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Former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz’s nomination to be President-elect Donald Trump’s attorney general has created a remarkable amount of hesitation from Republicans, who are otherwise inclined to follow Trump’s wishes.
Gaetz is unpopular with many fellow House Republicans for his push to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy and a long trail of stories about his personal conduct, including a federal investigation into allegations that he arranged to have sex with a minor. The investigation was closed without charges and Gaetz denies wrongdoing.
Other Republicans on Wednesday and Thursday said they would consider Gaetz’s nomination with an open mind or noted favorably his advocacy for Trump. Gaetz is a longtime Trump supporter and frequently campaigned for him.
Here are what Republicans are saying about him:
REP. DON BACON, Nebraska:
“I was told growing up that if you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything at all.”
JOHN BOLTON, former U.N. ambassador and national security adviser:
“It must be the worst nomination for a Cabinet secretary in American history. I think this is something that falls well outside the scope of deference that should be given to a president in nominating members of the senior team. Gaetz is not only totally incompetent for this job, he doesn’t have the character. He is a person of moral turpitude.”
SEN. SUSAN COLLINS, Maine
“Obviously the president has the right to nominate whomever he wishes, but this is where the Senate’s advise and consent process is so important. I’m sure that there will be many, many questions raised at Mr. Gaetz’s hearing if in fact the nomination goes forward."
SEN. JOHN CORNYN, Texas:
“We’ll handle it like any other nomination. I’m not going to prejudge any of these.”
SEN. KEVIN CRAMER, North Dakota:
“I think it’s a little bit of a test.” “It will take a lot of political capital to get him" confirmed.
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, South Carolina:
"I’m predisposed to try to help presidents with their picks. But he’ll have to answer some tough questions in the hearing, and we’ll see how he does,” Graham said in a statement released Wednesday.
Later Wednesday, Graham said during a Fox News Channel interview, “I think Matt Gaetz is very bright. I think he's qualified. He'll have a hearing and he'll have some tough questions to answer," and suggested that Republicans “Give Matt a chance.”
SENATE GOP LEADER JOHN THUNE, South Dakota:
“That’s probably a good question for the chairman of the Judiciary Committee.”
SEN. CHUCK GRASSLEY, Iowa, the likely next chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee:
“I suppose I’ll have to look at it. That’s all I can say at this point because I don’t know much about Matt Gaetz.”
HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON, Louisiana:
Gaetz is “one of the most intelligent” members of Congress and “a reformer in his mind and heart." “I think he'll bring a lot to the table on that.”
REP. ANNA PAULINA LUNA, Florida:
“So a lot of people will try to brand him just as a firebrand. But the fact is that there is a lot of strategy behind" Gaetz's effort to oust former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
SEN. MARKWAYNE MULLIN, Oklahoma:
“Matt Gaetz and I, there’s no question, we’ve had our differences. I completely trust President Trump’s decision-making on this one. But at the same time, (Gaetz) has to come to ... the Senate and sell himself. There’s a lot of questions that are going to be out there. He’s got to answer those questions.”
SEN. LISA MURKOWSKI, Alaska:
“I do not see him as a serious candidate. The president is free to nominate whoever he may wish. Our constitutional role in nominations is to provide advice. ... I don’t know that any of my Senate colleagues advise that Matt Gaetz name should go up, but it’s what (Trump) apparently has advanced. But, then our role is to determine the consent end of it. Do we give our consent or do we not?”
SEN. MARCO RUBIO, Florida.
“I’ve known Matt for a very long time. We’re friends. I think he would do a very good job for the president.”
REP. MIKE SIMPSON, Idaho:
“That was about as big a surprise as I’ve had in a long time. I have a really hard time believing he could get through the Senate confirmation process. You never know.”
SEN. THOM TILLIS, North Carolina:
“I've got very few skills. Vote-counting is one. I think he's got a lot of work to do to get 50” votes in the Senate. “Presumably, the folks who have put him forward have gamed that out. But, I'm sure it will make for a popcorn-eating confirmation hearing. Mr. Gaetz and I have jousted on certain issues between the House and the Senate. ... There’s obviously been a lot of disagreements between members of the Senate and Mr. Gaetz."
Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri, Stephen Groves, Kevin Freking, Mary Clare Jalonick and Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report.
© Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
44 Comments
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JJE
There's a new sheriff in town. The DOJ needs a shake-up and the weaponization needs to end.
dagon
Millions of American minorities who registered a protest vote in hopes of peace in Gaza, lower inflation and higher wages:
Government by trolling is going to do all that, right?
Yrral
Welcome to Crazytown
Underworld
Matt Gaetz resigns just days before a potentially damning House Ethics Committee report into him.
