Andrew Goudsward

Firebrand Matt Gaetz, who has never worked in the Justice Department or as a prosecutor at any level of government, is the latest in a wave of Trump nominations

President-elect Donald Trump has named incendiary Republican US Representative Matt Gaetz to be his nominee for attorney-general, selecting an ally who has faced Justice Department scrutiny to run the agency.

Senator John Cornyn, who holds a top spot on the committee that will consider Gaetz’s nomination next year, said he ‘absolutely’ wants to see Matt Gaetz ethics report.

Republicans and Democrats called on a congressional committee to release a probe into Matt Gaetz, before they decide on confirming him as attorney general.

Trump has raised the possibility of circumventing the Senate to install his personnel picks.

An unidentified hacker accessed copies of confidential testimony in a lawsuit involving allegations of sexual misconduct by Matt Gaetz, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's attorney general pick, a lawyer involved in the case said on Tuesday. The lawyer, Joel Leppard, who did not know the identity of the hacker, told Reuters he was informed that an unauthorized person accessed documents, including transcripts of testimony from witnesses in the lawsuit, which was brought by a Gaetz associate. Leppard said he represents two women who told a House panel investigating Gaetz that they were paid for sex with the former Republican congressman and that one of the women witnessed Gaetz having sex with her friend, who was then 17, at a house party in 2017.

Hardline Republican Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration as President-elect Donald Trump's attorney general after the former lawmaker faced opposition from Senate Republicans over his past conduct.