Gaetz Lynch Mob: These GOP Senators “Strongly Opposed” Matt Gaetz for Attorney General  

When Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration for Trump’s Attorney General, he had no shortage of enemies, including those from his camp. Gaetz’s withdrawal was a surprise, especially after the House Ethics Committee decided against releasing his ethics report.

The Florida lawmaker was accused of sexual misconduct with a 17-year-old girl, illicit drug use, and receiving improper gifts. The Department of Justice investigated him and filed no charges, while his friend, who cooperated with the DOJ in probing the Senator, pleaded guilty to numerous charges. Given the Orwellian nature of the Biden administration, certainly if there was truth to the allegations there would’ve been charges.

Nonetheless, Gaetz withdrew from consideration for the greater good of Trump’s vision. Explaining his reasons for withdrawing, Gaetz said he believed that his nomination “was unfairly becoming a distraction” from Trump’s America First Agenda.

“There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1,” Gaetz said.

While Trump picked Pam Bondi to replace him, Gaetz’s withdrawal was a wake-up call for the party that boasts of a collective vision for a better America.

I had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback – and the incredible support of so many. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance…

— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) November 21, 2024

According to CNN, while Trump did not pressure Gaetz to withdraw, he informed him that he did not have enough votes to win a confirmation.

MSNBC also listed the names of five turncoat Republican Senators who strongly opposed Gaetz’s confirmation. They included Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Susan Collins (R-ME), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), and Sen.-elect John Curtis (R-UT).

Some commenters have floated the possibility that Gaetz’s nomination was a test for Senate Republicans to identify opponents of the MAGA agenda.

Breaking on @MSNBC:

At least five Senate Republicans were a 'no' on Matt Gaetz — McConnell, Murkowski, Collins, Mullin, Sen.-elect Curtis — and had communicated to other senators they were unlikely to be swayed.

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) November 21, 2024

The Senators also expressed their unwillingness to change their stance on Gaetz, despite the House Ethics Committee withholding the report and the DOJ finding no evidence to file charges against him.

Responding to his withdrawal, the backstabbing Republicans welcomed his decision. Oklahoma’s Sen. Mullin described Gaetz’s pullout as “probably a good decision,” while Kentucky’s McConnell said the move was “appropriate.”

Similarly, Maine’s RINO GOP Senator Susan Collins said Gaetz had decided to “put [the] country first.” Speaking to CBS, Sen. Collins said she was shocked by Trump’s nomination of Gaetz, but trusted that the Senate to do its job of “making sure we have a background check.”

The Senator also said it would be a mistake “to curtail the investigative process and the public hearings, because that is the Senate’s constitutional responsibility.” 

Seemingly, Gaetz’s spat with the former Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy could have triggered retaliation from his supporters. 

Among them, Brittany Martinez, a former McCarthy staffer, said “I think justice has been served today,” in response to Gaetz’s pullout, adding that he had “such atrocious skeletons in his closet” and was “not even qualified to be Attorney General.”

Having been duly investigated and cleared by the Department of Justice, the blowback from the Republican backstabbers amounted to mob justice by a lynch mob that had hijacked the political process to settle their personal vendettas.

Meanwhile, experts say that Gaetz could still reclaim his House seat despite resigning since the session had not started when he resigned, but Gaetz himself has said he won’t be returning to Congress next year.