Let's see the contents of the report.
Underworld
JJE
There was no weaponization of the DOJ.
bass4funk
Not sure what that has to do with anything but hey….
sakurasuki
More about that
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/matt-gaetz-faced-sex-trafficking-investigation-justice-department-115842848
JJE
Update: chair of the House ethics committee, congressman Michael Guest, has signalled their report into Matt Gaetz will not be released now that he has departed Congress.
He described it as confidential and explained that confidentiality will be maintained.
Also important to keep in mind Mr Gaetz had no formal charges brought against him by prosecutors and he vigorously denies all allegations.
CS
This is correct and he will swiftly be confirmed, even as the left melts down and tries to create more drama.
stormcrow
A convicted felon has chosen a known sex trafficker of children as his Attorney General.
Elections have consequences.
bass4funk
So why is Eric Swalwell still in Congress?
Sh1mon M4sada
meh...fake news, fake narrative. He's a temporary fixer, new president need a guy that's not afraid of confrontation to clean the rot first (and there's a lot of rot in the DoJ, entirely controlled by the deep state, they are not even embarassed to show they're muppets any more).
I wouldn't personally count on him being there for the whole term.
Underworld
JJE
That's not going to please the Senators who will be required to approve the post.
I expect them to decline to support the nomination. Trump will have to pick someone else.
Matt Gaetz must be sweating this one. What's the bet that this gets leaked....?
He still has to answer the questions. Rather tough questions.
Underworld
CS
It's not the left who hate Matt Gaetz. All his GOP colleagues absolutely hate the guy.
JJE
Answering questions about something he has always vigorously denied, and of which federal prosecutors declined to bring charges, should be a cakewalk.
Underworld
JJE
Not so easy once they release the report.
plasticmonkey
Then why quit two days before the report is released?
He’s a real dirtbag, but he’ll work to protect Trump and punish his enemies. No weaponization there, no sir!
funkymofo
So why is he so scared of the report that he quit two days before it was released?
JJE
He put in his formal resignation letter to the speaker of the house and got the clock ticking so a replacement can be appointed by Florida Governor DeSantis. This should occur in early January, said speaker Johnson in a press conference yesterday.
Yrral
Trash do.not fall,too far Trump tree
funkymofo
Same reason he filed the motion to get rid of McCarthy.
Underworld
JJE
Yeah, riiiiight! LOLZ. Nobody believes this.
Johnson had a hard time keeping a straight face when announcing this...
Underworld
funkymofo
Which is also why so many Republicans hate him.
bass4funk
He can’t? Is there a law where it states he has to stay?
I disagree
Yes.
No, because he’s not trying to prison anyone for their political standings going into an election, he’s just going to fire people and put a structure in that Dems can’t just indiscriminately target people and jail them because they don’t like their politics. What the Dems did in 2012 with the IRS, J6, religious worshippers, Trump, Petraeus, Flynn, Bannon, etc. that all has to stop. And I don’t really care if either side of the swamp can’t stand him, that shows their true thoughts concerning the deep state, the weaponization of government needs to stop, so let the guy go buck wild and clean out that department. We shall see if he gets confirmed, but we need a serious disrupter and you can’t find a better person than Gaetz for that job.
Underworld
bass4funk
No need. It isn't happening.
I.e., nothing.
It hasn't started.
This isn't a thing.
No need.
Gaetz is more of a grifter than a disrupter.
bass4funk
The voters disagree with that.
Yes, a lot.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/irs-apologizes-targeting-conservative-groups-flna1C9873823
It hasn't started.
It started in 2016 2 failed impeachments, home raids, Russia investigation, sham court trials which had nothing to do with nothing with him while he was President
For conservatives it is and now that they have full control they will stop it.
Well, you don’t and won’t make that call.
We all have our opinions, if he does get confirmed he will clean house
bass4funk
Probably
He will and Trump won’t give up MD’s but if RFK can get certain unnecessary chemicals out of these foods, why not?
plasticmonkey
There's no law about it, but it certainly raises serious doubts about his suitability to be AG.
JJE
Trump just nominated his own attorney, Todd Blanche, as for the role of deputy attorney general (2IC to Gaetz).
He was his lawyer in the NY business record "trial".
dagon
MAGA is waiting for AG Gaetz to tackle that Dem trafficking ring.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2020/10/20/poll-half-of-trump-supporters-believe-baseless-child-sex-trafficking-qanon-claims/
You need a predator to catch predators.
MAGA 2025: The Greatening.
The delusions are going to pile up this year amongst the MAGA base as they see how the Trump admin 2.0 plays out.
Dog help us.
Underworld
bass4funk
It hasn't started.
