It's Friday, November 22nd, 2024. I'm Albert Moller, and this is the briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.

Well, it wasn't surprising, but still it was shocking when former Florida Congressman Matt Gates withdrew from consideration to serve as Attorney General

of the United States in the second Trump administration. It was an announcement on Twitter

or X that came in which Matt Gates said, quote, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly

becoming a distraction to the crucial work of the Trump Vance transition.

He went on to say, quote, there is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington

scuffle, thus I'll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as attorney general.

He went on to say, Trump's Department of Justice must be in place and ready on day one."

End quote.

Responding on the social media platform, True Social, President-elect Trump went on to express

appreciation for Matt Gates and also praised him.

He went on to say that Gates have been doing very well in the confirmation process.

Well, that last part is rather questionable, but there is

no doubt that Matt Gates did the right thing in withdrawing from consideration. And there are

some big lessons here, but I want to focus on just one of these lessons and another practical

application. The first of the lessons is this. When there is a major charge in terms of

moral misbehavior, when such a charge comes, you have to meet it and deny it, and then you

have to face the argument and make very clear you're standing by your claim that you did not do it.

And that means you have to state that you're willing to face

whatever evidence or so-called evidence someone might bring forward. The fact that Matt Gates was

charged with very significant moral misbehavior, that is of secondary importance in political terms

to the fact that he appeared to have resigned from the House in order to block the release

...