Please Let Matt Gaetz Keep His Last Promise After Dropping Out

Scandal-ridden former representative and failed attorney general nominee Matt Gaetz has pledged not to rejoin Congress. We can all only hope he keeps that promise.

In an appearance on The Charlie Kirk Show on Friday, Gaetz told the right-wing shill that he will be fighting for President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda “from a new perch.”

“I do not intend to join the 119th Congress,” Gaetz said. “There are a number of fantastic Floridians who’ve stepped up to run for my seat, people who have inspired with their heroism, with their public service. And I’m actually excited to see northwest Florida go to new heights and have great representation.”

Gaetz resigned from the 118th Congress days before a House Ethics Committee was set to wrap up its probe into allegations that he trafficked and had sex with a 17-year-old girl at a sex party. Gaetz fervently denied the allegations, even resigning from Congress last week as evidence piled up. While the probe has still yet to be released, the House Ethics Committee reportedly obtained documents that showed Gaetz’s payment to the 17-year-old girl on Venmo. Multiple Senate Republicans, including Mitch McConnell, said they had qualms with Gaetz’s nomination, and Gaetz finally announced he would not pursue the A.G. nomination after CNN reported the House Ethics Committee somehow had even more evidence against him.

Gaetz is still eligible to serve in the 119th Congress, even though he told Kirk he won’t. He could still run to be reelected to his own seat, or hope that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis appoints him to take Marco Rubio’s spot as senator after Trump nominated Rubio for secretary of state.

Trump has pegged his loyalist former impeachment hearing attorney Pam Bondi as Gaetz’s replacement for attorney general. And in Florida, a woman as equally strange and bigoted as Gaetz—Michelle Salzman—is set to run for his open seat.