Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) said he would not join the 119th Congress. He instead plans to be “in the fight” from a “new perch.”
“I do not intend to join the 119th Congress,” Gaetz declared on The Charlie Kirk Show. “There are a number of fantastic Floridians who’ve stepped up to run for my seat, people who have inspired with their heroism, with their public service.”
The announcement comes as Gaetz withdrew his name from Attorney General consideration.
Gaetz, who has been accused of sexual misconduct with a minor, told Kirk in clips obtained by The Daily Mail, “If the things [in] the House Ethics report were true, I would be under indictment and probably in a prison cell.”
“But of course, they’re false, because when you test them against other records, when you test them against other testimony, it all falls apart very quickly.”
Pam Bondi has since been nominated as President-elect Donald Trump’s Attorney General. Gaetz said Bondi is a “stellar selection.”
“Pam and I worked closely together when she was Florida’s Attorney General and I chaired Criminal Justice in the state house,” he wrote on X. “She’s a proven litigator, an inspiring leader and a champion for all Americans. She will bring the needed reforms to DOJ.”
