Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL) gave a barn burner of a speech on Wednesday, ripping into House Republicans for breaking many years of custom through voting to suppress the Ethics Committee file on ex-Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL).

“Mr. Speaker, last week, the speaker of the Home and the majority chief stated that the file into critical allegations of misconduct through former Representative Matt Gaetz used to be, quote, ‘Moot as a result of he had resigned from Congress,” Casten started out, adding:

I upward push lately to remind my colleagues of four names and for years: 1987, Invoice Boner; 1990, Don Lukens; 2006, Mark Foley; 2011, Eric Massa. These are 4 individuals of Congress spanning each of the last four many years. Two Democrats. Two Republicans. All four of them resigned from their seats while below investigation by way of the Home Ethics Committee. Allegations in opposition to these participants integrated acceptance of bribes, sharing inappropriate sexually specific images, and sex with a minor kid.

In all of those circumstances, the work of the Ethics Committee endured even after their resignation. In three of the four cases, the report of the Ethics Committee was launched to the public. In none of these instances did someone have the gall to declare these reviews to be moot.

Turning into more animated, Casten endured, “And so now in 2024, every other representative has resigned whereas he was beneath investigation through the House Ethics Committee for allegations including acceptance of bribes, sharing of inappropriate, sexually explicit pictures and intercourse with a minor child. Mr. Gaetz is also speculated to have engaged in illicit drug use.”

“All of us remember the fact that even the allegation of such actions being dedicated through considered one of us cheapens this whole establishment. We additionally all respect the traditions of this House. Whereas they are going to every now and then want reform. We tread moderately sooner than setting any new precedents. And so here we discover ourselves with a convention going again at the least four decades that contributors of the House who’re beneath investigation by way of the Ethics Committee for these different types of allegations can not prevent that information from changing into public simply by resigning from their seats,” Casten brought, referring to Gaetz who resigned after President-decide on Donald Trump nominated him to grow to be legal professional general.

“And but, that’s precisely the precedent that the majority voted to upend remaining week once they voted to kill the decision to compel the release of the Ethics Committee record on Mr. Gaetz. Each member of this physique now must ask themselves if they believe that the president of this Home preserving itself and its contributors to a higher moral usual is one value protecting,” he endured, concluding:

They need to ask themselves in the event that they consider that despite the fact that you resign from this physique, future employers, whether in the public or private sector, must be aware of if which you could be depended on to characterize their institutions with dignity and honor, will also be relied on with their monetary resources, can be trusted round underneath-age children.

As a result of make no mistake. Everybody who voted towards the discharge of the report closing week was pronouncing that ‘No, the time has come for a new precedent where the foundations not apply to us.’ The place from nowadays forth, the Republican majority shall loudly proclaim what happens in DC stays in DC. As our buddy and former colleague Elijah Cummings would have reminded us, we’re better than this. Upholding precedents and sustaining the integrity of this House just isn’t moot. I yield again.

Watch the clip above by the use of C-SPAN.

The put up ‘We Are Better Than This!’ House Dem Implores GOP To Release Matt Gaetz File In Devastating Floor Speech first appeared on Mediaite.