Gaetz withdraws from AG nomination

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Facing mounting pressure from his fellow Republicans, former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz has withdrawn his nomination to be the next Attorney General.

Just a day after lobbying Republican Senators on Capitol Hill for , Matt Gaetz posted on social media to explain his decision to withdraw, writing on X-Twitter, " …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..."

Senator Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) is expected to chair the Senate’s Judiciary Committee for the next Congress. “I respect his decision and appreciate him offering himself for service at a level. Now, on to somebody else.”

Gaetz was the subject of a House Ethics Committee investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, illicit drug use and use of campaign funds for personal use. The committee has not decided whether to release its final report. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said Gaetz’s departure demonstrates there’s a reason for the Senate’s process of advise and consent for nominees.

“This is the right move, every one of these candidates need to be vetted, that’s the lesson”

Gaetz has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and was not charged after a Justice Department investigation.

After Gaetz’s withdrawal, president-elect Donald Trump writing on Truth Social about Gaetz, “He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the istration, for which he has much respect.”

Trump will now need to nominate another candidate to lead the Justice Department. In the meantime, Trump’s other cabinet nominees will likely face increased scrutiny from senators who must confirm them. This includes Pete Hegseth, tapped to head the Pentagon and is also the subject of questions from 2017 about an incident with a woman in California.

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