The results of an ethics investigation into now-former congressman Matt Gaetz will be made public after a secret vote to share the report in the final days of 2024.
Members of the House Ethics Committee voted again earlier this month, reversing a decision to withhold the findings of a long-running probe into allegations of sexual misconduct and drug use.
The report is expected to be made public as lawmakers prepare to leave Washington for the holidays, CNN reported. Gaetz, 42, responded on X, arguing his actions in his thirties were “not criminal” and he now leads a different life.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump has claimed ex-Republican congresswoman Liz Cheney “could be in a lot of trouble” after a House GOP subcommittee called for her to be investigated by the Justice Department over her stewardship of the panel that examined the Capitol riot of January 6, 2021, accusing her of witness tampering by “colluding” with Cassidy Hutchinson on her testimony.
The president-elect posted the taunt on Truth Social, thanking Congressman Barry Loudermilk, who led the subcommittee and produced the interim report, for “a job well done”.
Cheney herself has already rubbished Loudermilk’s report as “a malicious and cowardly assault on the truth”.
Key Points
House reverses course and plans to release Matt Gaetz ethics report
Matt Gaetz responds to impending release of ethics report
Donald Trump claims Liz Cheney ‘could be in a lot of trouble’ over Jan 6 probe
Congress unveils funding deal with more than $100bn in disaster aid
Republican formally clinches presidency with Electoral College win
ANALYSIS: Trump’s $15m settlement with ABC shook the First Amendment’s foundation. It’s just the beginning
Supreme Court agrees to take up TikTok case
16:15 , Oliver O’Connell
The Supreme Court has agreed to take up the emergency appeal by TikTok to stop the app being banned in the U.S., with briefs due by December 27, replies due by January 3, 2025, and oral arguments set for January 10 — just nine days before the ban is supposed to go into effect.
You can read the filing here
Here’s what you need to know about the case:
TikTok asks Supreme Court to block potential ban
ANALYSIS: AOC played the inside game – and insiders rejected it (for now)
16:00 , Oliver O’Connell
Eric Garcia writes:
opular progressive Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made her play. While her policy positions never changed, some noted that she seemed to push to the political middle during the campaign season. It was a move to seemingly curry favor with some of the party’s power brokers.
When she tried to play that chip on Tuesday for a powerful position on a House committee, it showed her progressive label still rankles in Washington. Even in her own party.
On Tuesday, Ocasio-Cortez lost her bid to lead the Oversight Committee to Gerry Connolly after Democratic leadership stated its preference for the 74-year-old from Virginia. The vote wasn’t even close, with Connolly winning 131 votes to Ocasio-Cortez’s 84 votes. The panel has broad powers and will help keep oversight of President-Elect Donald Trump.
Continue reading…
AOC played the inside game – and insiders rejected it (for now)
Matt Gaetz responds to upcoming release of ethics report
15:50 , Oliver O’Connell
Former congressman Matt Gaetz has released the following statement regarding the upcoming public release of the House ethics committee report on his alleged sexual misconduct and drug use.
He posted the following statement on X:
The Biden/Garland DOJ spent years reviewing allegations that I committed various crimes.
I was charged with nothing: FULLY EXONERATED. Not even a campaign finance violation. And the people investigating me hated me.
Then, the very “witnesses” DOJ deemed not-credible were assembled by House Ethics to repeat their claims absent any cross-examination or challenge from me or my attorneys. I’ve had no chance to ever confront any accusers. I’ve never been charged. I’ve never been sued.
Instead, House Ethics will reportedly post a report online that I have no opportunity to debate or rebut as a former member of the body.
In my single days, I often sent funds to women I dated — even some I never dated but who asked. I dated several of these women for years. I NEVER had sexual contact with someone under 18. Any claim that I have would be destroyed in court — which is why no such claim was ever made in court.
My 30’s were an era of working very hard – and playing hard too.
It’s embarrassing, though not criminal, that I probably partied, womanized, drank and smoked more than I should have earlier in life. I live a different life now.
But at least I didn’t vote for CR’s that fuck over the country!
