President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly pressuring senators directly to confirm Matt Gaetz as his attorney general. The identities of the targeted senators has not been disclosed, but the reporting illustrates his intent to have the former lawmaker be appointed despite being engulfed in a scandal where he has been accused of having sex with a minor and paying two other women for sex in 2017.
Gaetz's nomination is perhaps the most contentious of Trump's desired cabinet, and his push clashes with the growing list of voices who are speaking against it. Among the latest to do so is Charlie Dent, who served as a Republican Pennsylvania Rep. and chaired the House Ethics Committee.
In an op-ed published on MNSBC, Dent called the nomination "the ultimate act of disruption," considering that the "powers of the attorney general are truly awesome" and require an AG to "exercise measured judgement and discretion when charging decisions are considered."
Dent went on to say that Gaetz is mostly known for spearheading the ultimately successful attempts to remove then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy from his post, something that "earned Gaetz the disdain of the vast majority of his colleagues." "To say Gaetz is disliked by House Republicans would be a wild understatement;" Dent added.
The former lawmaker added that Gaetz's "scant experience" as a lawyer and being the subject of a "lengthy sex crimes investigation" add to the arguments against him. Overall, Trump is looking for an "attorney general prepared to torch the very department he would lead."
In another passage of the op-ed, Dent argues against the shelving of the House Ethics Committee, saying while it "technically loses jurisdiction over members after their service has ended, there is nothing in the House rules that prohibits the committee from disclosing investigative information and reports about departed members."
"In short, the precedent of post-resignation disclosure is particularly stronger surrounding sexual misconduct by members," Dent added, citing similar cases that took place in the past. There is an obstacle, however, which is House Speaker Mike Johnson's push to shelve the investigation.
But Dent says there is a "compelling case for the release of the Ethics Committee report on Gaetz." And even if the committee declines to release the report, "a member of Congress is likely to go to the House floor and move for its immediate release, forcing a vote by the entire House."
"Given Gaetz's unpopularity among his former colleagues, expect the motion to pass overwhelmingly. Please spare us the drama. It's time to release the report."
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