AP- President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, was once embroiled in a sex trafficking investigation by the Justice Department he’s been tapped to lead.
The staunch Trump defender and loyalist was also under scrutiny by the House Ethics Committee over allegations including sexual misconduct, although that probe effectively ended Wednesday when Gaetz resigned from Congress.
Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, and the Justice Department’s investigation into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls ended last year with no federal charges against him.
Former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz’s nomination for attorney general is being met with a variety of reactions from Republicans, including cautious reservation, praise and pointed criticism.
Some Senate Republicans are questioning whether the nomination of Gaetz, who had faced a House ethics investigation, would survive a confirmation while others, including incoming Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, withheld judgment pending committee hearings.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio says Gaetz “would do a very good job for the president” while Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski says “I do not see him as a serious candidate.”
