Matt Gaetz withdraws consideration for Trump’s AG; Pam Bondi announced as new pick

Controversial right-wing Rep. Matt Gaetz abruptly dropped his bid to be Donald Trump’s attorney general on Thursday, amid growing allegations involving illegal drugs and paid sex with young women.
The former Florida lawmaker said he was stepping aside to avoid what he called a “needlessly protracted Washington scuffle” over his nomination to lead the Department of Justice in Trump’s second administration.
“It is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction,” Gaetz tweeted. “Thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1.”
Trump praised Gaetz after the announcement.
“Matt has a wonderful future and I look forward to seeing all the great things he will do,” Trump wrote on his social media site.
The incoming president had repeatedly expressed steadfast support for Gaetz and had described the pick as the single most important choice in his forthcoming cabinet.
CNN reported Thursday morning that it planned to reveal new reporting that Gaetz engaged in a second sexual encounter with a girl who was only 17 at the time, a tryst that included an older woman as well.
Minutes after being asked about the new report, Gaetz pulled the plug on his bid to be the nation’s top law enforcement officer.
Before his sudden withdrawal, the nomination of Gaetz faced an uphill battle to win the required 50 senators in a confirmation hearing.
Gaetz already resigned his Florida congressional seat last week in what many believed was a ploy to avoid disclosure of a congressional Ethics Committee report.
The former lawmaker had won a small victory Wednesday when Republicans on the House Ethics Committee decided not to immediately release a report on his alleged misdeeds.
The panel agreed to meet again in early December, when it could release the report or seek to permanently shelve it on the grounds that he’s no longer a member of the House.
One twist could come if Gaetz seeks to walk back his resignation from Congress.
He stepped down last week virtually at the same time that Trump tapped him for the AG post. But Gaetz won reelection in November to a new two-year term starting Jan. 1, meaning he might be able to return to the House in the new year.
Just hours after Gaetz withdrew his nomination, Trump announced Thursday night that he’d selected former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi as his new nominee to head the Justice Department.
“Pam was a prosecutor for nearly 20 years, where she was very tough on Violent Criminals, and made the streets safe for Florida Families,” he wrote on Truth Social. “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. 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!”
“Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again,” he continued. “I have known Pam for many years — She is smart and tough, and is an AMERICA FIRST Fighter, who will do a terrific job as Attorney General!”
Bondi served as attorney general of Florida from 2011 to 2019 under then-Gov. Rick Scott.
She previously worked on Trump’s first impeachment defense team and was involved in efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.