(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) The House Ethics Committee confirmed on Tuesday the expansion of an investigation into Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., the lawmaker responsible for the ouster of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.
In a lengthy statement, the Ethics Committee claimed that the investigation has expanded based on the receipt of new information about Gaetz, despite the investigation being launched in 2021.
“Based on its review to date, the Committee has determined that certain of the allegations merit continued review,” the committee wrote. “During the course of its investigation, the Committee has also identified additional allegations that merit review.”
According to the Ethics Committee, Gaetz is under investigation for allegations of sexual misconduct, use of illicit drugs, accepting improper gifts, dispensing special privileges and favors to individuals close to him and obstruction of the congressional investigation.
Gaetz has not been charged with any crimes related to the allegations brought forward by the Ethics Committee.
“The Committee will take no further action at this time on the allegations that he may have shared inappropriate images or videos on the House floor, misused state identification records, converted campaign funds to personal use, and/or accepted a bribe or improper gratuity,” they wrote.
Gaetz’s fiery tweet on Monday, accusing the Committee of carrying out a “frivolous investigation” into him, likely triggered the Committee’s statement.
“The House Ethics Committee has closed four probes into me, which emerged from lies intended solely to smear me,” he wrote. “Instead of working with me to ban Congressional stock trading, the Ethics Committee is now opening new frivolous investigations. They are doing this to avoid the obvious fact that every investigation into me ends the same way: my exoneration.”
The House Ethics Committee has closed four probes into me, which emerged from lies intended solely to smear me. Instead of working with me to ban Congressional stock trading, the Ethics Committee is now opening new frivolous investigations. They are doing this to avoid the…
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) June 17, 2024
In the same post, Gaetz added, “This is Soviet. Kevin McCarthy showed them the man, and they are now trying to find the crime. I work for Northwest Floridians who won’t be swayed by this nonsense and McCarthy and his goons know it.”
Gaetz led the effort to file a motion to vacate against McCarthy in 2023, which ultimately resulted in the then-House Speaker’s removal.
Since then, McCarthy has resigned from Congress and claimed that Gaetz’s campaign to oust him was driven by McCarthy’s refusal to stop the Ethics Committee’s investigation into Gaetz.
“I’ll give you the truth why I’m not speaker. Because one person, a member of Congress, wanted me to stop an ethics complaint because he slept with a 17-year-old,” McCarthy claimed at an event at Georgetown University in April. “Did he do it or not? I don’t know.”
