Washington
Gaetz withdraws as Trump’s pick for attorney general, averting confirmation battle in Senate
WASHINGTON (AP) — Matt Gaetz withdrew Thursday as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general following continued scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation that cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed as the nation’s chief federal law enforcement officer.
The abrupt withdrawal is a setback to Trump’s push to install steadfast loyalists in his incoming administration, but also a recognition of the resistance the Republican is already encountering from members of his own party to picks with checkered backgrounds.
By bowing out, Gaetz averts what was shaping up to be a pitched confirmation battle that would have tested how far Senate Republicans were willing to go to confirm Trump’s Cabinet selections.
The Florida Republican’s announcement came one day after meeting with senators in an effort to win their support for his confirmation to lead the Justice Department.
“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,” Gaetz said in a statement announcing his decision. “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.”
Trump, in a social media post, said: “I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect. Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!”
Gaetz’s announcement came days after an attorney for two women said that his clients told House Ethics Committee investigators that Gaetz paid them for sex on multiple occasions beginning in 2017, when Gaetz was a Florida congressman.
One of the women testified she saw Gaetz having sex with a 17-year-old at a party in Florida in 2017, according to the attorney, Joel Leppard. Leppard has said that his client testified she didn’t think Gaetz knew the girl was underage, stopped their relationship when he found out and did not resume it until after she turned 18. The age of consent in Florida is 18.
Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, and said last year that the Justice Department’s investigation into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls had ended with no federal charges against him.
Gaetz’s political future is uncertain, at the moment.
He had abruptly resigned his congressional seat upon being selected to be as attorney general. That move was seen as a way to shut down the ethics investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.
Republicans on the committee declined this week to release its findings, over objections from Democrats in a split vote. But the committee did agree to finish its work and is scheduled to meet again Dec. 5 to discuss the matter.
Gaetz did win reelection in November for the new Congress, which convenes Jan. 3, 2025. But it’s unclear whether he would take office. There are plans for a special election in Florida for his seat.
New Hampshire
Court hears cases on transgender girls playing girls sports and the right to protest
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Two lawsuits about transgender girl athletes — one challenging a state ban at schools and the other on the right to protest transgender athletes’ participation on girls teams — were the subject of hearings in federal court in New Hampshire on Thursday.
The first case is about two transgender teen girls, one who played soccer on the girls team this fall and another who plans to participate on the track team this winter.
A federal judge ruled earlier this year that the teens can try out for and play on girls school sports teams. The order only applies to those two individuals for now as they seek to overturn the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act on behalf of all transgender girl students in New Hampshire.
Lawyers for the teens said in court Thursday they hoped the matter could go to trial and be resolved before the start of the next school year in September. They said the teens’ school districts and others in the state have asked for guidance regarding the law.
Lawyers for the state said they needed more time to prepare.
Judge Talesha Saint-Marc suggested the timing of the trial was ambitious and asked that both sides talk further about scheduling.
The law, signed by Gov. Chris Sununu in July, bans transgender athletes in grades 5 to 12 from teams that align with their gender identity.
It requires schools to designate all teams as either girls, boys or coed, with eligibility determined based on students’ birth certificates “or other evidence.”
Sununu had said it “ensures fairness and safety in women’s sports by maintaining integrity and competitive balance in athletic competitions.” About half of states have adopted similar measures.
In the second case Thursday, a judge was expected to hear from school district officials in Bow defending their decision to bar parents from wearing pink wristbands with “XX” — representing the female chromosomes — at a girls high school soccer game in September. The parents sued the district.
Parker Tirrell, one of the transgender girls challenging the state ban on participation, was playing on the opposing team that day.
The district issued no-trespass orders banning two parents from school grounds because they wore the wristbands. Those orders have since expired.
The judge also was expected to hear from the parents, who say their First Amendment rights were violated. They have requested a court order against the school district.
“Although the fall soccer season has ended, plaintiffs intend to continue wearing their wristbands at other school extracurricular events — such as swim meets and cross country meets — during this school year and in future school years,” the parents said in a court document.
School district officials said they acted appropriately.
The district “properly exercised its duty to protect Parker Tirrell from intimidation and harassment during the game,” it said in a court document.
It also said it issued reasonable sanctions against the two parents “for conduct they knew violated the school’s policies governing athletic events.”
