Saturday, 23 November 2024

Gaetz bows out: ‘No time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle’


by WorldTribune Staff / 247 Real News November 21, 2024

Matt Gaetz on Thursday withdrew from consideration as President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for U.S. Attorney General.

Gaetz had meetings on Wednesday with several senators and said he had “thoughtful feedback” and received “incredible support” from many of them.

Matt Gaetz

He wrote in a post to X on Thursday:

“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. 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. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1.”

Trump said in a social media post: “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. Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!”

Gaetz resigned from his Florida congressional seat on Nov. 13 after he was named as Trump’s choice for AG. He had won re-election for the upcoming Congress on Nov. 5.

Last year, Gaetz said in a statement that the Department of Justice had ended a sex trafficking investigation with no charges against him. He has also categorically denied claims related to the House ethics panel’s investigation, noting that the DOJ ended that probe.

“The Department of Justice has confirmed to congressman Gaetz’s attorneys that their investigation has concluded and that he will not be charged with any crimes,” a statement from his office said last year.

The Epoch Times reported on Thursday that, earlier this week, an attorney involved in a civil case brought by a Gaetz associate was told about an unknown person’s unauthorized access to case documents in a separate matter.

Attorney Joel Leppard, who had represented a client involved in the case, said the files included unredacted depositions from a woman who claimed to have had a sexual encounter with Gaetz when she was 17 as well as testimony from another woman who claimed to be a witness.

The files the individual was able to access were part of a defamation case filed by a Gaetz associate against Gaetz’s one time political ally Joel Greenberg. Gaetz was not part of the lawsuit involving the files and has said he did not have sex with a minor.

Human Events editor Jack Posobiec noted in a social media post: “Matt Gaetz is a patriot and was cleared by the BIDEN DOJ. That means even Merrick Garland passed on it.”

Timely: Defund Fake News

The American Free Press is Back!


Source link