This article was originally published by The 19th.

President-elect Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he has chosen Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general, a choice that could put the Florida Republican in charge of the federal department that investigated him on sex trafficking charges and ultimately decided not to make accusations.

“He is a champion of the Constitution and the rule of law,” Trump said in a statement. “Matt will eliminate systemic corruption within the DOJ and return the department to its true mission of fighting crime and upholding our democracy and Constitution.”

Gaetz is one of the many allies in Congress that Trump chose for Cabinet-level positions.

As attorney general, Gaetz will be responsible for leading the Justice Department, which oversees federal investigations intended to ensure that government agencies respect civil rights; that police services be held responsible for professional misconduct; and that federal crimes, such as those committed during the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, be appropriately prosecuted.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Wednesday that Gaetz said he would resign his House seat immediately. Gaetz was under investigation by the House Ethics Committee over allegations of sexual misconduct. Responding to reporters’ questions about the nomination announcement, House Ethics Chairman Michael Guest said the investigation would not continue if Gaetz was no longer a member of Congress.

Last year, the Justice Department concluded its own investigation into sex trafficking allegations and announced it would not bring criminal charges against Gaetz. In 2021, federal prosecutors began investigating whether Gaetz had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl and paid for her travel after an investigation into his close associate, Joel Greenberg, led to charges of sex trafficking against Greenberg. In 2022, Greenberg pleaded guilty to six federal crimes, including sex trafficking, stalking, wire fraud and identity theft, and was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Gaetz, 42, has served in the House since 2017 and was previously a state legislator for six years. He graduated from William & Mary Law School and worked in private practice at a firm before embarking on his political career.

Gaetz’s nomination will likely be controversial even in the Republican-controlled Senate, which confirms presidential nominees. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who generally believes presidents deserve the right to run their own administration, said Wednesday she was “shocked” by Gaetz’s nomination. Collins is one of two or three Republican votes, and any nominee will need at least 50 senators to be confirmed.