Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz resigned from Congress late Wednesday, hours after President-elect Trump nominated him to be attorney general. And it reportedly comes just days before the release of the long-awaited House ethics report on him.
Early Wednesday, after news broke that Gaetz had been selected to join Trump's Cabinet, Rep. Michael Guest (R-Mississippi), chairman of the House Ethics Committee, told reporters that Gaetz had reportedly been selected to join Trump's Cabinet. He said the allegations centered on sexual misconduct with minors. If Gaetz resigns from Congress, illegal drug use will end.
Mr. Gates denied these allegations of wrongdoing.
“This doesn't change anything,” Guest said on Capitol Hill about Gaetz's nomination.
“I've been asked, 'Is this a request to expedite the investigation?'” A report will be issued once the investigation is complete, Guest said. “Assuming Mr. Gaetz is still a member of Congress at that time. If Mr. Gaetz were to resign because he is pro-administration as attorney general, at that point the Ethics Committee would lose jurisdiction.” Once jurisdiction is lost, the report will no longer be issued, and this is not unique to this case. ”
Guest said the Justice Department had previously asked the committee to “cease” the investigation, but the House of Representatives has since reopened it and is continuing it.
Matt Gaetz resigns from Congress due to Trump's appointment as attorney general, Johnson says
Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) arrives with President-elect Trump's motorcade at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on November 13, 2024. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
The commission is expected to vote as soon as Friday on whether to release the ethics report, Punchbowl News first reported.
The New York Times, citing Republican officials, reported that the report was delayed due to House rules that prohibit releasing negative findings so close to the election. Gaetz was the driving force behind the ouster of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), with dozens of Republicans tipping him off to resign before it was officially announced Wednesday night. Politico reported that he was pleased with his resignation.
A House Republican told Politico on condition of anonymity that Gates was resigning from Congress because he was “obstructing an ethics investigation that will be revealed within a week.”
But House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) offered a different explanation. Johnson said at a news conference late Wednesday that Gaetz told him he was abruptly resigning to expedite the process of filling the House seat in a special election.
After last week's election, Republicans held control of the House of Representatives and strengthened the unified power of Congress and the White House, but there are also concerns about the gap as President Trump poached House Republicans to join his new administration. .
Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) waves from the stage during the third day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 17, 2024. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Johnson said he was optimistic about finding a replacement for Gaetz before the House elects a new speaker on Jan. 3, but said it was unclear whether state and federal laws could accommodate the tight timeline.
Matt Gaetz faces Republican Senate opposition after Trump picks him as attorney general
“He has tendered his resignation from Parliament with immediate effect, which has come as a bit of a surprise to us,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson told reporters. “But when I asked him why, he said, “You can't have too many absences.'' Under Florida law, you have about eight weeks to select and fill a vacancy. And in doing so today, I've already called Governor DeSantis of Florida and said, “Let's get started.'' clock. He's currently in Italy, so we'll talk first thing in the morning. ”
“And if we start the clock now, the math is that we might be able to fill that seat as early as January 3, when the new Parliament takes its new oath of office,” Johnson said. Ta. “So if Matt could have made the decision the way he made it on the spot, he would have done a great service for us. So we're grateful for that.”
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) listens to former President Donald Trump speak to the media during his trial on charges of concealing hush money payments in Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City, May 16, 2024. (Angela Weispool/Getty Images)
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) told reporters early Wednesday that President Trump's decision to nominate Gaetz as attorney general was “an unprecedented move by the government to use against its political opponents in the Biden administration.” “This is a strong statement that the weaponization of weapons is coming.” At the end of the day, that party is over and we're going to clean up the mess at the Justice Department. ”
However, Politico reported that several Republican senators doubted whether Gaetz would be confirmed as attorney general, and those doubts appear to have carried over to the House.
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“I think all of his choices were made with a great deal of intention and respect and integrity, but when it comes to the selection of Congressman Gaetz, I just think it's stupid. I believe the president is that.” It's a reward for being a loyal soldier,” Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio) told reporters. “But the president is smart enough and his team is smart enough to know that Mr. Gaetz will never be confirmed by the Senate. And this is going to be a very long time for him, and he He's not going to be a team player and he's not going to help with this meeting, so he's going to be furious with senators on both sides of the aisle. ”
