DFL calls on Minnesota Republicans in Congress to release Gaetz ethics report

U.S. Representative Gaetz departs after filing a motion to oust House Speaker McCarthy at the U.S. Capitol in Washington — U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz as he departs the U.S. Capitol in Washington in October 2023.

By Mary Murphy

November 14, 2024 at 4:07 PM

ST.PAUL 鈥� The Minnesota DFL called on Republican members of Minnesota鈥檚 congressional delegation Thursday to release the ethics report regarding outgoing Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz and the sexual misconduct allegations against him.

The DFL made the request for action in a press release on Thursday, Nov. 14, one day after Gaetz was tapped as President-elect Donald Trump鈥檚 pick for U.S. attorney general.

In its press release, the DFL says Minnesota GOP representatives have a unique position to push for the release of Gaetz鈥檚 ethics report. Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer is the third highest-ranking member of the House, and Rep. Michelle Fischbach sits on the House Ethics Committee.

Gaetz was the subject of from 2020 to 2021, and the House of Representatives Ethics Committee has been against Gaetz since 2021. If Gaetz鈥檚 appointment is approved by Congress, he will lead the Department of Justice.

Hours after being announced as Trump鈥檚 pick for attorney general, Gaetz resigned his seat in Congress. The DFL said in its press release that the resignation was an attempt 鈥渢o try to block the release of the report,鈥� which was .

鈥淭he fact that Gaetz鈥檚 abrupt resignation came two days before the ethics report was supposed to be released raises serious concerns about what the report was going to say,鈥� said DFL Chair Ken Martin. 鈥淚f Minnesota Republicans are confident that Matt Gaetz has the character required to be attorney general, they should prove it by releasing this report.鈥�

Martin alleged that the Minnesota representatives likely know what is within the ethics report, and not releasing it to the public would be an effort to hide something.

鈥淭he Republicans in Minnesota鈥檚 congressional delegation hold critical roles on the ethics committee and in party leadership, and they almost certainly know what this ethics report says,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f they refuse to tell the public what鈥檚 in it, it鈥檚 because they have something to hide.鈥�

Emmer praised the selection of Gaetz , formerly Twitter, while Reps. Pete Stauber, Brad Finstad and Fischbach had not made any known public statements on the matter as of Thursday afternoon.