Matt Gaetz withdrew from consideration as U.S. Attorney General because he realized there were enough Republicans in the Senate against him to doom his nomination.
The Wall Street Journal wrote:
WASHINGTON—Matt Gaetz has withdrawn as Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, after it became clear Republican lawmakers were prepared to reject his nomination amid swirling sexual misconduct and drug allegations.
“It is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” Gaetz said in a post on X. “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.”
The move marks the biggest political blow for Trump since his election to a second presidential term. His selection of Gaetz, a longtime ally and fierce Justice Department critic, startled lawmakers and members of the conservative legal community. It also sparked immediate objections from senators of both parties, raising doubts about whether he could be confirmed.
The good news is that some Republicans in the Senate resisted the arm-twisting and refused to confirm an unqualified nominee.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Hooray, a big blow for Trump and Gaetz. Of course, Trump being Trump, I’m sure he’ll dig up some equally obnoxious troll to replace Gaetz.
Gaetz can’t go back to the House since he resigned from there or can he reenter? Or will Ron DeSantis reappoint him to the House position? I have no idea. Trump must be having multiple temper tantrums at this latest debacle.
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Gaetz resigned. Trump could fund a job for him that doesn’t require Senate confirmation.
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Trump could still assign Gaetz to a post in a federal agency when Congress is on vacation/recess.
What he did his first term was to leave many top spots empty and assign loyalists who would have never been approved by the Senate to run the agency not as the agency head but in a lesser role that doesn’t need Senate approval.
Dated 2018:
“Hundreds of top government jobs under Trump are unfilled. So who’s running things?”
So who’s running things? …
“A change in federal law that went into effect just last year (2017) allows a temporary acting replacement in these jobs, but only for 300 days. That’s to give presidents time to make nominations.
“But Mr. Trump hasn’t made nominations for hundreds of these jobs, and the 300-day clock has run out. That’s creating an unprecedented situation. Those acting in these jobs do not technically have the legal authority to do them anymore.” …
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/hundreds-of-top-government-jobs-under-trump-are-unfilled-so-whos-running-things
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Although Gaetz resigned, he was reelected to another term. Does his resignation apply only to the current term or does it extend to the next term as well? Is it possible that he can be sworn in for the next term he was reelected to or does his resignation supersede that?
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Gaetz was re-elected a few weeks ago. He resigned. He is no longer a member of Congress. He might have to get a job. He will find a GOP sugar daddy.
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Joe,
David Corn wrote on social
Media that Gaetz resigned his seat in current Congress, not the next Congress. He assumes he will be seated. Corn is chief DC correspondent for Mother Jones.
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Thanks for the information Dr. Ravitch. David Corn would definitely know what is likely to happen.
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Trump won on November 5th, his loss in the Majority Leader vote forces him to work with the new leader, John Thune, many years in the Senate, an institutional Republican, who will be a major voice in policy decisions, Trump can “play nice,” unlikely, and try and undercut Thune, the plot thickens
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Diane: In this conflict, numbers matter. Notice also the term “unfairly.” This is code for: it’s the monster democrats’ fault, who will surely be made to pay.
Pro-democracy advocates need an active and systematic BS detector/ rejector in all areas of the Press (including YouTube), to FIRE BACK right away at whatever gets projectile-vomited at us. Don’t let them breathe, including those truth-twisters who sit on that dirty couch at Fox. CBK
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. . . I have a guitar, thanks. CBK.
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That’s great news. Of course now the question is who the next nut will be that Trump nominates. Maybe it will be South Carolina’s Alex Murduagh….
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Thanks for the belly laugh, Joe!
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Bad pick from the start and he/they knew it. Unless Gaetz knew things we don’t and was promised the job?
Who can they blame? Not the media this time when even Republicans complained about the pick. Blame Gaetz because he told Trump he was innocent of everything? Probably will blame the women.
So for all the hold your nose and voted for him anyway, another point for #buyersremorse
p.s. We’ve got an AG in Missouri we’d be glad to loan you for 4 years.
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Hurray! This shows what we’ve all hoped for and know in our hearts–that political parties and loyalties vary from person to person–each human being is unique. Some Republicans can be responsible some of the time. It matters.
I think, by extension, that this applies to all–or almost all–politicians and humans, in general. So, as we work for peace and justice, in America and the world, we need to remember there’s often more humanity in some person or group than we thought.
Of course, we also shouldn’t be naive. Some Republicans may withhold their support in this case for moral reasons, some, political. Some maybe because of a spouse or close friend. At any rate, it says to all of us to continue to work for justice and not give up on processes of logic, conciliation, or negotiation.
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It would have been like making Ted Bundy Dean of Women at Smith.
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This is why I’ve been reading just headlines, & not driving myself crazy wading through all the articles speculating about how horrible [insert latest cabinet appointment or policy proposal] is going to be. A lot of this stuff works itself out & becomes irrelevant on its own within a few days.
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Because “freaking out” (aka pointing out the obvious unsuitability of a nominee) alerts politicians that the nominee is exceptionally bad and often forces them to make the right decision.
NOT freaking out tells these idiots they can get away with obscenely bad choices.
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Of course, you have a point about calling attention to a bad idea. I just reached my “freaking out” limit for now!
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Lenny,
You didn’t need to follow the Gaetz debacle. Public pushback was strong. His colleagues, many of them, didn’t like him. He’s gone.
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Leaving one to wonder: was Gaetz as despised in the House as Ted Cruz is in the Senate?
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More.
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True — I guess we should appreciate each small victory.
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He was about 99 bridges too far. Apparently Trump thought he was most likely to be rejected.
At least we know that some things are too “in your face” even for that pack of grifters and outright thieves.
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