WASHINGTON — Republican senators were shocked last week when President-elect Donald Trump announced Matt Gaetz would be his nominee for attorney general.
Republicans seemed far less shocked Thursday by news Gaetz had withdrawn himself from consideration.
Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said he was “grateful” because the Senate could move on.
And Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said he was not surprised.
“I think the decision to withdraw the nomination is the right decision,” Rounds told reporters. “I thought it was problematic, and I think, as some of our members have expressed, as they’ve learned more about it, there was perhaps some information out there that the president was not aware of when he made the original recommendation.”
Even before Trump chose Gaetz, it was widely known the then-congressman had been under investigation by the Justice Department for alleged sex trafficking in a case involving a 17-year-old. The department didn’t press charges, but the House…
