Reaction among Capitol Republicans to President-elect Donald Trump Matt Gaetz’s pick that his attorney general on Wednesday ranged from shock to support.
Several House Republicans gathered behind closed doors said there was an uproar in the room when they heard Trump had chosen Gaetz.
Sen. Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, was among those who said they were surprised that Trump appeared to be referring to a demand to end his nominees’ recess appointments without Senate confirmation.
“This shows why the consultation and consent process is so important, and I’m sure there will be a lot of questions at his hearing,” Collins told reporters. “Obviously, the president has the right to appoint whoever he wants, but I’m sure there will be many questions.”
Rep. Matt Gaetz arrives on the second day of the Republican National Convention, July 16, 2024, in Milwaukee.
Evan Vucci/AP
GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial in his first term, said “I don’t think this is a serious nomination for the attorney general.”
“We need to have a serious attorney general and I look forward to the opportunity to consider someone who is serious,” he said. “This wasn’t on my bingo card.”
Gaetz faced a year-long Justice Department investigation that began in 2019 into allegations of sex trafficking and obstruction of justice. He has long denied any wrongdoing, and informed Gaetz in 2023 that after an investigation by the Department of Justice, he was refusing to press charges against him.
But the Florida congressman is still fighting it ongoing research House Ethics Committee on the same allegations.
House Speaker Mike Johnson announced Wednesday night that Gaetz had resigned from Congress immediately to “start the clock” on the process of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis calling a special election to fill his vacancy. Gaetz’s resignation will end the investigation by the Ethics Commission, which does not investigate members after they leave Congress.
Sen. Mike Rounds, R-South Dakota, asked if the ethics investigation was relevant to him, saying: “It would certainly be a concern because it will be part of his file,” Rounds said. Rounds told reporters he “didn’t.” reaction yet” to whether Gaetz will be confirmed. Asked if he would vote to confirm, he said, “All I can say right now is that we usually give the president the benefit of the doubt, but we still do our due diligence and advice and consensus is still important.”
GOP Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming was vague when asked about her opinion of Gaetz, telling reporters, “I haven’t had a chance to think about it yet, it’s too new for me.”
Sen. Mike Crapo, Republican of Idaho, told ABC News that he didn’t know Gaetz “so I’ll have to dig deeper.” When asked if Gaetz could be confirmed, “I have no idea, but I’m assuming.”
Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, who announced Trump’s pick for secretary of state, had additional things to say about his Florida counterpart.
“I’ve known him for a long time, and again, I think the president is entitled to his team, and he’s made his appointments,” he said. “And so I like Matt a lot. I know him very well, and I’m sure he would do a good job if confirmed by the Senate. And again, presidents have the right to put the people they want in these top positions to fulfill the mandate that the voters gave them. United States“.
On the House side, Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana and House Ethics Committee Chairman Michael Guest, R-Miss., spoke in support of Trump’s choice. But Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, a former Trump aide who was particularly critical of Gaetz last year after efforts to oust then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, strongly disputed the possibility, announcing that Gaetz would not be approved by the Senate.
“I think it’s stupid. I think the president probably rewards him for being a loyal soldier to the president, but the president is smart enough, and his team is smart enough, to know that Mr. Gaetz will never be confirmed by the Senate. Whatever it is,” he said. “And so it’s going to be a very long time for him because he’s going to be harassed by members of the Senate on both sides of the aisle, because he’s never been a team member, and he’s never contributed to this speech.”
Miller said there are “two different kinds of chaos,” saying Trump brings one that’s positive, but what Gaetz brings “breaks things up.”
