Matt Gaetz: If allegations about me were true I’d be in prison already

Donald Trump’s former attorney general nominee lashes out at what he describes as a ‘smear campaign’

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Matt Gaetz has said he would be in prison if allegations that he had sex with a high school girl were true.
The former Florida congressman, who withdrew his name for consideration as Donald Trump’s attorney general, lashed out at what he described as a “smear campaign”.
“If the things in the House Ethics report were true, I would be under indictment and probably in a prison cell,” he said on the Charlie Kirk Show.
“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,” he added on the clips published by MailOnline.
Allegations against Mr Gaetz, which he has denied, included that he had sex with a 17-year-old girl at a drug-fuelled party.
Mr Gaetz’s nomination for the post as the administration’s most senior law officer stunned Washington, coming at a time when the House of Representatives Ethics Committee had been considering the allegations.
Even with the Republicans securing a majority in the Senate, the chances of Mr Gaetz being confirmed were considered remote and he withdrew his name for consideration on Thursday after it became clear he would not secure enough votes.
Mr Gaetz wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance transition.”
He added: “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.”
Mr Gaetz said he remains “fully committed to see that Donald J. Trump is the most successful president in history.
“I will forever be honoured that president Trump nominated me to lead the Department of Justice and I’m certain he will save America.”
Speaking publicly for the first time following his withdrawal, Mr Gaetz rounded on his foes, suggesting that he was targeted owing to his part in orchestrating the successful campaign to oust Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker.
“There is a play that is run in Washington when they’re trying to smear somebody and, you know, they go and dredge up false, years-old allegations of the most salacious and clickbait.”
Mr Gaetz, who resigned from Congress, said he will not try to reclaim his seat and would support the Trump administration from “a new perch”.
Former Florida Attorney General, Pam Bondi, has replaced Mr Gaetz as the incoming administration’s nominee.