Representative Matt Gaetz resigns from Congress after Donald Trump nominates him for Attorney General

ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida Representative Matt Gaetz resigned from Congress hours after President-elect Donald Trump announced his nomination for Attorney General.

Gaetz’s resignation effectively ended a years-long investigation by the House Ethics Committee, which was spurred by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and examined reports that he had a relationship with an underage girl in early 2021. The Justice Department has declined to indict Gaetz in 2023.

“Matt is an extremely talented and driven attorney, trained at the William & Mary School of Law, who rose to prominence in Congress by focusing on achieving urgently needed reform at the Department of Justice. There are so few problems in America,” Trump said in a statement. “The partisan Weaponization of our Justice System will enable Matt to end Armed Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations, and restore Americans’ faith and trust in the Department of Justice.”

Gaetz, 42, who was re-elected to represent Florida’s 1st Congressional District in the Panhandle, has held the post since 2017.

“It will be an honor to serve as President Trump’s Attorney General,” Rep. Gaetz said in a post on X.

“Congratulations,” responded Elon Musk, whom Trump tapped to lead the Department of Government Efficiency along with former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.

Trump was elected a few minutes ago Senator Marco Rubio will serve as its Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Who is Matt Gaetz?

Gaetz was born in South Florida but grew up in the Florida Panhandle and graduated from Niceville High School in 2000. He attended Florida State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary sciences in 2003. Gaetz later earned a doctorate in law from William & Hall. Mary Law School, graduated in 2007.

Gaetz, the son of former Florida Senate President Don Gaetz, began his own political career after working for three years at a private law firm in Fort Walton Beach.

In March 2010, he won a special election in Florida House District 4 to replace Republican State Representative Ray Sansom, who resigned following corruption charges. Gaetz ran unopposed for the entire term in the general election that year. He was re-elected unopposed in 2012 and 2014 after redistricting.

In 2016, Gaetz was elected to represent Florida’s 1st Congressional District, which includes the Panhandle cities of Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach and Destin and is home to numerous military bases.

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During his tenure in Congress, Gaetz served on a number of subcommittees, including the House Armed Services and Judiciary committees, as well as the Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and the Subcommittee on Weaponization of the Federal Government.

Gaetz was a member of the Freedom Caucus, a group of congressional representatives considered among the most conservative, and was instrumental in impeaching House Speaker Kevin McCarthy following the 2022 midterm elections in which Republicans regained control of the chamber.

Gaetz was under House investigation over allegations that he had an affair with an underage girl. In June, the House Ethics Committee expanded its review to include allegations that Gaetz engaged in sexual misconduct and illegal drug use, accepted improper gifts and tried to obstruct government investigations into his conduct.

Gaetz categorically denied all allegations before the committee.

Why did the Department of Justice launch an investigation against Gaetz?

The arrest of a former Central Florida politician has led to a federal investigation into U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz. Former Seminole County Tax Collector in December 2022 Joel Greenberg sentenced to 11 years in prison He is in prison after pleading guilty to child sex trafficking, molestation and wire fraud charges.

Greenberg pleaded guilty to six federal charges in May 2021 as part of a plea agreement with the Department of Justice. in this agreementGreenberg admitted to paying women for sex, including an underage girl he met online. Greenberg also admitted to introducing the girl to other adult men in Florida, but the agreement did not explicitly name the other men allegedly involved.

During the investigation into Greenburg, it was alleged that Gaetz, Greenberg’s friend and partner, paid a 17-year-old girl for sex. The Justice Department dropped its investigation into Gaetz in 2023 and said no charges would be brought against the Republican congressman.

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