The Biden/Garland DOJ spent years reviewing allegations that I committed various crimes.
I was charged with nothing: FULLY EXONERATED. Not even a campaign finance violation. And the people investigating me hated me.
Then, the very “witnesses” DOJ deemed not-credible were…
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) December 18, 2024
Watch: Durbin suggests Congress due raise
15:38 , Oliver O’Connell
“Let me tell you, I think that men and women serving in Congress, House and Senate, by and large, are hardworking, principled people who deserve to be adequately compensated and no [COLA] for 10 years plus is inexcusable,” Durbin said
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) December 18, 2024
Trump threatens to target India with reciprocal tariffs
15:30 , Oliver O’Connell
Incoming US president Donald Trump threatened to impose reciprocal tariffs on India as he reiterated his longstanding complaints of New Delhi charging high tariffs.
Mr Trump made the comment at a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, standing alongside his commerce secretary pick Howard Lutnick.
The former president, who has threatened tariffs on several countries as part of his “America First” approach, ended preferential trade status for India during his first term in 2019.
Shweta Sharma reports.
Trump threatens to impose reciprocal tariffs against India
Full story: House reverses course and plans to release Matt Gaetz ethics report
15:20 , Oliver O’Connell
House lawmakers are expected to publicly release the results of an ethics investigation into now-former congressman Matt Gaetz after a secret vote last month to share the report in the final days of 2024.
House Ethics Committee members reportedly held a secret vote earlier this month, reversing course on a decision to withhold the findings of a long-running probe into allegations of sexual misconduct and drug use.
The report is expected to be made public after the House’s final day of votes this week as lawmakers prepare to leave Washington, D.C., for the holidays, according to CNN.
Alex Woodward reports.
House reverses course and plans to release Matt Gaetz ethics report
Watch: Trump being ‘humorous’ about Canada
15:05 , Oliver O’Connell
LA Times staffers say billionaire owner’s pro-Trump meddling worse than previously reported
15:00 , Oliver O’Connell
Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong is now prohibiting “editorials containing criticism” of Donald Trump “unless they are presented side-by-side with another opinion piece representing the ‘opposing view,’” according to a memo written by the newspaper’s editors.
As Oliver Darcy first reported in his Status newsletter, the staff memo reveals that Soon-Shiong’s “meddling” of the LA Times’ coverage – especially regarding the president-elect – has “grown more pervasive than previously realized.”
The memo, signed by several members of the LA Times’ opinion section, was sent to the newspaper’s executive editor, Terry Tang. It comes after Soon-Shiong killed an op-ed last month critical of Trump’s recent Cabinet picks and the incoming president’s suggestion that he may use recess appointments to circumvent the confirmation process.
Justin Barangoa reports.
LA Times staffers say owner’s pro-Trump meddling worse than previously reported
Watch: Biden in favor of stock trading ban for members of Congress
14:45 , Oliver O’Connell
President Joe Biden has said he is in favor of a ban on stock trading by members of Congress.
Speaking with Faiz Shakir, an adviser for Senator Bernie Sanders, in an interview on the progressive nonprofit news site More Perfect Union, the president said he did not know how lawmakers could trade stocks in good conscience.
“I don’t know how you look your constituents in the eye and know because the job they gave you, it gave you the inside track to make more money,” Biden said.
BREAKING: Joe Biden told us in an exclusive interview that he thinks members of Congress should be banned from trading stocks.
Our full interview coming soon. pic.twitter.com/X0b6LKf37J
— More Perfect Union (@MorePerfectUS) December 17, 2024
House panel votes to release Matt Gaetz ethics report
14:38 , Oliver O’Connell
Per CNN:
The House Ethics Committee secretly voted earlier this month to release its report into the conduct of former Rep. Matt Gaetz before the end of this Congress, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the matter.
The report is now expected to be made public after the House’s final day of votes this year as lawmakers leave Washington for the holidays, those sources said.
The vote, which has not previously been reported, amounts to a stark reversal for the panel after it had voted along party lines in late November not to release the results of the investigation. The decision to release the report suggests that some Republicans ultimately decided to side with Democrats on the matter, and it is ...
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