THE WASHINGTON POST: Donald Trump nominates Rep. Matt Gaetz as incoming US attorney general

Donald Trump has nominated Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to serve as the nation’s next attorney general, a pick that would install an outspoken Trump loyalist who has spent years deriding the purported weaponization of the Justice Department at the helm of the agency.

Gaetz, a divisive figure within his own party, would be the first U.S. attorney general in four decades who never worked as a government attorney or judge. He often mimics Trump’s incendiary and partisan language when talking about prosecutions and political enemies.

The 42-year-old congressman would lead the Justice Department’s more than 100,000 employees at a time when Trump’s allies are calling for a purge of career staffers who may have opposed some of Trump’s efforts during his first term or worked on cases involving the president-elect or his supporters.

Gaetz, who is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee in connection with a sex-trafficking scandal, was not among the names that had circulated publicly as a potential attorney general in the days since the election. His nomination shocked people even within Trump’s inner circle and drew some skepticism on Capitol Hill, including from several lawmakers in the incoming 53-seat majority.

Two key moderates indicated they would likely vote against Gaetz. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said she was “shocked” by the nomination, while Sen. Lisa Murkowsi (R-Alaska) said he was not a serious contender for the job.

“I have very few skills, vote counting is one, and I think he’s got a lot of work to get 50,” said Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), a member of the Judiciary Committee. He noted that Gaetz would likely not gain a single Democratic vote and had jousted with Republican senators in the past, leading to poor relationships with some.

“I think he’s got his work cut out for him,” said Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), adding that she was a big fan of Matt Whitaker, a former acting attorney general during the first Trump administration who was also in contention for the job.

Sen Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), who is currently the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he was a little surprised that Trump picked Gaetz, who he called “clever,” and said he would face “tough questions” at his confirmation hearing. But Graham also said he is inclined to support presidential appointments.

Gaetz has a number of powerful enemies, including former Republican Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy. His extreme views and incendiary remarks could cause upheaval in the Justice Department, potentially prompting career staffers to flee.

Some DOJ and FBI employees have already begun plotting their exits, a senior U.S. official said, believing it will be war between Trump and his political appointees and the rest of the department after Inauguration Day. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive topic.

“He is sending a message with this pick,” a Trump confidante said, also speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter. “He knows exactly who Matt Gaetz is and that people would lose their mind.”

The Justice Department investigated Gaetz for years as part of a sex trafficking probe, though prosecutors closed the investigation last year without pressing charges. The Washington Post reported that career prosecutors told their superiors that a conviction was unlikely in part because of credibility questions with the two central witnesses.

Investigators were examining Gaetz’s alleged involvement several years earlier with a girl who was 17 at that time, trying to determine if he paid for sex in violation of federal sex-trafficking laws, people familiar with the matter have told The Post, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss investigative details that have not been made public.

Gaetz denied wrongdoing.

When running for reelection this year, Gaetz touted his close relationship with Trump. “This is Donald Trump’s party, and I’m a Donald Trump Republican,” one campaign ad showed him proclaiming at a rally.

The congressman spoked defensively when a mob of Trump supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol to overturn the 2020 election results on Jan. 6, 2021.

“We’re ashamed of nothing,” he publicly said.

Gaetz is largely disliked by many of his House Republican colleagues, often serving as a thorn in their sides.

Several House Republican lawmakers and aides, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to express their shock at his nomination, joked that Gaetz becoming attorney general would be one way for him to no longer be investigated by the House Ethics Committee regarding the allegations of sexual misconduct.

© 2024 , The Washington Post.