Trump picks Rep. Matt Gaetz as attorney general

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CNBC

Published Wed, Nov 13 2024 3:28 PM EST Updated 16 Min Ago


President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday said he will nominate Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida to serve as U.S. attorney general. Trump wrote on Truth Social that Gaetz “has distinguished himself in Congress through his focus on achieving desperately needed reform at the Department of Justice.” Gaetz replied on X, “It will be an honor to serve as President Trump’s Attorney General!”

If he is confirmed by the Senate, Gaetz will succeed Attorney General Merrick Garland, who led the Justice Department as it carried out a sex-trafficking investigation into the congressman. The DOJ ultimately declined to charge Gaetz.

Gaetz remains the subject of an ongoing House Ethics Committee investigation into whether he engaged in sexual misconduct or illicit drug use. Gaetz, who has denied any wrongdoing, said in September that he would no longer voluntarily participate in that panel’s probe.

The 42-year-old lawmaker, who has carved out a reputation as a staunch and vocal Trump loyalist, has aggressively criticized the DOJ investigation and prosecution of Trump by special counsel Jack Smith.

Read more: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/11/13/trump-taps-rep-matt-gaetz-as-attorney-general.html

---

He's taking all the "rebels" out of the House so they leave Johnson in place.

Article updated.

Previous article/headline -

Trump taps Rep. Matt Gaetz as attorney general

Published Wed, Nov 13 2024 3:28 PM EST Updated 10 Min Ago


President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday said he will nominate Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida to serve as U.S. attorney general.

Trump wrote on Truth Social that Gaetz "has distinguished himself in Congress through his focus on achieving desperately needed reform at the Department of Justice."

Gaetz replied on X, "It will be an honor to serve as President Trump's Attorney General!"

This is breaking news. Please refresh for updates.

Original article -

Published Wed, Nov 13 2024 3:28 PM EST Updated 3 Min Ago


President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday said he will nominate Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida to serve as U.S. attorney general.

This is breaking news. Please refresh for updates.

[orange jar]

1. God help us all.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. Please, no comedy in LBN. Thanks. NT. Wait -- this is for real?

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[Irish_Dem]

3. Child molester and drug addict.

[Kid Berwyn]

40. Other than that, he's the very model of a modern major criminal.

I'm not sure he'll protect and defend the Constitution the way law abiding citizens might, though.

[Irish_Dem]

43. He is a good addition to the crime syndicate, the new consligiere.

He knows nothing about the law except how to break it.

[Deep State Witch]

4. WTAF???

This just keeps getting worse and worse!

[pfitz59]

5. I hope this is 'The Onion'?

Alleged pedophile for AG? The fox in the hen house. Is he even a lawyer? Any law enforcement background (other than evading LE)? What a freakshow.

[drray23]

10. Yes he is a lawyer but i dont think he practiced law.

He was too busy molesting underage girls.

[prodigitalson]

38. Its not like thats all he does

He snorts a lot of cocaine too.

[PunkinPi]

6. JFC

[beveeheart]

63. Today is the 1st time in my 81 years

that I actually said the words to those letters and I was brought up not to take the lord's name in vain. And I didn't just say them, more like a scream. How many more horrifically unqualified ass-kissers will there be in his administration!!!!
I probably should check my blood pressure.




I need an emoji with the upside down flag.

[PunkinPi]

93. They will all be unqualified ass-kissers because that's all the orange furher wants.

He's bringing the US down from the inside as is the wont of his "buddies" Putin and Xi. We are truly in scary and dangerous times, so it's perfectly normal to need to vent. Try to limit your intake and take care of yourself, we'll all need each other.

BTW, there is an upside down flag you can use as your avatar for your profile pic, there isn't an onboard smilie/emoji. My DU > Profile > Avatar Image > America (it's toward the bottom of the list).

[NEOH]

7. Oh super...

We have a perv for an AG. This is just gross 🤮

[VMA131Marine]

8. As a lawyer Gaetz worked briefly in private practice

He has zero prosecutorial experience nor any experience as a jurist. It’s unclear if he knows what the inside of a courtroom even looks like other than maybe as a defendant.

[magicarpet]

31. Gaetz is all set and well qualified,...

... Matt watched two Perry Mason shows and one Matlock,... so he knows the ropes.

