Anna Paulina Luna Praises Matt Gaetz Nomination For Attorney General, Endorses Lara Trump For Rubio Florida Senate Seat

On “Forbes Newsroom,” newly-reelected Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fl.) responded to President-elect Trump’s early Cabinet appointments, many of which are from her home state of Florida.

“I was joking around previously when President Trump was running,” Luna told Forbes. “I said, make America Florida. But it looks like it's actually happening.”

The President-elect, who is a Florida resident, has selected several Sunshine State lawmakers in his early Cabinet picks: Senator Marco Rubio for Secretary of State, Congressman Mike Waltz for National Security Advisor, and controversial former Congressman Matt Gaetz— a longtime Trump ally— for Attorney General.

While Rubio and Waltz have been generally well-received selections, the choice of Gaetz for the nation’s chief law enforcement officer has roiled the political sphere. An impending Congressional Ethics investigation— centered around Gaetz’s alleged sexual misconduct and drug use— was due to drop before Gaetz’s surprise nomination, and subsequent resignation from Congress.

“I think the swamp is very afraid of Matt Gaetz being the A.G.,” Luna said. “No sooner than when he has announced, you saw the smear campaign about Matt Gaetz— very similar to the smear campaign that was launched against Justice Kavanaugh.”

Many Republicans have expressed consternation at the pick, with Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska expressing shock and reluctance to support him.

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Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, arguably Gaetz’s greatest GOP nemesis, just months ago at the RNC accused Gaetz of paying “underage women for sex.”

Luna defended Gaetz, pointing out that a DOJ probe into the former Congressman did not lead to charges. “I’m not going to engage in this B.S. narrative that he's some crazy sex trafficking convicted pedophile because he's not. And that whole idea and narrative and an attempt to destroy him is wrong.”

Luna also endorsed Lara Trump, RNC Co-Chair and President-elect Trump’s daughter-in-law, for Rubio’s Senate seat.

“Lara Trump would be an incredible pick and avoid a really contested primary two years when that Senate seat becomes open,” Luna said. “I've been pitching her.”

Watch the full interview above.