We Know Who Was Feeding Parts of the Matt Gaetz Ethics Report to the Media

Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) had an incomplete ethics report hanging over his head when he was nominated as our next attorney general. Gaetz, one of the most controversial but vocal Trump supporters on the Hill, was too much for some of his GOP colleagues in the Senate. He didn’t have the votes for confirmation, leading to the withdrawal of his candidacy. Since he left Congress, the probe conducted by the House Ethics Committee ceased. The committee split evenly regarding disclosing what they had found, barring its release to the public—a majority was required for full disclosure. 

Yet, it was going to leak. We knew it was going to leak. Gaetz’s nomination was still seen as viable, and there were too many Democratic eyes who’d seen the pages. One Democrat appeared to be the point source for the leaks, Rep. Susan Wild (D-PA), who was absent at the panel’s meeting last week after it was discovered that she was the leak. Her office said her absence related to how the committee had handled this report, nothing more (via The Hill):

Rep. Susan Wild (Pa.), the top Democrat on the House Ethics Committee, was absent from the panel’s meeting last week after being traced as the source of leaks to the press regarding the investigation into former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), sources told The Hill. 

It remains unclear if Wild voluntarily skipped the Thursday gathering or was asked not to attend, what information she leaked and to whom, and how the panel tracked her back as being the leaker. Two sources said Wild ultimately acknowledged to the panel that she had leaked information. 

Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) served as acting ranking member during Thursday’s meeting, according to a source, who noted that any time a member of the panel is absent, there is an acting ranking member in their place. 

It also remains unclear if the Pennsylvania Democrat, who is leaving Congress at the end of the year, will be present at Ethics Committee meetings in the future. Rep. Michael Guest (R-Miss.), the chair of the panel, told reporters that Thursday’s meeting was not the last for the group. 

In a statement to The Hill, Wild’s chief of staff, Jed Ober, said the congresswoman skipped last week’s meeting because she was “frustrated” with how the Gaetz report had been handled, and said characterizing her absence as anything more was “inaccurate.” 

Yeah, well, lady, we knew it would leak, so it’s a no-shock factor. Wild was defeated for re-election by Republican Ryan Mackenzie this year.

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