Former ethics panel chair ‘wouldn’t be at all shocked’ if Gaetz report released

Former GOP Rep. Charlie Dent (Pa.), who led the House Ethics Committee, said he “wouldn’t be at all shocked” if the report into former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s (R-Fla.) misconduct was released, even after the panel decided Wednesday to keep it confidential.

Dent joined CNN’s Kasie Hunt on Thursday morning to discuss the ongoing dilemma about Gaetz as he’s tapped to be President-elect Trump’s attorney general. The committee voted to not release Gaetz’s report, though members are considering other avenues of making the information public.

Some lawmakers are toying with the idea to make it public through a privileged resolution. It would trigger a vote in the House if the committee doesn’t release the information.

“There are plenty of House Republicans who are going to want to vote for this. We all know that they have great disdain for Matt Gaetz,” Dent said. “So, I wouldn’t be at all shocked if this is released one way or the other.”

The report, which some lawmakers argue is vital to the Senate voting to confirm Gaetz to lead the Justice Department, is expected to detail sexual misconduct claims against the Florida Republican.

Dent, who said he has experienced several cases that were referred to the Justice Department, said he believes the report is “pretty nasty.”

“I don’t know what’s in this report. This is really messy, and Matt Gaetz did not resign because this report was going to be clean,” Dent said.

The committee could also vote to release the report at a later date, and has a meeting scheduled for Dec. 5. The panel has faced significant pressure to release its findings.

Some lawmakers have argued that there is a precedent for releasing investigations even after a member has resigned from Congress. Dent highlighted the previous cases on air Thursday.

“There’s nothing shocking here in terms of what the committee could do,” he said. “So, what’s unusual about this whole thing is, usually when a member of Congress resigns due to scandal, they go away quietly … rebuilding their lives … they don’t get elevated to the attorney general of the United States.”

“That’s why this is so different,” Dent said.

Dent said he believes the committee will “get to it,” or that the information will be made public one way or another.