Trump’s AG Pick Matt Gaetz Faces GOP Backlash—Raising Doubts About Senate Vote

14 Nov 2024 by Sara Dorn · Forbes

Topline

Multiple Republican senators openly criticized President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general—right-wing firebrand Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.—in the hours after the announcement Wednesday, raising the possibility that the Senate could reject him under Republicans’ newly claimed slim majority in the upper chamber.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), at a Trump campaign rally on October 12, 2024 in Coachella, California. ... [+] (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)Getty Images

Key Facts

Republicans will have a 53-47 seat majority in the Senate starting in January, meaning it would take only four Republican “no” votes, to reject Gaetz, or any nominee, assuming all Democrats vote against the choice—which appears to be a strong possibility in Gaetz’s case.

At least five Republican senators have expressed doubts about Gaetz, including Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Thom Tillis, R-N.C., Max Miller, R-Ohio, and Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, Politico reported, with Murkowski stating “I don’t think it’s a serious nomination for the attorney general,” and Miller calling it a “reckless pick” that has “zero shot of getting through the Senate.”

It’s unclear if any will vote to reject him.

Some senators declined to comment or did not comment on Gaetz specifically when asked by reporters about the pick: “I’m trying to go fix a toilet between getting back for a vote. Life’s a little hectic right now,” Cassidy told Politico.

Others, including Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, Murkowski and Collins said they were surprised by the nomination: Collins told reporters she was “shocked,” and Cornyn rolled his eyes when reporters informed him of Trump’s choice, according to Politico.

Newly elected Senate GOP Leader John Thune, R-S.D., when asked if he is concerned about Gaetz, told reporters “that’s probably a good question for the chairman of the Judiciary Committee,” NPR reported—the committee, which will soon be in Republican control after the party won the majority in the Senate last week, will first vote to approve the nomination before it goes for a vote before the full Senate.

Contra

Several other Senate Republicans appeared open to voting for Gaetz. Rubio expressed confidence in Gaetz, telling Politico “I’ve known Matt for a long time. I think he would do a good job.” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told The New York Times Gaetz is a “smart, clever guy,” but also expressed some doubts when CNN asked earlier Thursday if he has concerns about Gaetz, telling the outlet “I’ll have to think about that one.” Later Thursday, during an appearance on Fox News, Graham implored Republicans to “give Matt a chance.”

What To Watch For

Republicans’ chances of approving Trump’s nominees could be further hamstrung by vacancies caused by senators joining Trump’s administration, including Vice President-elect Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Trump’s pick for Secretary of State.

Will Trump Use A Recess Appointment For Matt Gaetz?

It’s unclear if the Senate will allow Trump to circumvent the approval process for some of his nominees, including Gaetz. Trump over the weekend called for the incoming Senate leader to allow “recess appointments,” which would allow Trump to make temporary cabinet-level and judiciary appointments without Senate approval when the upper chamber is not in session. Thune said in a statement the Senate must “quickly and decisively” act to confirm nominees and that “all options are on the table to make that happen, including recess appointments,” but stopped short of giving a full-throated endorsement of the procedure.

Tangent

Gaetz, who won re-election last week, resigned from Congress immediately after Trump announced his appointment. The timing raised speculation that he stepped down to avoid the release of an ethics committee report into whether he “engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, accepted improper gifts, dispensed special privileges and favors to individuals with whom he had a personal relationship and sought to obstruct government investigations of his conduct.” The committee was expected to release the report as soon as Friday, multiple outlets reported.

Surprising Fact

Trump reportedly abruptly came to the decision to choose Gaetz after other contenders on the short list fell short of his expectations to make sweeping changes at the department. Gaetz was the only one who said, ‘yeah, I’ll go over there and start cuttin’ f——n’ heads,’” an unnamed Trump adviser told The Bulwark. The Justice Department is a primary target for Trump as he has repeatedly accused the agency, without evidence, of prosecuting him for political gain.

Key Background

A staunch Trump loyalist, Gaetz is highly controversial—including among members of his own party—in part because the DOJ investigated Gaetz on allegations he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old, which Gaetz has vehemently denied. The department did not bring charges. Gaetz is not the only questionable Trump nominee who has shocked Washington in recent days. Among others that came as a surprise include Fox News host Pete Hegseth for defense secretary and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence. Trump also announced he’s tapped billionaire Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a new Department of Government Efficiency, former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe for CIA director and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as Department of Homeland Security secretary.