The impeachments were successful and deserved.
?
Which produced indicted, convicted or gotten guilty pleas from 34 people and three companies
None.
This isn't a thing.
You can't make up the truth.
Gaetz is more of a grifter than a disrupter.
Best he clean his own house first.
dutch
This is just TOO much!
Gaetz is a junkyard dog and is another HOMERUN appointment!!
bass4funk
It did in 2012.
And he was acquitted twice, waste of taxpayer money….again.
And nothing happened and Trump still won that state by almost 40%
It wasn’t and yet, no one cared what Trump did before he was President, again, more wasted taxpayer money.
I don’t need to, look at who won the election, that’s your truth.
Well, the left won’t make that call on any of this.
FizzBit
excellent news. Though support from Lindsey Graham sends up red flags.
bass4funk
But Garland was suitable? Are you joking??
I’m not, but I’m also not for poisoning people either. Tell me something, what purpose or nutritional benefits does “Red 40” have?
Yeah, I think the left lost that argument a long time ago. No, we don’t and won’t trust these people that contradict themselves and and push us to take things we don’t want. And if libs don’t like it, good. Then I know it’s the right move.
Coming from the J6 committee supporting crowd. ROFL! How’s Smith, James and Willis doing these days?
Underworld
bass4funk
It hasn't started.
Nope.
Best he clean his own house first.
Well, they will. In the Senate. If some GOP senators vote against the confirmation.
Underworld
bass4funk
Plus, RFK Jr. is a crackpot who has no expertise in medical science.
They didn't. He's a crackpot and an anti-vaxxer.
bass4funk
What is wrong with you? It did, that’s like saying, slavery never happened, I get it, you’re not happy with the election, but you can’t change history.
https://youtu.be/T6NPAVyh-60?si=uJ2zrVNbxnPrCP8P
https://youtu.be/RIv3R2Qj3XE?si=-Vmb9M92-6U3nphw
Libs won’t make that call.
Not as the minority
And still they have more than enough to override the Dems with their majority.
He’s not, he has stated so many times, he thinks we should have a choice as Americans, I agree. Again, the Dems need to relax and sit back, he’s going to be the next health and human services secretary
Underworld
bass4funk
It hasn't started.
What's wrong with you. I said nothing about the IRS.
Best he clean his own house first.
Well, they will. In the Senate.
Yup, in the minority if some Republicans decline to approve him.
If some GOP senators vote against the confirmation.
Depends how many Republicans vote against him.
They didn't. He's a crackpot and an anti-vaxxer.
He is.
Yup. But he is an anti-vaxxer.
bass4funk
Running around with fingers in your ears won’t change history and what happened. Like the old saying goes, the internet is forever.
I did though .
They don’t have the numbers, they know it, we know it. Next you’re going to say Schumer is still majority leader? Lol
That won’t happen, but then again, it’s up to Dems if they want to get one of their nominees through in a Republican senate, right back at them.
That can happen and let’s not forget, there will be another election, Trump has a mandate, so if the Dems want to win any, they really need to think deep and hard
He never said that
Well, there you go, as he continues to state he’s not anti-vax
https://x.com/newstart_2024/status/1856572467029868925?s=46&t=YGWP_lcRZjddiWlx4QxURQ
Underworld
bass4funk
It hasn't started.
What's wrong with you. I said nothing about the IRS.
OK. So you have something associated with Obama, which has already been fixed. All of your claims about the Biden administration are bogus.
They don’t have the numbers, they know it, we know it. Next you’re going to say Schumer is still majority leader? Lol
Yup, in the minority if some Republicans decline to approve him.
Probably will. Especially when the ethic committee report comes out.
He is.
Yup.
He is:
https://apnews.com/article/robert-f-kennedy-vaccines-trump-rfkjr-7f8dcb25de76a5a70710d22bbc63f6fa
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/rfk-jr-anti-vaccine-push-white-house-rcna89470
N. Knight
Wow. A child rapist as Attorney General. Goes well with a child rapist as President.
Now RFK who went barmy after a worm burrowed into his brain, thinks the earth is flat, the moon emits its own light, the secret race of lizard men from outer space is real, and that vaccines cause AIDS is lined up for health secretary.
A weekend warrior fox news presenter is lined up as secretary of defence.
The clown show is developing well.
Still the USA deserves it. It's been descending into lunacy for the last 30 years or more.
Blacklabel
oh why not?
it’s constitutional and Obama, Clinton and Bush did them.
plus even if it wasn’t constitutional, that dictator Trump just gonna do it anyway, right?
plasticmonkey
I'm not joking. Garland was suitable and Gaetz is not.
Tell us, what special qualifications and experience does Gaetz have for being AG?