Minnesota DFL urges GOP House Reps. Emmer, Fischbach to release Gaetz report
UPDATE (Nov. 19, 2024): The office of Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach told WCCO she could not comment due to the House Ethics Committee's confidentiality rule.
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota DFL Party is calling on the state's Republican members of Congress to release an ethics report on former Florida GOP Congressman Matt Gaetz.
President-elect Donald Trump announced on Wednesday he intends to nominate Gaetz as his attorney general, making him head of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Gaetz resigned his House seat hours later, and just two days before a House panel was set to release a report on sex trafficking and sexual misconduct allegations against him. Gaetz has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
In a statement released on Thursday, DFL Party Chair Ken Martin says two Minnesota GOP lawmakers — Majority Whip Tom Emmer, the House's third-highest ranking member, and Rep. Michelle Fischbach, who sits on the House Ethics Committee — have a "unique position" in releasing the report.
"The fact that Gaetz's abrupt resignation two days before the ethics report was supposed to be released raises serious concerns about what the report was going to say," Martin said. "If Minnesota Republicans are confident that Matt Gaetz has the character required to be Attorney General, they should prove it by releasing this report."
Martin also highlighted an X post that Emmer made congratulating Gaetz. He's the only Minnesota delegation member to have made any comment on the matter.
Rep. Brad Finstad has not made any statement about Trump's nomination picks as of Friday morning. On Tuesday, Rep. Pete Stauber congratulated Tom Homan on his potential selection as "border czar," and on Wednesday Fischbach congratulated Emmer and fellow House Republicans Mike Johnson, Lisa McClain and Steve Scalise on their re-elections.
In February 2023, the justice department declined to file charges against Gaetz in connection to allegations of sex trafficking and subsequent obstruction of the investigation.
Gaetz likely faces a steep confirmation process in the U.S. Senate as many lawmakers, including several Republicans, have publicly stated they were surprised by his nomination to be the nation's chief law enforcement officer.
"This one was not on my bingo card," said Alaska GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski. "I don't think this is a serious nomination for attorney general. We need to have a serious attorney general."
Sources tell CBS News it's possible Gaetz could circumvent the need for Senate approval if both chambers "recess shortly after Inauguration Day," leading to a temporary recess appointment.
WCCO has reached out to the Minnesota GOP for comment and is awaiting a response.