Two of President-elect Donald Trump’s picks for cabinet positions are under intense scrutiny.
To the attorney general: Will the House Ethics Committee’s investigation report into allegations of sexual misconduct by former Congressman Matt Gaetz, President Trump’s pick for attorney general, be made public now that Gaetz has resigned from Congress? It remains unclear.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said yesterday that he would ask the committee not to release the report. Late Friday, a lawyer representing two women who testified in the committee’s investigation said one of her clients told the committee that she had seen Gates having sex with a minor. Ta. “Democracy demands transparency,” the lawyer said, calling for the report to be made public.
Asked about the testimony, which was first reported by ABC News, a spokesperson for Gaetz told CNN, “Merrick Garland’s Justice Department found Matt Gaetz not guilty and did not prosecute him.” .
The Senate is expected to consider Mr. Trump’s nominations, including Mr. Gaetz, as part of the Cabinet confirmation process, and some Republican senators have withheld their support for the Florida lawmaker pending further results.
To the Secretary of Defense: Separately, sources said Trump’s transition team was caught off guard by previous sexual assault allegations against Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, who faced little internal review. It is said that it was not done.
Several members of Mr. Trump’s team have since questioned the feasibility of his nomination, according to two people close to the situation.
Less than 48 hours after Trump announced Hegseth’s appointment, a complaint of sexual assault was filed against the leaders of the president-elect’s transition team. The complaint is consistent with an October 8, 2017 investigation by Monterey, California police involving Hegseth.
Hegseth has not been charged with a criminal offense since 2017 or named as a defendant in a civil lawsuit filed in Monterey County, and his attorney has denied any wrongdoing. However, due to the nature of the allegations, incoming chief of staff Susie Wiles was asked to question Hegseth in a phone call Thursday, a person familiar with the matter told CNN.
