The sudden resignation of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida), right after President-elect Donald Trump nominated him as attorney general, came just two days before the House Ethics Committee was set to vote on releasing a report described as "highly damaging" to the lawmaker. Gaetz's resignation on Wednesday virtually ends the Ethics Committee's extensive probe into allegations of sex trafficking, drug use, and bribery—which Gaetz has consistently denied.
The committee had been preparing to vote on the report as soon as Friday, but it will likely be shelved now that he is no longer a sitting member, two sources familiar with the matter told Axios. His swift resignation from Congress appears to be a strategy to avoid further scrutiny, triggering an eight-week process under Florida state law to fill his seat.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said that Gaetz's resignation was meant to allow a swift transition in Florida's 1st Congressional District, as Trump's nominations of several House members for administration roles have added pressure on the GOP's already slim majority. "I think, out of deference to us, he issued his resignation letter — effectively immediately — from Congress," Johnson told reporters at a press conference.
"I've already placed a call to Gov. DeSantis in Florida and said 'let's start the clock,'" Johnson said, referring to the special election to replace Gaetz, which could take place as early as January 3.
Johnson, who had worked with Gaetz on the House Judiciary Committee, defended his colleague, calling Gaetz "one of the most intelligent members of Congress" and an "accomplished attorney."
With Gaetz's exit, attention now shifts to the special election and whether his controversial move will have lasting impacts on the GOP's ability to govern. Gaetz's seat will be contested in the coming months, and his legal and political future remains uncertain.
Many Republicans reacted with skepticism and outright opposition to Gaetz's nomination by Trump for Attorney General. Senate Republicans, including Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), reacted with shock and disapproval, according to Punchbowl News. Many privately added that Gaetz would struggle to secure the votes necessary for confirmation.
Analysts and pundits reacted to the decision by the president-elect, highlighting that it was a result of two qualities that don't have to do with his legal knowledge: loyalty and willingness to confront.
"None of the attorneys had what Trump wants, and they didn't talk like Gaetz," a Trump adviser told The Bulwark's Marc Caputo, as reported by the POLITICO Playbook.
"Everyone else looked at AG as if they were applying for a judicial appointment. They talked about their vaunted legal theories and constitutional bullshit. Gaetz was the only one who said, 'yeah, I'll go over there and start cuttin' f---n' heads.'"
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