Pressure mounts for Matt Gaetz congressional ethics report release

WASHINGTON: President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general, Matt Gaetz, faced growing scrutiny from his fellow congressional Republicans on Thursday, with one saying he “absolutely” wants to review an unreleased report examining allegations of sexual misconduct.

A lawyer representing an alleged victim also called for the report to be made public.

Senator John Cornyn, who holds a top spot on the committee that will consider Gaetz’s nomination next year, said he and other lawmakers should get access to the report by the House of Representatives Ethics Committee, which examined allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use.

“I don’t want there to be any limitation at all on what the Senate could consider,” Cornyn told reporters. When asked if that means he wants to see the ethics report, he replied: “Absolutely.“

Gaetz, is one of a series of nominees tapped by Trump this week who lack the resumes normally seen in candidates for high-level jobs. He would need to be confirmed by the Senate -- where Republicans will have a majority of at least 52 of the 100 seats -- to get the job, and a handful of that number have expressed skepticism at the choice.