Following the reported vote by the Republicans on the House Ethics Committee to block the release of the report of the investigation into former Rep. Matt Gaetz, CREW President Noah Bookbinder, a former federal corruption prosecutor, released the following statement:

“It is unacceptable that the Republicans on the Ethics Committee voted to protect Matt Gaetz and block the release of the report of his potential wrongdoing. We do not know what is in the report, but now it is hard not to conclude that his colleagues are trying to hide damning findings to protect him. For this nomination process to have any integrity, they must do any work necessary to complete the report and release it when they meet again next month. I served as a counsel on the Senate Judiciary Committee who was charged with reviewing FBI background checks for all nominees who came through the committee. The Judiciary Committee at that time would never have considered a nominee in this position, regardless of party, without receiving and reviewing the report of the Ethics Committee, and it should absolutely refuse to consider this nomination now until the report is released.”