President-elect Trump's decision to select Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) as attorney general has left Senate Republicans in complete discontent over one of the most high-profile and polarizing Cabinet picks. , immediately putting Republicans on the defensive.
Two leading centrist senators, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), expressed shock and surprise, with the Alaska Republican expressing shock and surprise at the choice. It was criticized for lacking seriousness.
“I don't think it's a serious nomination for attorney general. We need a serious attorney general,” Murkowski told reporters. “I look forward to the opportunity to consider someone serious.”
“This wasn't on my bingo card,” she added.
Republicans have been pushing for swift confirmation of Cabinet nominees since Mr. Trump's electoral upset last week.
However, some lawmakers are putting the brakes on the talks after Gaetz, known as a prominent mobster who plotted the ouster of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), was named the nation's top police officer. I hung it.
Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), also a potential swing vote, steadfastly refused to discuss Gates' nomination, instead announcing about an hour ago that Marco Rubio, the nominee for secretary of state, I decided to focus on the nomination of Sen. (R-Florida).
“We'll see the others later. I don't know much about them,” he said.
One of the main concerns for some members of the Senate Judiciary Committee and senators will be the Justice Department's longstanding investigation into allegations that he had sexual relations with underage girls. The investigation concluded last year, and Gates was not charged criminally. He has denied wrongdoing, but the House Ethics Committee investigation is still ongoing.
Members are already preparing for the topic to come up in their roles when considering Gates.
“Certainly that would be a concern because it's part of his file,” said Sen. Mike Rounds (R.S.D.).
“We typically give the president the benefit of the doubt, but we still do our due diligence and advice and consent is still important,” he said.
This news, coupled with the announcement minutes earlier of the nomination of former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii) to be Director of National Intelligence, rattled Republicans everywhere. The news came at the end of a day already filled with activity, including President Trump's visit to Washington and the selection of a new Senate Republican leader.
”[Trump] We move from a fun meeting with House Republicans to a love feast with Jill and Joe at the White House. That's a wonderfully normal thing to do — and he essentially got on a plane and nuked Washington,” one Senate Republican aide told The Hill in an afternoon wrap-up.
But it was Gates' development that really hit home for some members.
When Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), fresh off his loss in the leadership race, was asked by reporters for his reaction to Gaetz's nomination, he sounded astonished, like he had just bitten a sour lemon. An expression appeared on his face. The ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee seemed so perplexed that there was laughter from the reporters surrounding him.
But the veteran lawmaker remained disciplined in his message, telling reporters, “We're going to do our job and vet the candidates.”
Asked if Gaetz would be chosen as attorney general, Cornyn said, “I don't have a choice. That's the prerogative of the president.”
“Our prerogative is to discharge our duties based on the constitutional law of advice and consent, and we will do so.”
Sen. Thom Tillis, RN.C., another member of the Judiciary Committee, said that Gaetz's nomination does not mean the vote will be approved, and Democrats who vote for him I expected there to be no one.
“It'll be interesting to see what his organic base is,” Tillis said of the candidate. “At the end of the day, Congressman Gates, he's going to have a hearing, but I'm committed to counting the votes, and he's probably going to have to make some effort to get the votes that matter.” I think I'm going to try it.
“You're not going to get a single vote from the Democrats,” he said.
Assuming that Republican David McCormick ultimately wins his race in Pennsylvania against Sen. Bob Casey (R-PA), Trump and his allies will It is likely that the only thing they can afford to do is lose votes. He leads by 28,000 votes, but the race is within automatic recount.
Despite the close margins, it may still be difficult for some Trump candidates, particularly Gaetz and Gabbard, to cross the finish line.
When asked if Trump was testing members, Lowndes answered in the affirmative.
“We don't know that yet,” Lowndes said with a hearty laugh. “But we've been thinking that might be part of the discussion.”
