The House Ethics Committee, which is a panel in the U.S. Congress that routinely conducts investigations of House members over potentially violative behavior at multiple levels, has restarted its investigation of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.). Specifically, the panel has been again pursuing investigative leads related to the same areas of conduct that drove the Justice Department investigation involving Gaetz, which didn’t lead to any charges for the Congressman.
That includes — but also extends beyond — potential sexual misconduct. In the Justice Department matter, Gaetz was widely reported to face suspicions of connections to child sex trafficking, and an associate of his — former county official Joel Greenberg — eventually pleaded guilty to such actions, besides other criminal behavior. Greenberg also infamously sought to extensively cooperate with federal investigators before his sentencing. He had previously served as a county tax collector in central Florida, and Gaetz himself had previously spoken positively of his relationship with the disgraced ex-elected official.
As for the House investigation, CNN reports that a witness has been asked about what was described as a possible lobbying violation. Though immediate details on these new avenues of investigative work were sparse, some of the other suspected corruption that’s involved the Congressman includes Gaetz himself lobbying for certain legislative moves (related to cannabis, the legalization of which he supports) in connection to what were essentially gifts from someone with a stake in the matter.
“At least one witness in Florida told CNN they have spoken to investigators about the Republican congressman in recent weeks about alleged lobbying violations,” CNN reported, also saying that other witnesses had been sought by members of that committee. The publication didn’t name the individual. Gaetz has consistently denied wrongdoing and, in line with claims of political mistreatment from Donald Trump, chalked up much of what he’s faced to someone out there with a political vendetta against him. The Ethics probe, which is now led by a Republican chairman of the committee, could lead to recommendations from the panel for the full House to take disciplinary action against Gaetz.
