Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R, FL-1) removed himself from consideration for attorney general yesterday. The announcement came amid renewed scrutiny over allegations of sex trafficking, drug use, and sex with a minor. Trump announced he will nominate former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi in Gaetz's place; see a running list of appointments here.
President-elect Donald Trump announced Gaetz's nomination over a week ago amid a House Ethics Committee investigation into the allegations against him. Those included claims Gaetz paid a then-17-year-old girl for sex in 2017, with one sex act involving another woman. The House this week deferred releasing its report. Gaetz denies the allegations against him; the Justice Department declined to bring charges.
Separately, the announcement came as a police report this week detailed graphic sexual assault allegations a woman made against Pete Hegseth, Trump's pick for defense secretary. Hegseth maintains the encounter—at a Republican women's conference in California in 2017—was consensual.
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