Several Republican lawmakers on Wednesday were astounded by news that President-elect Donald Trump planned to tap Representative Matt Gaetz as the top law enforcement official in his coming administration. “I was shocked by the announcement,” Senator Susan Collins told reporters. House Speaker Mike Johnson announced at a late-day press conference that Gaetz had resigned, effective immediately, allowing Republicans to potentially substitute him with another, presumably less scandal-scarred replacement through a special election by the time the next Congress convenes in January.Gaetz’s resignation will also end an ongoing House Ethics Committee probe into allegations of sexual misconduct, drugs, improper payments and obstruction of justice, as former members are not subject to the panel’s jurisdiction.Trump said in a post on his social media website that Gaetz had “distinguished himself in Congress through his focus on achieving desperately needed reform at the Department of Justice.”Gaetz has been a harsh critic of the Department Of Justice’s two criminal cases against Trump — one for trying to overturn the 2020 election, and another for hoarding classified documents after Trump left the White House. Gaetz has also falsely suggested federal agents helped orchestrate the mob riot by Trump’s supporters on January 6, 2021. Collins and other Republicans noted Gaetz would need to be confirmed by the Senate and suggested it would be di