According to The Sun, his withdrawal from the list followed a federal sex trafficking probe launched by the House Ethics Committee (HEC). The probe was based on a chart compiled by the DOJ and published by the New York Times. The chart outlined a web of payments the former congressman and his associates made to women during drug-fueled flings from 2017 to 2020.
Gaetz, 42, took to social media Thursday, Nov. 21, to announce his withdrawal: "While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance transition.
"There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I'll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as AG. Trump's DOJ must be in place and ready on day one.
"I remain fully committed to see that [President-elect] Donald J. Trump is the most successful president in history. I will forever be honored that President Trump nominated me to lead the DOJ, and I'm certain he will save America." (Related: Gaetz appointment as U.S. attorney general triggers PANIC in the Washington D.C. swamp.)
Following Gaetz's withdrawal, Trump expressed his appreciation for the former congressman. "He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the [incoming] administration, for which he has much respect," the real estate mogul wrote. "Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do."
Will Gaetz return to Capitol Hill as a U.S. senator?
Trump nominated Gaetz as his attorney general on Nov. 13, with the congressman resigning soon after. That representative for the Sunshine State had been under investigation by the HEC since 2021, but the committee paused its probe after learning of a separate investigation by the Justice Department. The DOJ decided not to bring charges against Gaetz.
But after the DOJ ended its probe, it was the HEC's turn. Gaetz, who has not been formally charged with any crime in relation to the committee's investigation, denied all the accusations.
While the former congressman's road to being U.S. AG has ended, it's not the end of his political career. The Sun pointed out that he could return to Capitol Hill, this time as a member of the Senate.
According to the tabloid, questions have swirled on whether Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will nominate Gaetz as the state's next senior senator. The Sunshine State's chief executive must appoint a replacement for U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), who Trump nominated to lead the Department of State, if the senator is confirmed to the position.
Under the U.S. Constitution and Florida state law, the governor has the power to fill vacancies in the Senate. Meanwhile, voters will decide the next person to take over empty seats in the House of Representatives – in this case, Gaetz's now-vacant seat.
DeSantis said Monday, Nov. 18, that he was gathering names and conducting "preliminary vetting" after receiving "strong interest" from several potential picks. Some of the names being floated include Republican National Committee Co-Chair Lara Trump, Florida AG Ashley Moody, Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez and former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner.
"Florida deserves a senator who will help President Trump deliver on his election mandate; be strong on immigration and border security; take on the entrenched bureaucracy and administrative state; reverse the nation's fiscal decline; be animated by conservative principles; and has a proven record of results," the governor said.
Head over to Trump.news for more stories about the president-elect's cabinet for his second term.
Watch this video about former Florida AG Pam Bondi being named as the replacement for Matt Gaetz.
This video is from the Lori Colley channel on Brighteon.com.
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