Gaetz withdraws from AG consideration

• Sources within the U.S. Senate said Gaetz’s path to confirmation was murky and increasingly unlikely.

Embattled Attorney General nominee Matt Gaetz announced Thursday that he was withdrawing his name from consideration for the federal post.

The news came a day after the House Ethics Committee split down party lines, rejecting the release of a report into Gaetz’s conduct while serving in Congress. He had been under investigation for allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, which he has publicly denied.

Gaetz, who had been visiting with Senator on Capitol Hill this week seeking to gain traction ahead of a potential confirmation vote, announced his decision to withdraw on X (formerly Twitter).

“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 said. “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.”

Gaetz said President-elect Donald Trump’s Department of Justice “must be in place and ready on Day 1.”

“I remain fully committed to see that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history. I will forever be honored that President Trump nominated me to lead the Department of Justice and I’m certain he will Save America,” Gaetz concluded.

President-elect Trump said Gaetz has a wonderful future ahead.

“I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect,” Trump wrote on TruthSocial soon after the news broke. “Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!”

Prior to the announcement of his nomination by President-elect Trump, Gaetz resigned his Florida congressional seat, reportedly taking the Speaker and others by surprise. Speaker Mike Johnson (R) had voiced his opposition to the House Ethics Committee releasing its report now that Gaetz was no longer a member of the chamber.

“The rules of the House have always been that a former member is beyond the jurisdiction of the Ethics Committee, and so I don’t think that’s relevant,” Johnson said.

Mississippi Congressman Michael Guest (R-MS 3) chairs the House Ethics Committee. A request for comment on the news of Gaetz withdrawing was not immediately answered.

Sources within the U.S. Senate said Gaetz’s path to confirmation was murky and increasingly unlikely.

CBS News reported earlier this week that an “unknown and unauthorized third party” has gained access to two dozen depositions of witnesses tied to the various investigations into Gaetz’s conduct while serving the U.S. House.

“The leaked materials are part of a civil defamation case filed by Chris Dorworth, a lobbyist who is close to Gaetz. These materials include the sworn deposition of the minor with whom Gaetz allegedly had sex,” CBS News reported, adding, “A lawyer for two women who spoke with the Ethics Committee told CBS News on Monday that they testified that Gaetz paid them directly and repeatedly for sex, and said Venmo transactions for the encounters were obtained by the panel.”

UPDATE:

Hours after Gaetz withdrew from consideration, President-elect Trump announced on TruthSocial that he was nominating former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi for U.S. Attorney General.

“Pam was a prosecutor for nearly 20 years, where she was very tough on Violent Criminals, and made the streets safe for Florida Families. Then, as Florida’s first female Attorney General, she worked to stop the trafficking of deadly drugs, and reduce the tragedy of Fentanyl Overdose Deaths, which have destroyed many families across our Country,” Trump wrote. “She did such an incredible job, that I asked her to serve on our Opioid and Drug Abuse Commission during my first Term — We saved many lives!”