically. “He knew exactly the right time to buy online gambling stocks. His purchase in Evolution Gaming Securities netted him a hefty 36 percent gain — not too shabby. Now, I’m not saying this is insider trading, but this monetary affair is perhaps the most suspicious I’ve seen since Fani Willis and Nathan Wade,” referring to the Fulton County District Attorney and her former top prosecutor, whose alleged relationship made headlines.

Wade stepped down from the case against Trump after a judge brought the alleged affair to light.

Gaetz, who refused campaign donations from PACs while serving in Congress, emphasized his focus on eliminating public corruption. Trump has echoed this sentiment, seeing Gaetz as key to cleaning up Washington at the Department of Justice.

As Attorney General, Gaetz would oversee investigations into congressional corruption, including insider trading, which could potentially involve Guest.

Gaetz has also criticized Guest for a 2021 issue when he failed to disclose a family stock, resulting in a $200 fine for an eight-month delay in filing the required disclosure.

While Guest appears inclined to release the Ethics report, Trump has prioritized Gaetz’s confirmation as Attorney General, lobbying senators to support his pick, according to a Monday Axios report.

“He clearly wants Matt Gaetz,” Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) said after receiving a call from Trump. “He believes Matt Gaetz is the one person who will have the fearlessness and ferociousness, really, to do what needs doing at the Department of Justice.”

Although Guest previously opposed Trump’s interests—most notably by supporting the January 6 Commission—his current decision to defy Speaker Johnson is unusual. Guest said on Monday that he had not been contacted by anyone from the Trump administration and that Trump has not specifically weighed in on whether the report should be made public.

The committee, evenly split between Republicans and Democrats, requires a simple majority vote to release the report. With Democrats likely to support its release, only one Republican would need to join them. Rep. Susan Wild (D-PA), the ranking Democrat, has already voiced her support for making the report public.

This wouldn’t be the first time the Republican-led Ethics Committee took actions that hurt the party.

In 2023, the committee released its findings on Rep. George Santos (R-NY) before he had his day in court, breaking with longstanding precedent. The report led to Santos’s expulsion from Congress after prior efforts to remove him had failed.

Historically, the Ethics Committee has waited for court cases to conclude before taking action. For example, when Rep. Jim Traficant (D-OH) was expelled in 2002, the committee only launched an investigation after his conviction.

The Republican-chaired committee has also been criticized for its lack of action against Democrats. It chose not to pursue Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), who pleaded guilty after pulling a fire alarm to disrupt a House vote—a potential felony.

Guest has led the Ethics Committee since August 2022, taking over following the death of Rep. Jackie Walorski. He became chair in January 2023 and is eligible to continue in the role next Congress. The Republican Steering Committee, heavily influenced by the Speaker, will meet in December to select members and chairs for the next session.

Johnson explained that Gaetz’s resignation was influenced by Florida state law, which allows for an eight-week period to fill a vacant seat.

“If you start the clock now, if you do the math, we may be able to fill that seat as early as Jan. 3 when we take the new oath of office for the new Congress,” Johnson said of Gaetz’s timing.

With Republicans projected to hold a slim majority, every vote will be critical for advancing Trump’s legislative priorities in the next session.

{Matzav.com}