Attorney General nominee Matt Gaetz faces questions over sex trafficking, drug allegations : NPR

Matt Gaetz’s nomination to be the subsequent lawyer basic might face an uphill path within the Senate, as a rising variety of Republican senators are calling for entry to a Home Ethics Committee probe into Gaetz’s conduct.

Gaetz resigned from the Home Thursday, a day after President-elect Trump introduced his nomination. That ends a Home Ethics Committee investigation into intercourse trafficking and drug use allegations in opposition to Gaetz that started in 2021.

Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Sick., the present chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, known as on the Home ethics panel Thursday to “protect and share” their report and different data gathered on Gaetz.

Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn, who lately misplaced the race for Senate Majority Chief, however is a senior member of the Judiciary panel, advised reporters on Thursday that the Senate “ought to acquire entry to all related data by no matter means needed,” together with a potential subpoena of the ethics report.

“I do not suppose any of us need to fly blind,” he advised reporters within the Capitol. “A part of that is to guard the president in opposition to data or surprises popping out later that he and his crew weren’t conscious of.”

Cornyn admitted he doesn’t know if the Senate has the facility to demand information from the Home, however he joins a variety of Senators who’re pushing to know the small print of the Ethics Committee investigation as a part of the affirmation listening to course of.

The Home Ethics committee initially deliberate to satisfy on Friday however it’s unclear if the assembly will nonetheless proceed, in response to a supply accustomed to the method who was grated anonymity to talk about non-public discussions. It’s potential the panel was planning to vote throughout that assembly to launch its report on Gaetz.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., mentioned Gaetz’s nomination “might be a type of that might be well-scrutinized.”

“It will be a advantageous tooth comb, and so they knew that entering into,” Tuberville advised reporters Thursday.

Tuberville added that “I am a Matt Gaetz fan as a result of I’ve know him for a very long time.”

Different Republicans Senators sidestepped questions on Gaetz. Arkansas GOP Sen. Tom Cotton merely mentioned “no remark.” Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, requested about Gaetz, as a substitute praised one other Trump nominee, New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, getting on the Senate subway advised NPR “Elise is wonderful!” However because the subway automotive pulled away she mentioned about Gaetz, “he has an uphill battle.”

Cornyn, pressed if something he is heard about Gaetz raised any points about his nomination advised reporters he is simply learn press studies and “I do not know the person.”

Gaetz nomination challenges Senate norms for nominees

The Gaetz nomination additionally units up a possible confrontation with Democrats over their function within the Senate’s constitutional energy for “recommendation and consent” over presidential nominees. Republican leaders have repeatedly warned that they count on Democrats to both approve of certified nominees or agree to not stand in the way in which of their approval.

Incoming Senate Majority Chief John Thune, R-S.D., advised reporters on Wednesday that Republicans will discover all choices to approve Trump’s decisions.

“The Senate has an advise and consent function within the Structure so we are going to do the whole lot we will to course of his [nominees] rapidly and get them put in of their positions to allow them to start to implement his agenda,” Thune mentioned.

“We count on a stage of cooperation from the Democrats to work with us to get these of us put in,” he mentioned. “Clearly, we will discover all choices to ensure they get by way of and so they authorised rapidly.”

However the potential of unqualified nominees creates a special dynamic. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., mentioned he views Gaetz in another way than a few of Trump’s different picks.

“America elected Trump and you are going to count on all types of appointments, some are critical and high quality ones like my colleague [Marco] Rubio,” he advised reporters within the Capitol. “There are some I’ll enthusiastically vote for, like Rubio. There are others who’re like ‘lol.'”

Cornyn advised reporters that recess appointments are a form of “fail secure” within the occasion that Democrats blockade nominees.

“He has a proper to get his crew in place with out pointless delays,” he mentioned. “That is the place I see the recess appointments.”