Kayla Epstein
Reporting from New York
A top government watchdog group is demanding that the House Ethics Committee complete and release its investigation into alleged misconduct by Donald Trump’s pick for US attorney general, Congressman Matt Gaetz.
The allegations include sexual misconduct, illicit drug use and misuse of campaign funds – all of which Gaetz denies.
The group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (Crew) argued in a letter to the panel’s leadership that “nothing in the Committee’s rules prevents you from doing so; in fact, the Committee’s mission commands it”, referring to releasing their findings.
The letter cited similar examples of the Ethics Committee releasing reports even after lawmakers under scrutiny had resigned.
At the very least, Crew argued, documents needed to be turned over to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which would play a role in vetting and confirming a nominee for US attorney general.
“We do believe that the American public deserves full transparency and accountability on this matter,” Virginia Canter, chief ethics counsel at Crew, told me today.
“There’s arguably no more important position in the federal government than the attorney general,” she said. “It crosses every sector, and the thought of somebody being considered for this position, knowing these allegations are out there, the fact that it wouldn’t be made public is unthinkable.”
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