(NewsNation) — President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz to be his second administration’s attorney general.
“Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department,” Trump said on Truth Social.
Gaetz, 42, immediately submitted his resignation to the House and accepted Trump’s nomination, which could be a risky move. The Florida Republican faces a tough nomination road ahead as the outspoken conservative has caused some controversy, even irking fellow Republicans over the past year.
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He still faces Senate confirmation, which many in Congress are doubtful could come to fruition after several senators immediately expressed bafflement about the pick.
Gaetz’s House resignation will trigger a special election for his House seat, which has been in Republican control for nearly 30 years.
Who is Matt Gaetz?
FILE – Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 12, 2024. The House Ethics Committee in an unusual public statement Tuesday confirmed it is reviewing several allegations against the congressman. The committee said it is investigating whether Gaetz engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, whether he accepted improper gifts and whether he sought to obstruct government investigations of his conduct. Four other allegations are no longer being investigated. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard, File)
The Florida Republican is a lawyer who is serving his fourth term as a Congressman. Earlier this year, he won re-election to the U.S. House for Florida’s 1st Congressional District.
The 42-year-old was born in Hollywood, Florida, and grew up in the northwest side of the Sunshine State. He is married to Ginger Gaetz and they have one son together named Nestor. Gaetz has described raising his son as “the most rewarding thing I’ve done in my life.”
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Gaetz earned a degree from the William & Mary Law School in 2007, going on to work for a firm in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
The Florida bar briefly suspended his license in 2021 due to unpaid fees, but the association’s website on Wednesday listed him as a member in good standing.
Gaetz’s political issues, legislation
Gaetz has served as a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the House Judiciary Committee, and his main focuses involve national security, veterans’ affairs and adherence to constitutional principles.
Here’s a list of issues Gaetz focuses on and has taken a stance on:
Congress: Gaetz has taken an interest in “uncovering government corruption,” especially when it comes to the so-called witch hunt against Trump.
Education: One of the issues that Gaetz believes is best handled bipartisanly, Gaetz supports parents and teachers knowing what’s best for students. He has supported legislation that has allowed local school districts to opt out of Common Core textbook requirements and has been committed to school safety.
Energy: Gaetz has taken a clean energy approach to the environment, proposing a “Green Real Deal” to Congress that would promote innovation in clean energy solutions.
Environment: As part of the Climate Solutions Caucus, Gaetz is an advocate for finding solutions to protect the environment without “imposing burdensome regulations” on residents.
Health: Gaetz has focused his efforts on the nation’s opioid crisis. He also supports research for medical cannabis and expanding healthcare options. He has identified himself as pro-life.
Economy: Gaetz believes in a free market with minimal government oversight.
Veterans: One of Gaetz’s top three issues, the congressman has created a home for military installations in Northwest Florida. He is a member of the Armed Services Committee, fighting for increased funding for the F-35 program. He also supported the Choice Act, which provided billions in funding for the Veterans Choice Program.
Military: National Security is Gaetz’s top focus. He believes cutting defense spending and budgets for the military is a national security risk. He helped secure a $41.9 million authorization to fund military test ranges in 2018. He believes that a “well-trained and fully-funded military is critical.”
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Gaetz controversy
As an outspoken conservative, Gaetz has been a staunch defender of Trump but at times has irked fellow Republicans, including in last year’s leadership debate in the House chamber.
In early 2023, Gaetz was among a group of hard-right conservatives to oppose McCarthy’s bid for House speakership, forcing McCarthy to wait through 15 ballots of voting before earning the spot. It was Gaetz who orchestrated the vote that ultimately to McCarthy’s ouster.
McCarthy has accused Gaetz of having him pushed out to stop the ethics complaint against him.
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Gaetz was the subject of a House Ethics Committee investigation as well as a civil lawsuit involving allegations of a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing.
He also faced a yearslong Justice Department investigation into allegations of sex trafficking and obstruction of justice. Last year, the department said it would not bring charges.
House ethics investigation
The House Ethics Committee had been investigating allegations that Gaetz was part of a scheme that led to the sex trafficking of a 17-year-old girl, a probe that ended Wednesday with Gaetz’s resignation from the House.
