# Matt Gaetz withdraws from AG nomination **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 21, 2024, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-withdraws-from-ag-nomination/1010567 "2024-11-21T17:32:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-withdraws-from-ag-nomination/1010567/222 "2024-12-24T01:50:32Z")
I get more worked up over disgusting behavior than I do over whether an activity was illegal or not. His behavior was disgusting, and I’d be demanding his resignation no matter how much I loved his politics. It helps me think in terms of what I’d do if this were a friend of mine. 1) Not my cup of tea but whatever floats your boat, 2) seriously uncool, dude, or 3) the friendship is over. This is easily #3. > [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > But I also don’t perceive that having sex with legal aged women first encountered through a website entitled SeekingArrangement dot com is especially predatory. The power imbalance makes it predatory even if the women entered it freely. This isn’t a professional sex worker who knows her boundaries, it’s a struggling girl who needs money. Look at the increasing payments to the “girlfriend” that totally weren’t for drugs. Was that all part of her original plan, or was she coerced into more and more? I know which one I believe. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-withdraws-from-ag-nomination/1010567/223 "2024-12-24T02:23:21Z")
Well argued, @TroutMan. I have another take. A politician’s private business is their private business, partly because judging relationships at a distance is fraught, partly because I’m interested in what politicians do on the job rather than off the job. Corruption matters: I’m less interested in sex scandals. Problems with my take: 1. Setting a bad example is setting a bad example: it encourages bad behavior in general. 2. Sleazy exploitive behavior says something about how the politician approaches power. I say this line of attack is mostly bunk: a politician’s approach to policy is most important and direct measures are more accurate. This is just after-the-fact justification for tabloidism. 3. Ick. This, I believe, is a fairly compelling counter-argument. No irony. I’m a geek, so I abstract away from stuff, but most normal people do not. 4. Judging personal relationships at a distance is fraught, but in this case I suspect @TroutMan clears the preponderance of the evidence standard, given the ethics investigation report. I do have reasonable doubts. 5. I’m dodging the issue of taking advantage of some else’s substance abuse and even encouraging that same substance abuse. Now we don’t know for certain whether that happened; we don’t know for certain whether Woman number 1 benefited or was hurt on net due to her 2 year relationship with Gaetz. I do think it would be fair for a voter or citizen to ask themselves whether Gaetz was indifferent to harm and whether they would want such a person making policy. Seen in this light, I would wager that for many US citizens, [the cruelty is the point](https://www.npr.org/2021/06/27/1010760890/adam-serwer-on-new-book-the-cruelty-is-the-point-in-trump-america). Such citizens should see his personal vices as qualifications for office. Still at the end of the day, Gaetz’s position on mass deportations and child separation matters a lot more to me than his possible mistreatment of Woman One. Also, my representative is my employee, not my friend. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-withdraws-from-ag-nomination/1010567/224 "2024-12-24T06:19:35Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > Corruption matters: I’m less interested in sex scandals. > > Problems with my take: > … > 2. Sleazy exploitive behavior says something about how the politician approaches power. I say this line of attack is mostly bunk: a politician’s approach to policy is most important and direct measures are more accurate. This is just after-the-fact justification for tabloidism. In many cases I agree with you, but I really feel like exploitive behavior against women is very different than garden-variety exploitation. This isn’t just using leverage against someone for your own gains; it demonstrates a specific attitude toward women that has important implications for their approach to policy. To treat women (and girls) like this is the textbook case of objectification. He saw women down on their luck and didn’t think, how can I help them. He thought, how can I use this situation for sex. That’s a horrible attitude, and I don’t think it’s possible to feel that way if you look at it from the woman’s perspective. It’s only possible if you consider them objects, not a human like you. I’ll never support someone who shares Gaetz"s position on deportations and child separation, and I’ll never support someone with his attitude toward women. It’s not a matter of which is more important to me; they are both disqualifiers. ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-withdraws-from-ag-nomination/1010567/225 "2024-12-24T15:52:59Z")
It seems obvious to me that Gaetz is a POS and unfit for office. The bigger issue is that Trump thought he would make a fine AG. Either he nominated him knowing about the details of the the report and accusations or not knowing. I don’t know which is worse but both are unacceptable. Money and loyalty ae the only two things that matter to Trump and we are going to have to deal with it for the next four years. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-withdraws-from-ag-nomination/1010567/226 "2024-12-24T15:58:39Z")
I wonder if Fox News has tried the old trick yet of “accidentally” putting a (D) next to his name in the chyron when reporting on this story. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-withdraws-from-ag-nomination/1010567/227 "2024-12-24T16:45:29Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > of course the women are going to take the Fifth, they’re not dumb Well, they’re not _that_ dumb… ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-withdraws-from-ag-nomination/1010567/228 "2024-12-24T17:05:49Z")