Good Lord,... competence and experience is a joke with these Nazis.

Has he taken the djt loyalty oath.
Then he is good to go.

[tanyev]

9. Oh FFS. Maybe that will piss off Ken Paxton enough he'll go after Gaetz.

Paxton is heinous, but I've never heard about him bragging about having sex with or procuring underage girls for his buddies.

[Blue_Roses]

86. Not yet...

but, he is still ridiculous and needs to go.

[Fiendish Thingy]

11. It will be a recess appointment- he will not be confirmed by the senate.

Gaetz is hated by his fellow republicans almost as much as Ted Cruz.

I think MTG is his only ally.

[MajorPayne]

87. Bingo.

Won’t happen.

Designed to put some people’s pants on fire 🔥

[Vinca]

12. This is fucking insane.

[flamingdem]

13. He'll use him to go after his enemies

and to look the other way regarding all presidential crimes.

[C_U_L8R]

14. What do MTG, Boebs and Jimbo Jordan get???

Saving the best for last?

[bdamomma]

33. Oh yeah

the deplorables are going to do much damage to everyone.

[dweller]

15. Welp

Merrick Garland is bumped out of last place .

sigh



✌🏻

[Escape]

16. Joke? Right?

This can't be real.



.

[FBaggins]

17. Maybe an attempt to get him out of the House and then reject him?

I can't see even this senate confirming him

[BumRushDaShow]

23. They may try to recess appoint

assuming they are able to even coordinate the demise of the "Pro-forma sessions" with the House that have been in place since Shrub recess-appointed Bolton to U.N. Ambassador almost 20 years ago (2005), and that would take him out of the House, but would only be in effect for the Congressional session.

[FBaggins]

29. Recess appointments require a recess and a stalled nominee

There won't be a recess for some time even if Democrats don't filibuster such a resolution...

... but I'm saying there will be 51 "no" votes, and they'll just reject him.

Gaetz isn't all that popular in the House. I don't see how he gains enough support in the Senate

[BumRushDaShow]

32. No

they just require that the chambers announce that they are "in recess", which per the Constitution means >3 days -

Article I

(snip)

Section 5.

Each House shall be the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own members, and a majority of each shall constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner, and under such penalties as each House may provide.

Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two thirds, expel a member.

Each House shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such parts as may in their judgment require secrecy; and the yeas and nays of the members of either House on any question shall, at the desire of one fifth of those present, be entered on the journal.

Neither House, during the session of Congress, shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.

(snip)

https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/articlei

The whole point of it was that in the past, Congress pretty much did recess/adjourn before the end of a calendar year "for the holidays" and other circumstances might also come up where there was a need/desire to get someone into the position when the chambers were not in session (imagine the horse and buggy days). But this is why the position was considered "temporary" and only in effect until the end of a session".

We went through this rigamarole under Obama when he attempted to Recess Appoint some NLRB members while they were doing "Pro-forma" (gavel in/out every 3 days) sessions, Obama was sued, it went to the SCOTUS, and Obama lost (and the appointees were removed).

Supreme court rules against Obama on recess appointments

[FBaggins]

36. Not sure why you started that with a "no"

Neither House can adjourn for more than three days without the consent of the other - which means a concurrent resolution... which is subject to filibuster. Democrats don't have to allow it.

But again... I don't see it as necessary, because the nomination doesn't have to hang around - there should be enough "no" votes (one republican has already said as much) long before there would be a recess

[BumRushDaShow]

44. Because you missed what I wrote in my original post

assuming they are able to even coordinate the demise of the "Pro-forma sessions" with the House



You might have also missed all the bloviating from 45 "demanding" that the Senate do recess appointments. And with the GOP taking control of the Senate come January, they can put any old set of Rules in place as long as they have a "simple majority" to pass them and they can coordinate that with Johnson to restrict the "Pro-forma" sessions when they feel like it (and again, coordinate with the House, who could pass their own parallel set of Rules to stipulate to the coordination).

[LymphocyteLover]

51. I feel like your posts here are contradictory. Obama got knocked down for recess apointments but the GOP can do it now?

[BumRushDaShow]

59. Let's start over

Based on the cited section of Article I Sect. 5 of the Constitution, BOTH chambers are considered recessed if they are not in session for more than 3 days and if they plan on that happening, they need to "coordinate" that.

