Senators expressed disbelief at President-elect Donald Trump’s decision to tap Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to be his attorney general, indicating the conservative firebrand could have a tough road to confirmation.
Republicans largely refrained from wading into whether Gaetz — who’s under investigation by the Department of Justice and faces a House Ethics Committee probe — could be confirmed. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) rolled his eyes and Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) declined to comment.
“We don’t get to choose. It’s the prerogative of the president,” Cornyn said after he was told about the pick. “I don’t know the man beyond his public persona.”
Democrats, who were stunned by the pick, made it clear that Gaetz couldn't count on any support from their side. That means Gaetz could only afford to lose three GOP votes and still get confirmed by the Senate.
“There's a lot of folks that would be excellent attorney generals, uphold the rule of law,” said Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Judiciary Committee who served with Gaetz in the House. “I don’t think Gaetz is on the short list of that group.”
House Republicans had concerns about the pick as well, especially after watching Gaetz lead the ouster effort against former Speaker Kevin McCarthy that threw their chamber into chaos last year. Centrist Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) said he had “no good comment.” Trump and McCarthy ally Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio) called it “a reckless pick.”
“I think he has a zero percent shot of getting through the Senate," Miller added.
Rep. Michael Guest, chair of the House Ethics Committee and a former prosecutor, said he was “surprised” by the Gaetz news, but he added that he has “faith” in the choices Trump makes in filling out his Cabinet. The Mississippi Republican added that any concerns about Gaetz, who is being investigated by the Ethics Committee, would be addressed by a Senate confirmation hearing. The investigation would cease if Gaetz left the House.
Benjamin Guggenheim, Chris Marquette and Jordain Carney contributed to this report.
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