House Ethics Committee Meets on Releasing Gaetz Report After Dem Rep Forced Vote; 2nd Vote Held

Becca Lower reporting for RedState 

In case anyone was wondering what was going on with the House Ethics Committee's report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), there's an update, after fireworks were promised by earlier reporting Thursday that the Committee could vote on whether or not to release the report.

The stories--by Fox News and NBC News -- breathlessly recounted the prospect, with the former outlet writing that a Dem member forced a vote that prompted the meeting in the first place:

The House Ethics Committee is expected to meet Thursday after the panel failed to come to an agreement last month on whether to release its report about former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.

The report could still be made public, however, even if history repeats itself. Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., moved to force a vote on releasing the report via a measure known as a "privileged resolution" Tuesday.

Designating a resolution "privileged" gives House leaders two legislative days to consider it, putting that deadline on Thursday.

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That has now fizzled out Thursday afternoon, with the panel voting against releasing it, 206-198: 

NBC has now updated its story: 

But after two-and-a-half hours, the panel did not release the report, saying in a statement that it is "continuing to discuss the matter." Ethics Chairman Michael Guest, R-Miss., told reporters that his panel would meet again before the end of the year.

"I'm not going to speculate on future action that the committee may take," Guest said when asked whether it might still vote to release the report.

None of the other Committee members provided comment, per NBC, including the  "top Democrat, Rep. Susan Wild of Pennsylvania," who not only didn't attend the meeting, but her office did not comment.

UPDATED [6:49 p.m. EST]: Politico is reporting in an update that a second vote was held separately Thursday on House's Gaetz investigation/report, which also foundered:

Separately, House members voted down an effort from Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) requiring the committee to preserve and release records related to its investigation into multiple allegations against Gaetz, including that he had sex with a minor.

You can read the full Cohen resolution here.

RedState will keep you posted of any updates on this developing story.