This wasn't normally an issue because by and large, they weren't in as combative of times in previous years until after the Gingrich takeover and stolen election of 2000.

So when after Shrub "recess-appointed Bolton" (see this - https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna8758621 and also this as a good discussion about the issue via an interview - https://www.npr.org/2005/08/02/4781459/the-expanding-power-of-a-recess-appointment), Democrats lit the place up. And per that last linked article, Republicans had been similarly pissed when Clinton had done similar when he was in office.

So both parties made a decision to do away with the ability for a President to go around the Senate for confirmations - notably to address the controversial ones who would probably never make it out of Committee, and they did this by "NEVER" going into a "Recess". Even during the winter holidays - you can flip on CSPAN during one of those days of Christmas/New Year's week and see both Chambers "in session", with Clerks there and some other staff and an assigned "Pro-tempore" in the Senate and House to run the show.

I.e., they set up a Rule in their respective Chambers, to literally have someone (normally who lived close by like in MD or VA), to come into their respective Chamber, literally "gavel in" for "Normal Business" (or "Morning Business" ), that includes the Pledge of Allegiance and Convocation, etc., and then maybe have some 1-minute speeches if anyone was around wanting to do that, and perhaps read off the upcoming schedule and submit some written remarks for the record, and then they would RECESS "SUBJECT TO THE CALL OF THE CHAIR" - meaning in 3 days, they would do it all again. Come in, gavel in, Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

These were what they called "Pro-Forma" sessions.

What Obama did was object to the Pro-Forma because literally, once they recessed subject to the call of the chair, nothing was really getting done and he argued it was a literal "recess". So he ignored THE RULES (that were voted on by each Chamber for their Chamber), and appointed people to the NLRB. The GOP sued, it went to the SCOTUS, and SCOTUS basically said - "If those are the Rules of the Senate, then THOSE ARE THE RULES. The Executive Branch has no authority over how the Legislative Branch chooses to conduct business".

THE END.

Now remember - those are RULES and at the beginning of each Congressional session, each Chamber drafts and votes on NEW Rules (in most cases, keeping most of the previous session's Rules and tweaking them or adding/subtracting from them).

The GOP does NOT yet control the Senate, so this will NOT happen now. That will only happen in January when the NEW 119th Session gavels in and they draft NEW Rules, and THAT is when they can coordinate with the House to adopt Rules that would allow an actual "Recess" (by each Chamber), allowing 45 to put in whoever they want "temporarily". I.e., they are only in that position for that Congressional session (not "permanent" ).

All you have to do is be a CSPAN junkie and you will see this wild stuff in action!!!!

[LymphocyteLover]

72. OK, thanks!! That makes much more sense.

[BumRushDaShow]

74. The talk of "Recess Appointments" is a trial balloon

and it is something that won't be decided until the 119th Congress is sworn in January 3, 2025, when they have their formal leadership elections and they start drafting their "Rules".

But if both chambers of Congress decide to go "full loon", they may just allow them to thwart any Democratic member blocks. The Senate still has a couple GOP "institutionalists" in there, so they may balk and kill it or perhaps allow it only if there are caveats and stipulations for such.

[FBaggins]

85. I renew my prediction

He’s already resigned from the House.

From another thread: I think this gets Gaetz out of the House and thus out from under the ethics probe (taking the new majority off the spot of having to deal with him). It also allows some senators to show some independence from the incoming administration by signaling their opposition… and then Trump’s eventual AG seems moderate by comparison.

The only question becomes Gaetz’s consolation prize

[BumRushDaShow]

90. It'll be up to Thune & Johnson and what Rules the 119th Congress decides to go with

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143339548

The Republicans will have a 53-seat majority in the U.S. Senate, but have signaled a willingness to allow Trump’s cabinet to be installed via recess appointments.

[FBaggins]

91. The nomination isn't going to survive to the first recess

I just saw that the Ethics committee was due to release their report on Gaetz tomorrow. Now they have no jurisdiction.

