Former Rep. Matt Gaetz announced his withdrawal from consideration for Attorney General under President-elect Donald Trump. Gaetz cited concerns that his confirmation process was becoming a distraction to the transition process. Despite positive feedback from Senators, Gaetz felt it was best to remove himself from the nomination. Trump had announced his intention to nominate Gaetz just a week prior to the announcement.
Gaetz’s nomination had faced challenges due to past allegations of sex trafficking and misconduct, which had been investigated by the Justice Department. Gaetz denied these allegations and the Justice Department ultimately chose not to charge him. However, the scrutiny surrounding these allegations likely played a role in Gaetz’s decision to withdraw from consideration for the Attorney General position.
Gaetz expressed the need for a smooth transition and emphasized the importance of having a Department of Justice in place and ready to go on Day 1 of Trump’s presidency. Despite his withdrawal, Gaetz thanked those who had supported him and acknowledged the need to avoid unnecessary delays and distractions in the confirmation process.
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