Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Subscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free

1/ The House Ethics Committee secretly voted to release its report on Matt Gaetz and allegations of sex trafficking an underage girl and illicit drug use. The report is now expected to be made public as soon as this week: after the final votes of the 118th Congress but before lawmakers head home for the holidays. The yearslong investigation looked into allegations that Gaetz had engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, accepted bribes or other improper gifts, shared inappropriate images or videos on the House floor, and obstructed the House probe. Earlier this month, House Republicans blocked the release of the report. Gaetz abruptly resigned from Congress after Trump tapped him for attorney general last month, but two days before the bipartisan committee was set to vote on releasing the report. “It’s embarrassing, though not criminal, that I probably partied, womanized, drank and smoked more than I should have earlier in life,” Gaetz said. “I live a different life now.” (CNN / CBS News / ABC News / Associated Press / New York Times / Washington Post / Politico / USA Today / NBC News)

2/ Trump suggested that Liz Cheney “could be in a lot of trouble” following a report by House Republicans accusing her of witness tampering while serving on the Jan. 6 Select Committee, which investigated Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The report alleges that Cheney “colluded with ‘star witness’ Cassidy Hutchinson” and calls for the FBI to investigate the former lawmaker for presenting “uncorroborated, cherry-picked, and, at times, false evidence.” Hutchinson is the former Trump White House who testified before the Jan. 6 committee about the attack on the Capitol, including that Trump knew some of his supporters were armed when he directed them to march on the Capitol. Nevertheless, Barry Loudermilk, the Republican chairman of the House Administration Oversight Subcommittee, wrote in the report, “until we hold accountable those responsible, and reform our institutions, we will not fully regain trust.” Cheney, meanwhile, defended her work, and called the report “a malicious and cowardly assault on the truth.” (Associated Press / New York Times / CNN /

Visit WTF Just Happened Today? for more news and headlines, brought to you by Matt Kiser. The WTFJHT Podcast is narrated and produced by Joe Amditis.