There’s no need for a nominee to resign instantaneously. I’m more and more convinced that this has nothing to do with the AG slot… except to make the eventual pick seem more reasonable by comparison

[BumRushDaShow]

92. The purported reason for resigning (aside from getting a quicker replacement)

was that it would supposedly moot the Ethics Report and possibly even result in it no longer being released - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143339437

More from that OP's linked article - https://www.politico.com/news/2024/11/13/matt-gaetz-resigns-congress-00189488

Other GOP House colleagues believe his decision is actually tied to an Ethics Committee report investigating several allegations including that Gaetz engaged in sex with a minor, which they believe was poised to be released in a matter of days. Gaetz has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and has sought to attack the panel probing various allegations against him. If Gaetz is no longer a member of the House, the report likely won’t be formally released, though it could leak.

ETA there is this too I just saw - House Ethics Committee planned to vote Friday on whether to release report on Matt Gaetz

Now that Gaetz has resigned, it is unclear whether the panel will vote on releasing the report, since Gaetz is no longer in Congress.

There is precedent in Congress on the Senate side for an ethics committee report to become public after a member resigns from Congress, however. In 2011, this happened when Sen. John Ensign of Nevada resigned amid allegations that he tried to hide an extramarital affair.

But it's not clear that that would apply to the House, leaving open the possibility that the report on Gaetz would not be released.

[NEOH]

18. Just please make it stop!!!

[4catsmom]

19. Pedos stick together

Trump wants to make sure he's never bothered by his visits to Epstein Island

[Mr.Bill]

21. Bingo! n/t

[sakabatou]

20. Just what we need! A sex trafficker in the seat!

[IzzaNuDay]

25. Birds of a feather!

Kakistocracy in action!

[Mr. Sparkle]

22. .

[LetMyPeopleVote]

24. How will the GOP keep a majority in the house if trump keeps nominating these people

I really want confirmation hearings on Gaetz

[ificandream]

26. Lord help us ....

[bmichaelh]

27. Shakespeare

HAMLET
Angels and ministers of grace defend us!
--Shakespeare, Hamlet 1.4.39

ARIEL
Hell is empty,
And all the devils are here.
--Shakespeare, The Tempest 1.2.214-15

[ificandream]

28. Will MTG be secretary of agriculture?

[ificandream]

30. And Kevin McCarthy is somewhere in Bakersfield screaming his head off.

[Javaman]

34. an accused pedo as AG. well it does fit with the orange assholes world view. nt

[aggiesal]

35. The MAGA clown car is filling up fast. ...

Is there any pool going on, to predict when this clown car will crash?

[riversedge]

37. OMG!!

[prodigitalson]

39. Im sorry but Im laughing my ass off about this

It's so crazy I can't get angry...I can't imagine how this works out well for tfg or Gaetz in the long run.

[liberalla]

41. WTF ??? Got to be a joke!

Ridiculous! I'm stunned...

He won't be approved, right?

[Botany]

88. Just because he used the hotel's ATM to get money to pay for drugs and sex from an underaged girl?

And you think it is a joke?

[Akakoji]

42. Holy.Fucking.Shit.

[IcyPeas]

45. And all the GOP are on board, right? Not a peep from any of them?

Well, Brett Kavanaugh got to be a friggen Supreme Court justice....

Is this entire administration being chosen just TO OWN THE LIBS?

After all JD Vance was apparently Don Jr.'s suggestion. And Don Jr. lives to own the libs. Jesse Watters will be chosen for something too. Anyone we hate will be their first choice.

[Schlocko]

46. Please let there be a hearing. Please.

I know there might be a recess appointment, I know he still might be confirmed 53-47, but oh boy, do I want to hear the questions.

[Skittles]

83. LOL, hearings will not matter

they will be AFRAID not to confirm!

what part of FASCISM are you not getting?

[AngryOldDem]

47. All I can do at this point is laugh until I cry, and then I'll never stop crying.

What is really pissing me off are the people who are expressing shock at all these appointments.

Dammit, this fucker told us all along what he plans to do!

Utter, eternal hatred for those who voted for this nightmare. Sick and tired of the ignorance in this country.

[lakercub]

48. His government

is going to look like Gotham in the Dark Knight Returns where Scarecrow is presiding over trials. This is like the last days of Caligula.

[murielm99]

49. So, does that make Gaetz

Caligula's horse?

[Eugene]

70. Absolutely!

Helps explain why Dump is so insistent on recess appointments.

