Politics
State of the Union: The former congressman feared his nomination was “becoming a distraction.”
Former Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has announced his intention Thursday to withdraw his nomination for attorney general. Gaetz made the decision after meeting with senators yesterday.
“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 in a post on X announcing his withdrawal. “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,” Gaetz added.
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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…
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) November 21, 2024
Though he recently resigned his seat, it is possible that Gaetz will return to Congress in the immediate future. While Gaetz resigned seat in the 118th Congress upon his nomination for attorney general on November 13, it is unclear whether he also resigned his mandate for the 119th Congress, which will begin next year. Florida will also have a vacant Senate seat due to Senator Marco Rubio’s nomination to the post of Secretary of State.
Gaetz’s nomination has been troubled since its November 13 announcement due to investigations of allegations of sexual misconduct, including a House Ethics Committee investigation. He announced his withdrawal shortly before the report of a new allegation by CNN, for which he had been asked to comment.