The Republican-led House Ethics Committee has reached out to at least one witness as part of its investigation into GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz to schedule an interview in the coming weeks, the latest sign that the once dormant probe remains open.
One formal request went out last week, the day before the House voted to expel former Rep. George Santos over ethics violations, according to a source familiar with the investigation.
In the emailed request, a copy of which was obtained by CNN, investigators write that “The Chairman and Ranking Member have authorized staff to conduct an interview” with the witness.
The formal interview request, which has not been previously reported, is the first sign of activity in the Ethics committee’s Gaetz probe since investigators made contact with witnesses in July. It also suggests that on the heels of Santos’s expulsion, the panel is turning its attention to Gaetz, who argued on the House floor that expelling Santos without a conviction would be an “incredible violation of precedent” that would do “grave damage” to Congress.
The Justice Department in February informed Gaetz’s lawyers it would not bring criminal charges against the Florida Republican after a yearslong federal sex-trafficking investigation.
Gaetz has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, including ever having sex with a minor or paying for sex.
The Ethics Committee, which at the time was controlled by Democrats, originally opened its Gaetz investigation in 2021, publicly announcing that its was examining a range of allegations including that Gaetz violated sex trafficking laws, shared inappropriate images or videos on the House floor, used illicit drugs, converted campaign funds to personal use and accepted a bribe, among other claims.
CNN reported in July that the focus of the committee’s recent…
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