[lakercub]

71. At least a part of the horse

N/M

[Lulu KC]

50. OMFG

I don't say that a lot, only on special occasions. And THIS is special.

[LymphocyteLover]

52. this is a giant fuck you to the country and especially to the notion of justice

[LetMyPeopleVote]

53. AG nominee with a mug shot nominated by a POTUS with a mug shot

Link to tweet

[dalton99a]

69. +1

[Ontheboundry]

54. Man, they are really making this a literal clown show

[Lovie777]

55. Smoke screen

Squirrel

[mwb970]

56. I actually laughed out loud when I heard this news.

It's all too much for me to take.

[liberalmediaaddict]

57. The Onion can't compete with this

That headline was the first time I've laughed since the election.

[Native]

58. I actually thought I read ahorny general.

[aka-chmeee]

60. HenryJ Hudson Chrysler! Like several others...

Strained my eyes looking for the attribution for the Onion. The procedure then, is to nominate only people who are the most inappropriate possible choice for the position? I really HATE TFG and anyone who supports him. Not too happy with Biden, either; for showing respect to TSF when scorn is the only rational emotion.

[HereForTheParty]

61. He may not be confirmed

I'm hearing Murkowski, too.

Link to tweet

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

62. Can't be smarter than the boss

[PortTack]

64. Look at it this way, when t-rump fires him in a few months he won't be going back to congress.

I suppose they will appoint someone just as horrible, but this creep is gone

[Beastly Boy]

65. Garland bashers are getting everything they wished for.

Prosecutions at record speeds, not going for small fish, not even an appearance of impartiality, routinely engaging in fear and favor...

More to come, folks!

[Picaro]

66. This isn't a joke?

[LisaL]

67. Not a joke.

[electric_blue68]

68. Hooo, boy....another "winner". 😑

[Dem4life1970]

73. Yep, they voted for this....

....absolutely disgusting.

[Turbineguy]

75. Kak

Kakistocrazy

[Cheeto Jesus]

76. WTF is next?

Hulk Hogan as Director of the FBI?

[Blue_Roses]

89. Don't even put that out there

[Escape]

77. This is actually his same old tactic....

Throw the ball to Matt Goetz to steal ALL the media attention....while he sneaks in all his other disgusting---less noticeable--cabinet picks.

[Cheeto Jesus]

78. Now I heard he just nominated Kash Patel as head of the FBI

This is literally insane. Is there no way to stop this?

[Stargleamer]

79. And so the inmates continue to run the asylum n/t

[guss]

80. Trump Gluttonous traitorous imp.

Every appointment, everything he does is to tear down America to serve Putin, and all Billionaires who benefit from tearing down America for profit.
We are no longer a Democratic Republic the shining star. we are a corporation that they will Raid and consume. add to their portfolio. suck us dry, make us the 3rd word country, cheap labor, They have no country, they all exist outside out of any laws of any country. Their souls are burned away, all that is left is souless Greed. I'm really having issues with the current situation guard rails are being dismantled.

[Historic NY]

81. Holy Hell in a hand basket

Gaetz's most extensive courtroom experience was as a DWI defendant.

[TomCADem]

82. It Also Plays Well To Trump's Brand of Resentment and Ownage of Women

In the social media man-o-sphere, not MSM, there is the who ecosystem of men who blame their failures on women. Many progressives and Democrats just dismissed them, since how many women want to watch Andrew Tate videos on how to dominate women, but Matt Gaetz and his exploitation of underage girls plays strongly to that demographic.

[Aussie105]

84. When will the Republican Blame Game start?

Put a lot of unqualified and inexperienced people in charge, and sooner or later chaos will ensue.

Then the blame game starts . . . hopefully not too many innocent civilians of either political persuasion or ethnicity will be harmed, traumatised or end up with permanent PTSD.

My Bingo card says . . . "Expect chaos, March, 2025."

[muriel_volestrangler]

94. John Bolton: "It must be the worst nomination for a cabinet position in America history"

https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/matt-gaetz-must-be-the-worst-cabinet-nomination-in-american-history-amb-john-bolton-224379461670

"Gaetz is not only totally incompetent for this job, he doesn't have the character, he is a person of moral turpitude"