Matt Gaetz, JD Vance meet privately with Senate Republicans to build support for attorney general nomination

Washington — Former Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz is meeting with senators on Capitol Hill on Wednesday as he seeks to shore up support for his nomination for attorney general amid calls for the House Ethics Committee to release a report on allegations he engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use.

Accompanied by Vice President-elect JD Vance, a senator from Ohio, Gaetz is sitting down with Republican senators, whose votes will be crucial in confirming him to the position of the nation's top law enforcement officer next year. The GOP is set to take control of the Senate in the next Congress and hold 53 seats, but Gaetz will need backing from a majority of the chamber to win confirmation.

President-elect Donald Trump announced Gaetz as his pick for attorney general last week, after which the Florida Republican resigned his seat from Congress. But the selection and Gaetz's resignation came two days before the House Ethics Committee was poised to meet and vote on whether to make public its report detailing the findings of its long-running investigation into allegations Gaetz engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use.