On the 13th (local time), U.S. President-elect Donald Trump nominated Matt Gaetz, then a 42-year-old Republican U.S. Representative from Florida, as his Attorney General for the second administration. This decision has stirred up a wave of shock and unrest in Washington political circles.
Gaetz, possessing legal qualifications, does not have significant professional deficiencies for the role of Attorney General. However, concerns have been raised regarding his political neutrality and morality, as he is known to be a staunch loyalist of Trump and has been under investigation by the House Ethics Committee over allegations of misconduct, including soliciting sex. Criticism has emerged not only from Democrats but also from within the Republican Party.
John Bolton, former U.S. Ambassador to the UN and a national security advisor during Trump’s first term, expressed to NBC that Gaetz’s nomination might be the “worst cabinet nomination in U.S. history.”
Kevin McCarthy, the former Republican Speaker of the House who was ousted due to an impeachment led by Gaetz last year, mentioned in an interview with Bloomberg TV that Gaetz likely won’t pass the Senate confirmation, adding, “Everyone knows it.”
When asked why Trump would nominate someone with a slim chance of confirmation, McCarthy speculated it might serve as a distraction from other matters.
There is reported discomfort among Republican senators, who must decide Gaetz’s fate in the confirmation hearings, acknowledging his significant issues despite party allegiance.
Republican Senator Kevin Cramer commented that Gaetz would face a “long and steep hill” to get confirmed. Senator John Cornyn suggested that the House Ethics Committee’s report implicating Gaetz in solicitation of a minor should be accessible for the Senate’s scrutiny.
However, the report’s release became unlikely once Gaetz resigned from his House seat immediately after his nomination, which was interpreted as an attempt to halt the Ethics Committee’s investigation.
Democratic senators, who will participate in Gaetz’s confirmation hearing, are advocating for access to this report, making it a central issue.
Speculation has arisen that Trump might be pushing for Senate cooperation on “recess appointments” to bypass confirmation for controversial nominees like Gaetz. A recess appointment allows the President to bypass Senate confirmation, a tactic often countered by convening pro forma sessions to block such moves.
The Justice Department, potentially led by Gaetz, is concerned about his role in retaliatory actions against the department for indicting Trump on charges related to election interference and mishandling classified documents post-presidency.
According to the New York Times, following Trump’s election victory, some Justice Department prosecutors, including those from Special Counsel Jack Smith’s office who indicted Trump, were already considering employment at law firms.