President-elect Donald Trump has tapped former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz to be his next attorney general.
The right-wing political bomb-thrower resigned from Congress on Wednesday, shortly before an Ethics Committee investigation was set to be released into his alleged drug use and sex with a minor, allegations Gaetz has rejected.
Trump was looking for someone who filled all of his requirements for what is likely to become the most important role, behind his own, in the next administration. Gaetz is a loyal supporter and attack dog for the president-elect and like him, has been under federal investigation. The former congressman came out unscathed after a federal sex crime investigation, which he referred to as a product of the “deep state.”
The former president was attracted to Gaetz as the next AG for these reasons and to the notion that Gaetz would take the lead in targeting the investigators, according to The Bulwark.
“The hunters have become the hunted,” a person close to Gaetz told the outlet.
Gaetz’s aggressive style and vociferous support for Trump has made him somewhat of a pariah in Congress, including with some Republicans. One Trump advisor told the outlet that Gaetz’s willingness to go to the mat for Trump and to pick fights within his own party were vital attributes in Trump’s selection of him as his nominee for attorney general.
“None of the attorneys had what Trump wants, and they didn’t talk like Gaetz,” the advisor told The Bulwark. “Everyone else looked at AG as if they were applying for a judicial appointment. They talked about their vaunted legal theories and constitutional bulls***. Gaetz was the only one who said, ‘Yeah, I’ll go over there and start cuttin’ f***ing heads.’”
Florida State Representative Alex Andrade took Gaetz’s seat when he was elected to the US Congress in the 2016 election.
“Trump likes raw talent and Matt has that in spades. And he’s loyal and Trump has been burned, so this is a perfect fit for Trump,” he told The Bulwark. “After the Deep State failures Trump suffered through, I’m surprised he didn’t think of this earlier.”
“Gaetz is a tough son of a b****. He’s my son of a b****,” Trump recently told an ally, according to the outlet.
In his statement announcing Gaetz as his pick for attorney general, Trump said the 42-year-old would “end Weaponized Government” and “root out the systemic corruption at DOJ”.
“On the House Judiciary Committee, which performs oversight of DOJ, Matt played a key role in defeating the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, and exposing alarming and systemic Government Corruption and Weaponization,” Trump said.
As far as Trump is concerned, because of the investigations into him after he left office and because of his disappointment in his attorneys general during his first term, the post is seen as the most important cabinet role.
While there has been speculation that Gaetz may have been put up for slaughter, giving Republican senators a nominee to block to give them cover to approve other controversial nominees, Trump is reportedly set on having Gaetz as his attorney general. The former president is said to believe in Gaetz’s strategic abilities and both of them have suggested that they may attempt to work around the Senate if confirmation becomes an issue.
To bypass the Senate vote needed for confirmation, Gaetz may go through a recess appointment, allowing Trump to make administration appointments while the upper chamber is not in session.
Bill Clinton made 139 recess appointments during his time in the White House, compared to Barack Obama’s 32 and George W Bush’s 171, according to the Congressional Research Service.
Advisors close to Trump told The Bulwark that the former president believes Gaetz will do well at his Senate confirmation hearings because of the two-year investigation into whether he paid for sex with a 17-year-old in 2017. Gaetz rejected all the charges and the investigation ended due to a lack of evidence. A House Ethics Committee investigation followed. Gaetz called it “Soviet”.
Allies of Gaetz say that he resigned from Congress on Wednesday because of his commitment to prepare for his confirmation process. However, his move came as the Ethics Committee was due to vote on releasing its report into Gaetz’s actions, which his departure from Congress put an end to. It remains unclear if the panel could still vote to share the report.
The investigation will likely come up if Gaetz appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation hearings.
Senator Susan Collins of Maine told reporters that she “was shocked by the announcement”.
“This shows why the advice and consent process is so important,” she added. “And I’m sure that there will be a lot of questions raised at his hearing. Obviously, the president has the right to nominate whoever he wishes, but I’m certain that there will be a lot of questions.”
Gaetz appeared confident of his chances, writing on X: “It will be an honor to serve as President Trump’s Attorney General!”
Meanwhile, a DoJ lawyer told The Bulwark regarding the nomination: “Holy f****** s***. And, what the f***!”
