Former Rep. Matt Gaetz's decision to withdraw from seeking the attorney general post has brought a sense of relief among senators on Capitol Hill. Many lawmakers were aware that Gaetz's confirmation would be challenging, with one Republican senator acknowledging it as the most difficult among the nominees.
Lawmakers had been anticipating a tumultuous confirmation process for Gaetz, expecting it to be fraught with revelations from witnesses' testimonies to the House Ethics Committee. There was mounting pressure to push for the release of the report, even if the House ethics committee did not do so, with some Republicans hinting at supporting such a move in the coming year.
Republican Sen. John Cornyn had been transparent with Gaetz about the rigorous vetting process he would face in the Senate Judiciary Committee, emphasizing that there would be no secrets during the scrutiny. Another GOP senator expressed certainty that Gaetz would not have been confirmed, indicating that both Gaetz and the transition team were aware of this reality.