Gaetz withdraws as Trump’s pick for attorney general, averting confirmation battle in Senate
WASHINGTON (AP) — Matt Gaetz withdrew Thursday as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general following continued scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation that cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed as the nation’s chief federal law enforcement officer.
The abrupt withdrawal is a setback to Trump’s push to install steadfast loyalists in his incoming administration, but also a recognition of the resistance the Republican is already encountering from members of his own party to picks with checkered backgrounds.
By bowing out, Gaetz averts what was shaping up to be a pitched confirmation battle that would have tested how far Senate Republicans were willing to go to confirm Trump’s Cabinet selections.
The Florida Republican’s announcement came one day after meeting with senators in an effort to win their support for his confirmation to lead the Justice Department.
“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,” Gaetz said in a statement announcing his decision. “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.”
Trump, in a social media post, said: “I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect. Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!”
Gaetz’s announcement came days after an attorney for two women said that his clients told House Ethics Committee investigators that Gaetz paid them for sex on multiple occasions beginning in 2017, when Gaetz was a Florida congressman.
One of the women testified she saw Gaetz having sex with a 17-year-old at a party in Florida in 2017, according to the attorney, Joel Leppard. Leppard has said that his client testified she didn’t think Gaetz knew the girl was underage, stopped their relationship when he found out and did not resume it until after she turned 18. The age of consent in Florida is 18.
Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, and said last year that the Justice Department’s investigation into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls had ended with no federal charges against him.
Gaetz’s political future is uncertain, at the moment.
He had abruptly resigned his congressional seat upon being selected to be as attorney general. That move was seen as a way to shut down the ethics investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.
Republicans on the committee declined this week to release its findings, over objections from Democrats in a split vote. But the committee did agree to finish its work and is scheduled to meet again Dec. 5 to discuss the matter.
Gaetz did win reelection in November for the new Congress, which convenes Jan. 3, 2025. But it’s unclear whether he would take office. There are plans for a special election in Florida for his seat.
New Hampshire
Court hears cases on transgender girls playing girls sports and the right to protest
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Two lawsuits about transgender girl athletes — one challenging a state ban at schools and the other on the right to protest transgender athletes’ participation on girls teams — were the subject of hearings in federal court in New Hampshire on Thursday.
The first case is about two transgender teen girls, one who played soccer on the girls team this fall and another who plans to participate on the track team this winter.
A federal judge ruled earlier this year that the teens can try out for and play on girls school sports teams. The order only applies to those two individuals for now as they seek to overturn the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act on behalf of all transgender girl students in New Hampshire.
Lawyers for the teens said in court Thursday they hoped the matter could go to trial and be resolved before the start of the next school year in September. They said the teens’ school districts and others in the state have asked for guidance regarding the law.
Lawyers for the state said they needed more time to prepare.
Judge Talesha Saint-Marc suggested the timing of the trial was ambitious and asked that both sides talk further about scheduling.
The law, signed by Gov. Chris Sununu in July, bans transgender athletes in grades 5 to 12 from teams that align with their gender identity.
It requires schools to designate all teams as either girls, boys or coed, with eligibility determined based on students’ birth certificates “or other evidence.”
Sununu had said it “ensures fairness and safety in women’s sports by maintaining integrity and competitive balance in athletic competitions.” About half of states have adopted similar measures.
In the second case Thursday, a judge was expected to hear from school district officials in Bow defending their decision to bar parents from wearing pink wristbands with “XX” — representing the female chromosomes — at a girls high school soccer game in September. The parents sued the district.
Parker Tirrell, one of the transgender girls challenging the state ban on participation, was playing on the opposing team that day.
The district issued no-trespass orders banning two parents from school grounds because they wore the wristbands. Those orders have since expired.
The judge also was expected to hear from the parents, who say their First Amendment rights were violated. They have requested a court order against the school district.
“Although the fall soccer season has ended, plaintiffs intend to continue wearing their wristbands at other school extracurricular events — such as swim meets and cross country meets — during this school year and in future school years,” the parents said in a court document.
School district officials said they acted appropriately.
The district “properly exercised its duty to protect Parker Tirrell from intimidation and harassment during the game,” it said in a court document.
It also said it issued reasonable sanctions against the two parents “for conduct they knew violated the school’s policies governing athletic events.”
