The House Ethics Committee announced Friday that it is beginning its own probe into Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) following allegations of sexual misconduct. Gaetz has denied the allegations and hired a legal team to fight the charges. “The Committee is aware of public allegations that Representative Matt Gaetz may have engaged in sexual misconduct and/or illicit drug use, shared inappropriate images or videos on the House floor, misused state identification records, converted campaign funds to personal use, and/or accepted a bribe, improper gratuity, or impermissible gift, in violation of House Rules, laws, or other standards of conduct,” the panel said in a statement. “The Committee notes that the mere fact that it is investigating these allegations, and publicly disclosing its review, does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred, or reflect any judgment on behalf of the Committee,” the statement added. The committee’s investigation comes in the wake of a New …