Rep. McCaul avoids House Ethics probe into Dulles incident

• A McCaul spokesperson declined to comment on the report's release.

Driving the news: In a 1-page report, the committee says it met to consider the Nov. 21 misdemeanor charge filed against McCaul and voted against doing so.

• The panel's members — five Democrats and five Republicans — "determined that review by an investigative subcommittee is not required," the report says.
• The report adds: "Representative McCaul informed the Committee the prosecutor determined to dismiss the matter. On December 13, 2024, the charge was voluntarily dismissed."

What happened: McCaul said in a statement on Nov. 13 that he was "briefly detained" by police at Dulles International Airport in the D.C. suburbs of Virginia.

• "Two weekends ago, I made a mistake — one for which I take full responsibility. I missed a flight to Texas and found myself disoriented in the airport," he said.
• "This was the result of a poor decision I made to mix an Ambien — which I took in order to sleep on the upcoming flight — with some alcohol."

• He said officers "briefly detained me while I waited for a family member to pick me up," and that the incident "does not reflect who I am and who I strive to be."

Zoom out: The Ethics Committee always considers whether to open an investigation after a House member is charged with a crime.

• The panel on Monday released its long-awaited report into former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) accusing him of sexual misconduct and drug use, which he has denied.