WEST PALM BEACH — Former Florida Representative Matt Gaetz said today that he is withdrawing as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, writing on social media that his nomination “was unfairly becoming a distraction.”
Gaetz’s withdrawal comes after meetings with Republican senators this week, as Trump’s transition team sought to gauge whether he would win enough GOP support to be confirmed.
“I had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback – and the incredible support of so many. 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,” Gaetz wrote on X.
“There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1.”
Democrats were pressing for the disclosure of a House Ethics Committee report detailing its investigation into Gaetz, including over allegations of sexual misconduct and other alleged crimes, after the panel’s Republicans voted on Wednesday not to release the probe’s results.
Gaetz has vehemently denied the allegations investigated by the Justice Department and the committee, including the claim that he had sex with a woman in 2017 when she was a minor.
CNN reported today that sources familiar with her testimony said the woman told the ethics committee she had two sexual encounters with Gaetz at one 2017 party, when she was 17 years old. She testified that the second sexual encounter, which has not previously been reported, included another adult woman. She also testified to both sexual encounters in a civil deposition as part of a related lawsuit, sources said.
After being asked for comment for CNN’s story, Gaetz announced his withdrawal as Trump’s nominee for attorney general.
By CNN
