51 votes

Matt Gaetz withdraws as US attorney general nominee, after sex trafficking and drug use allegations threatened to imperil his confirmation

20 comments

  1. [13]
    goose
    Link
    I'm surprised to see him withdraw of his own accord. While I don't think it was impossible for him to get through the Senate for nomination, I felt there was enough scrutiny from his own party...

    I'm surprised to see him withdraw of his own accord. While I don't think it was impossible for him to get through the Senate for nomination, I felt there was enough scrutiny from his own party that it wouldn't have been a breeze by any measure.

    In any case, my gut says this is because of some kind of development in the scrutiny against him, but I'm skeptical that the development will actually come to light without him going through the nomination process. Purely opinion, though.

    34 votes
    1. [10]
      NaraVara
      Link Parent
      He made the announcement 6 minutes before a news story broke about YET ANOTHER 17 year old girl that he paid for sex. They had reached out to him for comment on it prior and told him the story was...

      He made the announcement 6 minutes before a news story broke about YET ANOTHER 17 year old girl that he paid for sex. They had reached out to him for comment on it prior and told him the story was dropping at 12:30. Timing the announcement to drop at 12:24 was probably a tactic to muddy up which headline comes up when you google him.

      46 votes
      1. [6]
        Habituallytired
        Link Parent
        And there it is. We need to give Gaetz the Brock Turner treatment everywhere, so he can at least see some social justice for his crimes.

        And there it is. We need to give Gaetz the Brock Turner treatment everywhere, so he can at least see some social justice for his crimes.

        30 votes
        1. [5]
          datavoid
          Link Parent
          Brock Turner... the rapist?

          Brock Turner... the rapist?

          18 votes
          1. MimicSquid
            Link Parent
            Brock Allen Turner, the rapist, who often goes by his middle name to try to avoid being known? That Brock Turner?

            Brock Allen Turner, the rapist, who often goes by his middle name to try to avoid being known? That Brock Turner?

            17 votes
          2. [2]
            goose
            Link Parent
            Yes, Brock Turner of Stanford University, who raped an unconscious woman.

            Yes, Brock Turner of Stanford University, who raped an unconscious woman.

            15 votes
            1. Hobofarmer
              Link Parent
              Behind a dumpster if memory serves correct?

              Behind a dumpster if memory serves correct?

              3 votes
          3. PelagiusSeptim
            Link Parent
            Presumably as in forever associating his name with his crimes, which is something people did with Brock Turner, not that he should have what Brock Turner did done to him.

            Presumably as in forever associating his name with his crimes, which is something people did with Brock Turner, not that he should have what Brock Turner did done to him.

            8 votes
      2. [3]
        teaearlgraycold
        Link Parent
        Why isn't he in prison?

        Why isn't he in prison?

        7 votes
        1. [2]
          stu2b50
          Link Parent
          Not enough evidence so the DoJ dropped the case.

          Not enough evidence so the DoJ dropped the case.

          8 votes
          1. public
            Link Parent
            Not to mention there may be a problem getting a jury to take a strict liability crime seriously when one of the girls claimed to have been of legal age.

            Not to mention there may be a problem getting a jury to take a strict liability crime seriously when one of the girls claimed to have been of legal age.

            3 votes
    2. Eji1700
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      I'm guessing enough allies who want someone else there willing to go nuclear on Gaetz. He's not been a great bridge builder. That said, I'm morbidly curious to see if Trump can find a worse pick....

      I'm guessing enough allies who want someone else there willing to go nuclear on Gaetz. He's not been a great bridge builder.

      That said, I'm morbidly curious to see if Trump can find a worse pick.

      Edit-

      Joe Rogan. That's my guess.

      17 votes
    3. Habituallytired
      Link Parent
      This was my opinion as well. That he didn't want something extremely criminal to come to light, so he withdrew and will use money to make the crimes go away.

      This was my opinion as well. That he didn't want something extremely criminal to come to light, so he withdrew and will use money to make the crimes go away.

      13 votes
  2. [4]
    Interesting
    Link
    @cfabbro can we add "after another sex allegation with a 17 year old" to the title?

    @cfabbro can we add "after another sex allegation with a 17 year old" to the title?

    26 votes
    1. goose
      Link Parent
      I tend to just copy/paste the title from NPR, but I support this!

      I tend to just copy/paste the title from NPR, but I support this!

      10 votes
    2. [2]
      cfabbro
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      Sorry for the delay. I have been rather busy the last few days, and likely will be for the foreseeable future since we are moving in Dec. So I probably won't be able to respond as fast as usual...

      Sorry for the delay. I have been rather busy the last few days, and likely will be for the foreseeable future since we are moving in Dec. So I probably won't be able to respond as fast as usual for the next few months.

      I think that specific addition to the title would be editorializing a bit too much, since the article itself doesn't mention those particular details. However, I have added the lede to the end of the title instead.

      7 votes
      1. Interesting
        Link Parent
        Understood. Your actual life comes first, obviously. Thank you!

        Understood. Your actual life comes first, obviously. Thank you!

        2 votes
  3. [2]
    smoontjes
    Link
    Not to gloat or anything, but.. I'm not surprised. Did I call it?...

    Not to gloat or anything, but.. I'm not surprised. Did I call it?

    I have a suspicion that Gaetz is a scapegoat that the media will focus on, drawing attention away from everything else

    https://tildes.net/~society/1k2k/tracking_who_us_president_donald_trump_has_named_to_serve_in_his_cabinet_and_administration#comment-e3t3

    9 votes
    1. Raspcoffee
      Link Parent
      While not impossible for this to be a strategy, it also makes Trump's staff look weaker at pulling together a proper pool of candidates. Which can hurt them longer in the long run. Not that I...

      While not impossible for this to be a strategy, it also makes Trump's staff look weaker at pulling together a proper pool of candidates. Which can hurt them longer in the long run.

      Not that I consider it impossible, this being Trump.

      5 votes