Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, is seeing an old post of his recirculate, one that probably won’t help his confirmation chances.
Gaetz’s remark, which resurfaced on X this week, was in response to a 2019 post by singer Bebe Rexha that argued “there’s no age that you can’t be sexy.”
“I say we change Florida’s welcome signs to this,” Gaetz said in response.
While Florida is an infamous home for elderly retirees, the comment is once again raising eyebrows given that Gaetz has been under investigation by the House Ethics Committee over allegations of sexual misconduct with minors and illicit drug use.
The committee was preparing to vote on Friday to release a reportedly damning report on its findings, but it was effectively shut down on Wednesday when Gaetz resigned from the House following Trump picking him for attorney general.
“this is the next attorney general man we are so cooked,” the popular left-wing streamer Hasan Piker said of the post.
Others responded with astonishment and memes that Gaetz would openly make such a remark.
Many also highlighted the fact that Gaetz would be overseeing the very government entity that just last year was investigating him over claims he sex trafficked an underage girl. The Department of Justice did not file any charges against him, although an associate of Gaetz pled guilty and received a lengthy jail sentence.
Gaetz vehemently denied the allegations.
One user even tagged Libs of TikTok, the far-right account that regularly posts content regarding perceived dangers posed to children by adult “groomers” and pedophiles they believe are everywhere.
“.@libsoftiktok where ya at girl,” the user said.
Libs of TikTok, as well as nearly every other prominent right-wing user on social media, has stayed largely quiet regarding the allegations against Gaetz.
As usual, Gaetz is not responding to the online criticism.
After being nominated by Trump, he said in a statement that it “will be an honor to serve as President Trump’s Attorney General!”
However, his nomination still faces hurdles despite Republican control of Congress. Some GOP senators expressed instant skepticism about the former congressman’s ability and qualifications for the job.
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