'Butterfly effect': How Matt Gaetz’s ethics probe sheds light on his feud with Kevin McCarthy

After months of Democratic — and some Republican — lawmakers' urging the House Ethics Committee to release its investigation into former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) alleged sexual misconduct, the committee released the report on Monday.

While the committee's report "found evidence that Gaetz paid thousands of dollars for sex; violated Florida’s statutory rape law; used cocaine, ecstasy and marijuana illegally; violated the rule on accepting gifts from lobbyists; gave friends special privileges and favors; and tried to obstruct the committee’s investigation," NOTUS reports that the report also sheds light on another issue.

The report also "suggests a Gaetz butterfly effect, where the committee’s investigation ties into the downfall of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy," the news outlet emphasizes.

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The pair's feud escalated when Gaetz publicly led the charge to oust McCarthy from the House speakership earlier this year.

“We’re concerned that the fundamental commitments that allowed Kevin McCarthy to assume the speakership have been violated as a consequence of the debt limit deal, and the answer for us is to reassert House conservatives as the appropriate coalition partner for our leadership, instead of them making common cause with Democrats,” NOTUS notes the former Sunshine State congressman said in an interview before McCarthy's ouster.

Per NOTUS's report, "Sources privately indicate that" Gaetz's efforts were "all because of the ethics investigation. While there was never a direct ask from Gaetz of McCarthy to drop the ethics investigation, the Florida Republican made it clear that’s what he wanted, multiple sources familiar with the dynamic told NOTUS."

Additionally, "One of the sources added that Gaetz got mutual acquaintances of both him and McCarthy to weigh in and suggest the speaker kill the investigation," NOTUS reports.

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"He’s blaming me for an ethics complaint against him that happened in the last Congress. I have nothing to do with it. He wants me to try to wipe that away. I’m not going to do that. That’s illegal. And you know what? If someway I lose my job because I uphold the law [and the] continuity of government, so be it," the former speaker said to CNBC on Oct. 3, 2023.

NOTUS notes, "Gaetz introduced the motion to vacate the speakership on Oct. 2, 2023 — the same day as his deadline to respond to the Ethics Committee’s request for information. The following day, tensions between the two culminated in the end of McCarthy’s tenure as speaker."

NOTUS' full report is available here.