> [@MikeF](#): > > The bigger issue is that Trump thought he would make a fine AG. Either he nominated him knowing about the details of the the report and accusations or not knowing. I’d lean towards the forward. Even if Trump made the nomination without consulting any of his advisors, I have to believe that he was aware of the allegations, and what would be in the report (which, AFAICT, had nothing “new” in it, and seems to corroborate things which have been alleged about Gaetz for years). Trump, himself, of course, has denied claims of sexual harassment and sexual abuse for years, so probably didn’t care about that part of the case against Gaetz. > [@MikeF](#): > > Money and loyalty ae the only two things that matter to Trump This is the crux of it. Gaetz had always been a loyal follower, and that’s all that really mattered to Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-withdraws-from-ag-nomination/1010567/229 "2024-12-24T17:08:50Z")
I believe Gaetz was willing to demolish the Justice Department; that may have appealed to Trump. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-withdraws-from-ag-nomination/1010567/230 "2024-12-24T17:51:35Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > the House Ethics Report never would have been released if Republicans didn’t hate Gaetz’s guts. Gaetz must have burned a lot of bridges and made many, many enemies within his own party. Indeed – apparently he was an extraordinary level of asshat within the GOP’s own circles. And, of course, he is widely seen as responsible for the Speakership sh\*tshow in the 118th Congress that hobbled the Republican Conference. > [@steronz](#): > > I’m giving the investigators the benefit of the doubt here that they didn’t think they could get a conviction, either for the trafficking or the statutory rape. Yeah, getting someone charged and convicted on a felony in a court of law is different from getting someone drummed out of office in a political body. In that way he’s just one more of thousands about which the authorities had to say “we KNOW what you were up to but with what I’ve got I can’t make a jury find you guilty”. > [@MikeF](#): > > It seems obvious to me that Gaetz is a POS and unfit for office. The bigger issue is that Trump thought he would make a fine AG. There is the theory that a number of Trump’s nominations are just yet another act of trollery on his part to make any skeptics in the ranks break cover. Or that there are 2am text messages from Elon to the effect of “you know what would be hysterical and make all the lamers freak out?” ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-withdraws-from-ag-nomination/1010567/231 "2024-12-24T19:06:06Z")
> [@MikeF](#): > > The bigger issue is that Trump thought he would make a fine AG. Trump is not picking people because he thinks they are going to be good at their job. He is picking them based entirely on whether they will answer to him unquestionably or are useful to him in some way. Gaetz was absolutely the best pick given those parameters. ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-withdraws-from-ag-nomination/1010567/232 "2024-12-24T19:18:31Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Or that there are 2am text messages from Elon to the effect of “you know what would be hysterical and make all the lamers freak out?” If you’re home Computer Nerd OG it’s “Lamerz” At least, it was in my Commodore 64 day. Lamerz couldn’t get any decent warez. ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-withdraws-from-ag-nomination/1010567/233 "2024-12-24T19:39:11Z")
By “fine AG” I meant “do what he is told, legal or not”. Nothing to do with competence in the position. Although Trump would still argue that he was the smartest, most qualified person for the job. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-withdraws-from-ag-nomination/1010567/234 "2024-12-24T19:47:35Z")
> [@MikeF](#): > > By “fine AG” I meant “do what he is told, legal or not”. Exactly. One of Trump’s big complaints about the Justice Department during his first term was that they wouldn’t just do exactly what he wanted. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-withdraws-from-ag-nomination/1010567/235 "2024-12-24T19:48:41Z")
Well by those parameters he would have made a perfect AG for Trump. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-withdraws-from-ag-nomination/1010567/236 "2024-12-24T20:00:53Z")
> [@OldOlds](#): > > Lamerz couldn’t get any decent warez. Coincidentally, Trump can’t get any decent hirez. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-withdraws-from-ag-nomination/1010567/237 "2024-12-24T20:51:49Z")
Lord. G Santos is claiming this is all a smear campaign against Gaetz. I expected better of George. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-withdraws-from-ag-nomination/1010567/238 "2024-12-24T21:00:40Z")
> [@SuntanLotion](#): > > I expected better of George. Why would you have expected anything better from George? ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2024, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-withdraws-from-ag-nomination/1010567/239 "2024-12-25T01:16:25Z")
I might have expected a better story from him, just from practice. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2025, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-withdraws-from-ag-nomination/1010567/240 "2025-01-11T10:27:47Z")
Everyone’s favorite law-talking’ YouTuber has a new video about Gaetzs’ ethics report. It details the various icky crimes in which he was involved and how things have gotten this far. But I’m sure that the fine voters of Florida will ensure that “Governor Natt Gaetz” is a phrase that never becomes reality. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/7duzY5x1Kq8/maxresdefault.jpg "Matt Gaetz Report Is Out And It's Bad (ft. Liz Dye)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7duzY5x1Kq8) ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2025, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-withdraws-from-ag-nomination/1010567/241 "2025-01-13T08:13:25Z")
I like Legal Eagle, but that specific vid is mostly hosted by the less coiffed but similarly educating Liz Dye, a regular contributor. As a fan of Mr. Eagle (I do not know his real name) I have to point out to my dismay, that his personal coiffee\* is similar in many ways to the anti-hero of this thread, Mr. Gaetz. \* I am reasonably certain I missed an é acute there, but schoolboy french is many years behind me ETA, did I just find the origin story of “covfefe”? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-withdraws-from-ag-nomination/1010567.md?page=11)