Since Matt Gaetz resigned from the House and withdrew his name from consideration for attorney general, questions have arisen about his political future. Although he was re-elected to represent his Florida district in the next session of Congress beginning in January, he cannot return to the current 118th Congress as his resignation is effective and cannot be withdrawn. Gaetz stated in his resignation letter that he did not intend to take the oath of office for the 119th Congress, but a special election has not been organized yet to fill his seat.
If Gaetz does return to Congress, the Ethics Committee investigation into him could be extended and a report released. However, if he does not return, there is debate about whether the committee should continue with the investigation. While Ethics Committee Chair Michael Guest believes Gaetz’s withdrawal ends the discussion, Rep. Sean Casten is pushing for a vote to compel the committee to release the report.
Ultimately, Gaetz’s political future remains uncertain as it is unclear if he will reverse his decision about taking the oath for the 119th Congress and if the Ethics Committee will continue its investigation. The situation is further complicated by the lack of precedent for a member-elect reversing their decision and the ongoing debate within the Ethics Committee about releasing the report.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com
