CNN’s Jim Acosta Stunned As Tim Burchett Unloads On McCarthy Loyalists Releasing Matt Gaetz Report In ‘Revenge’ For Ouster
CNN anchor Jim Acosta was left stunned as Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) unloaded on Republicans loyal to ex-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy who secretly voted to release a report on former congressman Matt Gaetz in “revenge” for McCarthy’s ouster.
The House Ethics Committee secretly voted to release its highly anticipated investigatory report on Gaetz on Wednesday.
Gaetz, nominated by President-elect Donald Trump as attorney general, resigned from Congress before withdrawing his bid. His nomination sparked controversy due to his limited credentials, frayed GOP relationships, and explosive allegations of involvement in schemes and crimes—including illegal drug use, bribery, and sexual trafficking of a 17-year-old girl.
Although Gaetz denied all wrongdoing, swirling rumors about the report’s “highly damaging” content and senators’ reluctance to confirm him ultimately derailed his path to the post. With his resignation from congress just days before the report was set to be published, however, the investigation was also derailed.
Appearing on CNN on Wednesday as the news of the committee’s secret vote broke, Acosta noted that for the report’s release to be approved some Republicans on the committee needed to have sided with Democrats in the belief that the findings were in the public interest.
Burchett began by slamming the decision and called for full transparency on “other investigations.”
And the public has a right to know about all the other investigations they’ve done. This is just an investigation. It’s not a court of law. It’s in the past. You get one side of this thing and they want to release it? Release all of them. I think if it’s good for the goose, it’s good for the gander. Why are they hiding all the others? Why are they protecting powerful members, former [members] that are still powerful on this Capitol Hill?
The congressman continued to call out the McCarthy-appointed Republicans on the committee who backed the release for pursuing a “revenge tour” against Gaetz, who filed a successful motion in October 2023 to have McCarthy removed.
And let’s be honest too every one of these folks on the Republican side was appointed by the former speaker, which Matt and I both deposed or disposed of, I guess you would say…
Stunned, the host responded: “And so you think this is revenge?”
Burchett continued, resolute in his take, and repeated his call for all Ethics Committee investigations to be released.
It’s a revenge tour. And they’re not winning because Matt’s already got a new job and he’s doing well, and he’s married to a beautiful woman. So it was wonderful. And I wish him well, but he’s out of congress, you know. Are they going to keep digging down? I hope they do. I hope they go after every congressman. They have a report on.
Watch above on CNN.
