Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., outside the House Republican meeting at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.
Tom Williams | Chongqing Roll Call Company | Getty Images
Senate Judiciary Committee request FBI On Wednesday, its previous investigation into the alleged sex trafficking of underage girls presented a “complete dossier of evidence” Matt Gateswho is chosen as the next U.S. Attorney General by the president-elect Donald Trump.
“The serious public allegations against Mr. Gates directly demonstrate his fitness to serve as the federal government’s chief law enforcement officer,” the judicial panel’s request said.
The committee’s Democratic majority noted in a letter to FBI Director Chris Wray that Gaetz aide Joel Greenberg plead guilty In 2021, “Mr. Gates was also investigated for sex trafficking allegations.”
“The Senate has a constitutional obligation to provide advice and consent on the President’s nominees, and in considering Mr. Gates’ nomination, we must review all information necessary to discharge this duty,” the letter said.
The Justice Department closed its investigation into Gaetz last year without filing charges.
The 42-year-old Republican, who until last week represented a Florida district in the House of Representatives, has denied any wrongdoing. If the Senate confirms him as attorney general, he will lead the Justice Department.
Gaetz is a loyal Trump supporter who has gained notoriety in Congress for his inflammatory rhetoric and high-profile behavior.
this house ethics committee Gaetz was being investigated for alleged sexual misconduct and other conduct until he resigned, removing him from the committee’s jurisdiction.
The committee is scheduled to hold a private meeting on Wednesday to discuss whether to publicly release the investigation report, NBC reported.
Gaetz’s selection by Trump to be the nation’s top law enforcement official sparked outrage and alarm among Trump’s critics and raised concerns among some of his Senate allies, whose support is necessary to confirm the nomination.
Trump urged Republican senators to allow him to make recess appointments to avoid the Senate confirmation process.
But West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito — who will be the fourth-ranking Republican in the next Congress — On Wednesday, after a “big discussion” with colleagues, she predicted efforts to bypass the Senate through recess appointments would lose momentum.
“I think the issue of recess appointments will probably go away and it won’t be an integral part of how the president moves the Cabinet through,” Capito said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”
