A top Democratic representative is turning up pressure on the House Ethics Committee to release a report on allegations of sex trafficking and other crimes leveled at former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz.
Undeterred by Gaetz’s recent withdrawal from both Congress and the running to be Donald Trump’s Attorney General, Sean Casten (D-IL) spoke with MSNBC to reiterate his support for the results of the committee’s findings to be released.
“None of us would want to work in an environment where you can commit the crimes that Matt Gaetz is alleged to have committed, including–let’s not sugarcoat this–allegations of having sex with a child,” Casten told the network’s hosts on Saturday.
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“We have to remind the American people that in the House we care about ethics,” he went on, “that we are the country that is not always perfect, but at least aspires to that vision that our founders laid out where no one is above the law.”
He added, “To do that, we need to release this report.”
With Republican House Speaker Mike Mike Johnson having repeatedly said he would oppose publishing the committee’s findings, Casten and fellow Democratic Congressman Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) have both issued motions in an attempt to force a vote on resolutions applying further pressure on the ethics panel.
Casten underlined during his Saturday appearance on MSNBC that the Republican Party holds only a slim majority, making them vulnerable should even just a handful of representatives cross the aisle.
“Given how tight the balance of the House is and, quite candidly, how many members of the Republican caucus there are who, while they might turn a blind eye to sexual assault, genuinely do not like Matt Gaetz, there is the very real possibility of that being forced to be released through a House vote,” he said.
