Former President Trump shocked and appalled some Republican lawmakers on Wednesday by announcing plans to nominate Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) for attorney general.
Why it matters: Republican reaction to even Trump’s most controversial nominations has been muted so far, but placing the scandal-prone right-winger in the nation’s highest law enforcement role is a step too far for many.
“We wanted him out of the House … this isn’t what we were thinking,” quipped one House Republican, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak frankly about Trump’s decision.
What we’re hearing: Trump’s announcement was met with audible gasps by House Republicans during a conference meeting on Wednesday afternoon, multiple sources in the room told Axios.
One House Republican in the meeting described the conference’s response as “stunned and disgusted.”
What they’re saying: “Gaetz has a better shot at having dinner with Queen Elizabeth II than being confirmed by the senate,” said Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio), referring to the British monarch who died in 2022.
Rep. John Duarte (R-Calif.), noting that Gaetz is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee, said he would be “a compromised AG” and that “there are better choices.”
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said she was “shocked” by the pick: “This shows why the advice and consent process is so important and I’m sure that there will be a lot of questions raised at his hearing.”
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) said Gaetz has “got his work really cut out for him” to get confirmed.
Yeah yeah I’m sure they will do all sorts of gasping and then confirm him anyway. Despite what they say the lot of them are just Trump sycophants at this point.
You’ve seen how many people have railed against Trump only to turn right back around and toss his salad. Trump has dirt on these people, like mutually assured destruction level dirt.
The “dirt” is not being re-elected because they dare question Trump.
That’s what is ridiculous to me. The consequences are literally that they might lose their job. Yeah it sucks for them a little bit, but the alternative is destroying our fucking country. It’s amazing how many of them choose to bend the knee time and time again.
I believe the calculus is “A even more extreme MAGA diehard will take my place.”
Which is 100% true.
Still extremely self-serving, but kinda reasonable in a Machiavellian way.
No, it’s worse than that. It’s “go to prison” level shit.
Call your Senators, give them your name, zip code, and briefly tell them you oppose these noms. It DOES make a difference! Democracy doesn’t stop at the ballot box, it has to be fought for
Unless you live in a red state, it doesn’t matter. It requires a simple majority to confirm.
It does matter if you want to counter the talking heads all saying the election loss is because of progressives. Dem senators need to hear another voice than that and be pushed to not roll over like the special counsel
That was the whole of his last administration.
“What he’s done is just awful. It must stop. This is the last time.” For four years.
I’m just going to spend the next four years treating it like comedy. Nothing else I can do until the mid terms.
I feel like we’re going to see a lot of “Republicans ashamed of Trump” headlines while they sign their names in blood on everything he asks for.
If they wanted to, they could simply choose not to certify the election results or they could impeach and vote to remove him.
They won’t. They’re all complicit.
They’re rightly scared of not being re-elected for daring to oppose him. Or worse.
Mark my words, you are going to see a LOT of railing against rebel Republicans from Trump. Or what few are left, anyway.
Leopards…leopards everywhere.
And faces! Don’t forget the faces.
Eugh. Raw face is just gross.
who spoke on the condition of anonymity
Definitely brings a feline word to mind.
People credibly accused of sex with children have to stick up for each other.
Matt “Pizza” Gaetz makes perfect sense for this role.
I wonder if they’ve reached out to Dave Coulier in his fragile state.
Where and when? The 17-yo he supposedly paid for sex, and flew across state lines, opened an OnlyFans site and refused to testify. As if the prosecutors wanted her testifying. His scumbag buddy that went down on federal charges, and was expected to rat him out, didn’t.
Sorry, he got away free and clear. The ethics committee might have nailed him, but we can forget that plan is now stillborn.
I’m pretty over believing stories about Republicans showing regret about Trump and his picks/actions. I’m 100% this is liberal media copium. Republicans love his ass and every asshole he hires
On the other hand I can see republican politicians pretending to be stunned in order to say one thing and do another. They get to pretend they don’t like it for the political game and then actually support it.
They’ll ALL bend the knee and smoke the pole when it’s presented.
He’s constantly Tarzaning from Trump’s nuts, so he meets all of Trump’s qualifications.
Every one of them will fall in line when they remember Trump’s daughter in-law runs the RNC and their reelection funds are now contingent on obedience.
Bold of you to assume that any family member of Trump’s would not already be stealing the money.
They’ll just treat it like they’re running a charity.
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) said Gaetz has “got his work really cut out for him” to get confirmed.
Trump has already demanded that the Senate go into immediate recess so he can avoid the confirmation process altogether and just appoint them through recess appointments.
It will go the exact same way it did during Trump’s first term: Trump will send out a mean tweet and any dissenters will fall in line. Worked 100% of the time last time.
Yep. I’m curious to see how shocked, stunned and disgusted they really are.
They are going to be so shocked, stunned, and disgusted that they’re going to march right into the Senate chamber and vote the way he fucking told them to vote, but with a really big frowny face. I mean, it’s the strongest message that the United States Congress could possibly send to him. What else are they supposed to do? Vote…against… him? Criticize him…publicly? He might send out a mean tweet on both Twitter and Trump Social. These are politicians we’re talking about here! With cushy jobs and six figure salaries and staff people who have staff people. They can’t handle two mean tweets in one day!
They are all putting on their lip balm and puckering up to kiss his rotten asshole.
“This shows why the advice and consent process is so important and I’m sure that there will be a lot of questions raised at his hearing,” said Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) who added that she was “shocked” by the pick.”
Fuck. She’s going to vote for him, isn’t she…
Remember. According to Susan Collins, he learned his lesson with his first impeachment so he won’t do corruption and crime stuff again. Because Trump pinky swore. Or something.
Of course she’ll rubber stamp it.
You mean Trump didn’t learn his lesson?!?
Bunch of disappointed losers sad that daddy picked someone else to be his special boy. Disgust would require these shitsacks to have morals.
Why in the world would Republicans think that Trump would make sensible appointments? What has he done in the past, that would make them think this?
Someone, somewhere wished that Rubio and Gaetz were no longer in Congress.
And the monkey paw curled a finger.
Careful what you vote for.
Rubio is probably the least controversial pick so far.
In other news, the nomination of Matt Gaetz as AG by Donald Trump has moved the Mitt Romney Outrage Meter from “distasteful” to “bothersome”.
How many steps are we away from a furrowed brow?
No they aren’t.
They voted for it and they wanted this.
No, they aren’t. Quit lying.
They might be, right now.
See, there’s plenty of time before they actually have to cast a vote. So I’m sure that means Trump will send some mean tweets out about them. And then they’ll make the pligrimage down to Mar-a-Lago, bend the knee, say 3 Hail Donalds as penance and promise to insult a brown person on their way out before returning to Washington, DC and voting to confirm him.
They’re not going to cast votes. This will all be done with recess appointments, and all of these “concerned” senators will “express their concerns” with the exploitation of the recess appointment process and lament that there was nothing they could do about it.
They had really hoped that Mr. Trump would cooperate with the advice and consent process, but what can they do if he pursues the recess route? It really is too bad and all of that.
