Trump picks Representative Matt Gaetz as his attorney general

(CNN)- The President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, announced this Wednesday that he has selected Matt Gaetz, the Republican representative of Florida, as his choice for Attorney General.

“Few issues in America are more important than ending the partisan weaponization of our justice system,” Trump wrote in Truth Social announcing that he would appoint Republican Gaetz as the next attorney general.

“Met will dismantle the armed government, secure our borders, dismantle criminal organizations, and restore Americans’ confidence in the Department of Justice (DOJ),” Trump wrote. “Matt will root out systemic corruption at the DOJ, and return the Department to its true mission of fighting crime and protecting our democracy and the Constitution.”

In a post on X, Gaetz said, “It would be an honor to serve as President Trump’s Attorney General!”

The Congress leader is being investigated by the House Ethics Committee for sexual misconduct. The bipartisan commission said in a rare statement in June that some of the allegations against Gaetz “deserve continued review.”

Gaetz is being investigated over allegations that Gaetz “may have engaged in sexual misconduct and illegal drug use, accepted inappropriate gifts, given special privileges and benefits to people with whom he had personal relationships, and The conduct was an attempt to obstruct the government investigation,” the commission said. Said at that time.

Gaetz has repeatedly denied committing any crimes, such as having sex with a minor or paying for sex.

Trump’s announcement came as House Republicans met behind closed doors to elect their leadership.

MPs left their conference meeting and expressed surprise upon learning of the selection.

“I don’t really have any good comments,” said Republican Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska.

Oklahoma Representative Tom Cole, the House Appropriations chairman, told reporters, “I don’t know anything about it.”

House Ethics Chairman Michael Guest said his ethics investigation would end if Gaetz resigned from Congress to become attorney general, because the panel only has jurisdiction over a member while he or she is serving in Congress.

“If he is appointed, he will have to resign from his position in the House, so the ethics investigation will be closed at that time. “Like any other member, being the Ethics Commission, we only have jurisdiction as long as a person is a member of Congress,” Guest told CNN.

Guest would not comment on the status of the investigation into Gaetz, but said he was surprised to learn that Trump had selected him as his attorney general.

“You know, like most members, I was surprised. His name wasn’t one I’d heard of before. But you know, like any other cabinet-level selection, there will be a confirmation process, and so if a senator has questions about his or her ability to serve or any other cabinet member, those questions will be raised before that confirmation. Will be resolved during the process, Guest said.

Despite being surprised by the choice, Guest said he was not questioning Trump.

He said, “You know, I’m not going to question the president about his choices, whether it’s attorney general or any other Cabinet-level position.”

—CNN’s Anne Grier contributed to this report.