President-elect Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he has chosen Rep. Matt Gaetz to be attorney general, which, if confirmed by the Senate, would put a firebrand at the head of the Justice Department and one of Trump’s staunchest allies.
“Matt is a gifted and tenacious lawyer, trained at William & Mary College of Law, which has been recognized in Congress for its focus on achieving much-needed reform at the Department of Justice,” Trump said in the social media post.
Gaetz is Trump’s explosive pick to be the federal government’s top law enforcement officer, running the same executive branch of government he spent years running. investigating allegations about Florida congressman Gaetz was informed that the Justice Department would not seek a change just last year. He has long denied any wrongdoing.
Gaetz has been a member of Congress since winning in 2017 in the MAGA wave that brought Trump to Washington eight years ago. Over the years, Gaetz has become one of Trump’s most ardent advocates, and some allies say, the most effective in Washington when it comes to getting close to Trump.
Republican Matt Gaetz speaks in front of former Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during a campaign rally at the Lee’s Family Forum on Oct. 31, 2024 in Henderson, Nev.
Evan Vucci/AP
Gaetz has been at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence nearly every day since Election Day, helping make suggestions and input on other administration picks, sources told ABC News. Gaetz was also seen traveling with Trump in his motorcade during his visit to Washington on Wednesday.
Notably, Gaetz is closely related to Trump’s newly appointed chief of staff, Susie Wiles, who has deep roots in Florida politics.
Representative Matt Gaetz speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 12, 2024.
Nathan Howard/AP
Beginning in 2019, Gaetz faced a year-long investigation by the Department of Justice into allegations related to sex trafficking and obstruction of justice. Gaetz has long denied any wrongdoing, and the Department of Justice informed Gaetz in 2023 that it was declining to press charges against him after the investigation.
The investigation into Gaetz is related to a onetime friend of the Florida congressman, Joel Greenberg, a former Seminole County tax collector who was sentenced in 2022 to 11 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges, including sex trafficking and solicitation of a minor. minors to other “grown men”.
Since the Justice Department declined to charge Gaetz following its investigation, the Florida congressman has joined An ongoing investigation by the House Ethics Committee about the same allegations.
In September, Gaetz released a lengthy statement regarding the ongoing House Ethics investigation into his alleged conduct. Gaetz indicated he would not voluntarily participate in the investigation and included a series of responses to what appeared to be questions the commission asked the Florida congressman earlier this month.
The House Ethics Committee drops an investigation into a member when he leaves Congress, House Ethics Committee Chairman Michael Guest told ABC News.
“You know, once a member is not a member of Congress, ethics has no jurisdiction. So if Matt Gaetz were to be appointed Attorney General, the ethics investigation is ongoing, at which point it would be dropped,” Guest said. .
House Republicans were meeting behind closed doors when Trump announced he would nominate Gaetz to be attorney general. A commotion was heard in the hall, several members inside told ABC News.
Many House Republicans on Capitol Hill are reacting to Trump’s selection of Gaetz.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Rep. Guest expressed support for Trump’s selection of Gaetz as attorney general. Republican Rep. Max Miller, a former aide to Donald Trump who was particularly critical of Gaetz last year after the Florida congressman’s efforts to unseat former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, called the pick “stupid” and said Gaetz would “never be confirmed by the Senate.” “
“I think the president probably rewards him for being a loyal soldier to the president, but the president is smart enough, and his team is smart enough, to let him know that Mr. Gaetz will never be confirmed by the Senate. Whatever.” Miller said.
ABC News’ Rachel Scott, Lauren Peller and Isabella Murray contributed to this report.
