An Open Letter to Matt Gaetz

A Disqualifying Record of Misconduct and Scandal That Should End Your Political Aspirations

Dear Mr. Gaetz,

It is with a mix of astonishment and exasperation that I pen this letter, now revised in light of your withdrawal from consideration to be Attorney General of the United States. While your decision to step aside may appear to reflect self-awareness, it is a hollow gesture from someone who should never have been considered for any role in public service—not Attorney General, not Congress, not dogcatcher.

Your career has been a masterclass in everything government service should not be: self-serving, scandal-ridden, and contemptuous of the responsibilities entrusted to you by the American people. Even as you attempt to spin your withdrawal as an act of selflessness to avoid being a "distraction," the reality is clear: you were not fit for the role, and you are not fit for government, period.

Your record speaks for itself. The allegations of sex crimes against you remain serious and credible. The House Ethics Committee investigation, which conveniently ended with your resignation, was yet another in a long list of scandals that render you unworthy of public trust. Payments to underage girls, Venmo transactions tied to illicit activities, and reports of your attendance at sex parties involving a minor are not the hallmarks of an honorable public servant. They are disqualifying.

But it doesn’t stop there. Your behavior while in Congress was a relentless parade of misconduct and grandstanding. From showing explicit photos of women to colleagues on the House floor to misusing campaign funds for personal expenses, you have repeatedly demonstrated a reckless disregard for the ethics and dignity required of anyone in public office.

Your political positions and rhetoric are equally damning. Your dismissal of the January 6 insurrection as a "tour of the Capitol" was an insult to the rule of law and an endorsement of chaos. Your calls to dismantle federal law enforcement and turn the Justice Department into a partisan weapon revealed an agenda at odds with the Constitution and the principles of impartial justice. These are not the actions of someone fit to uphold the law; they are the actions of someone intent on tearing it down.

Even your brief and unimpressive legal career fails to inspire confidence. A law degree and a stint in practice do not magically imbue you with the competence or judgment required to oversee the Department of Justice—or, for that matter, to serve in any public role. Public service demands integrity, competence, and a commitment to the common good. You have consistently fallen short on all counts.

Frankly, your presence in government has been a stain on the institutions you were elected to serve. Your withdrawal from consideration for Attorney General is a start, but it is not enough. Your actions and behavior disqualify you not just from this position but from any role in public service. The American people deserve leaders who put the country first, not individuals who view government as a platform for their own self-aggrandizement.

Mr. Gaetz, it is time for you to step aside—not just from this failed bid for Attorney General but from public life entirely. Your record is a monument to self-interest, impropriety, and the corrosive effects of unearned power. The sooner you leave government behind, the sooner we can begin rebuilding the public trust you have spent your career eroding.

Yours in bemused outrage,
A Disgusted Citizen

P.S. If you happen to bump into Mr. Trump during your latest round of political posturing, please remind him that loyalty to a man does not equal service to a nation. America deserves leaders of integrity, not a revolving door of opportunists and ethically bankrupt climbers like yourself.