Matt Gaetz has formally withdrawn his candidacy for the position of attorney general in the upcoming Donald Trump administration.
According to Mail Online, this decision comes after facing an ethics inquiry and choosing not to seek re-election to Congress.
Matt Gaetz, initially a contender for Donald Trump's attorney general, withdrew his name last Thursday following a probe by the House Ethics Committee. The investigation centered around accusations of inappropriate relations with an underage girl, which Gaetz vehemently denies. In the wake of these allegations, he also announced he would not seek re-election as a Congressman next year.
Matt Gaetz made his withdrawal public during an appearance on The Charlie Kirk Show. He explained his decision not to return to Congress, attributing it partly to a targeted political attack linked to his efforts to remove Rep. Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker. Gaetz asserts that these allegations are purely politically motivated to tarnish his reputation.
Here is a substantial quote from Matt Gaetz regarding the situation:
"There is a play that is run in Washington when they're trying to smear somebody and, you know, they go and dredge up false, years-old allegations of the most salacious and clickbaity flavor possible. And in this case, they were. Those allegations were coming from sources that Merrick Garland's DOJ already deemed not credible."
Despite the tumultuous conditions surrounding his political career, Gaetz has stated that his focus will now shift towards helping the Trump administration by recruiting new talent. His assertive withdrawal underscores his belief in the falsehood of the charges, claiming, "If the things [in] the House Ethics report were true, I would be under indictment and probably in a prison cell."
Gaetz also responded to questions about the speed of the confirmation process and his decision to step aside promptly:
"All of them were hand-picked by Kevin McCarthy, and they had an axe to grind. So that was going to serve as at least enough of a basis to delay my confirmation as attorney general. But of course, they're false, because when you test them against other records when you test them against other testimony, it all falls apart very quickly."
Reacting quickly to the vacancy, Donald Trump announced former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as the new pick for the attorney general role. Gaetz praised Bondi's qualifications for the attorney general position:
"My good friend Pam Bondi is going to be a phenomenal Attorney General for Donald Trump. She has the legal acumen. She hates criminals. She is a bright legal mind and a fellow Floridian."
Matt Gaetz continues to reiterate his innocence and his future contributions outside of Congress, stating, "I'm still going to be in the fight, but it's going to be from a new perch." He emphasized his decision not to join the 119th Congress underscores a new chapter focused on supporting broader political objectives away from the legislative arena.
In conclusion, Matt Gaetz has chosen to withdraw from his potential role as attorney general and not return to Congress amidst an ongoing ethics investigation. His future efforts will focus on supporting the Trump administration from a different capacity, as he leaves the door open to other Floridians to fill his soon-to-be-vacated Congressional seat.
His firm denial of the allegations suggests he remains a staunch defender of his innocence and a committed figure in the political landscape from his new vantage point.