In June, the committee gave an unusual public update on its review, which it said also included whether Gaetz engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, accepted improper gifts and sought to obstruct government investigations of his conduct.
The committee announced that it was no longer reviewing four other allegations involving the congressman, including that he shared inappropriate images or videos with colleagues on the House floor or that he accepted a bribe or converted campaign funds to personal use.
Gaetz has categorically denied all the allegations, which he has blamed on McCarthy.
The Ethics Committee was scheduled to meet on Friday to vote on whether or not to release the report about Gaetz, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to The Hill. Punchbowl News first reported on the planned meeting. The panel was still slated to meet Friday as of Wednesday evening, the source said.
While the Ethics Committee’s investigation into Gaetz has ceased because of his departure from Congress, the panel could still vote to release the report post-resignation. While such a move is rare, there is some precedent: In 1987, the committee released its report into former Rep. William Boner, D-Tenn., after he resigned from the House.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said he was not sure if the Ethics Committee would release the report on Gaetz given its lack of jurisdiction now that he is no longer in Congress.
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Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, a vocal critic of Gaetz, told reporters earlier on Wednesday that members were looking forward to Gaetz’s Ethics Committee findings being aired in Senate confirmation hearings.
“It’s going to be very interesting to see what comes out. And a lot of us are excited to see what comes out, because it’s possible they could be used in a very good manner,” Miller said, suggesting that Gaetz could be expelled from the House.
Gaetz relationship with Trump
COACHELLA, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 12: U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), C, prepares to sign a Trump-Vance sign at a campaign rally for Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump on October 12, 2024 in Coachella, California. With 24 days to go until election day, former President Donald Trump is detouring from swing states to hold the rally in Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris’ home state. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Having just won his fifth term representing much of the Florida Panhandle, Gaetz has been a frequent defender of Trump.
He traveled to New York earlier this year when Trump stood trial in his hush-money case. He shared a photo of himself and other congressional Republicans standing behind Trump. His caption echoed the language Trump once used to address the extremist Proud Boys: “Standing back, and standing by, Mr. President.”
At Trump’s June debate with President Joe Biden, Gaetz was front and center in the spin room, talking up Trump’s successes. After Biden’s exit from the race, Gaetz was among those who helped Trump prepare for his subsequent debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, in which the former president made false claims about Haitian migrants eating people’s pets and other animals — claims that Gaetz, among others, had spread online.
Just hours before Trump announced his nomination, Gaetz wrote a post on X that echoed Trump’s frequent claims that he has been unfairly targeted by the justice system.
“We ought to have a full court press against this WEAPONIZED government that has been turned against our people,” Gaetz said. “And if that means ABOLISHING every one of the three-letter agencies, from the FBI to the ATF, I’m ready to get going!”
If confirmed as attorney general, Gaetz would have oversight over both agencies.
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Tough road ahead for Gaetz
Most Republicans dodged direct answers about whether they supported the incoming president’s pick. The GOP will have a 53-seat majority in the new Senate and will be able to rely on Vice President-elect JD Vance to break a 50-50 tie, allowing for a handful of defections.
Texas Sen. John Cornyn, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he didn’t know Gaetz “other than his public persona, so we’ll handle it like any other nomination.”
“I’m not going to prejudge any of these,” Cornyn said, suggesting that the Senate look closely into the House Ethics Committee probe. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, also a member of the Judiciary Committee, called Gaetz “a smart, clever guy” but posited that “he’ll have to answer some tough questions in the hearing, and we’ll see how he does.”
Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, one of Trump’s few Republican critics in Congress, said she was shocked to hear of Gaetz’s nomination, adding, “I’m sure that there will be many, many questions raised at Mr. Gaetz’s hearing if in fact the nomination goes forward.”
Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, another Trump critic, said that “as far as I am concerned,” Gaetz was not a serious candidate.
North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, appeared to express doubts about the nomination, saying Gaetz will have “his work cut out for him” to win enough votes for confirmation.
“I’m sure it will make for a popcorn-eating confirmation hearing,” Tillis said.
The Associated Press and The Hill contributed to this report.
