Republican senators are preparing for a robust vetting of Matt Gaetz, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Attorney General, with a keen interest in the details of a House Ethics Committee investigation into Gaetz. The investigation into Gaetz’s alleged sexual misconduct, illicit drug use, accepting improper gifts, obstruction, and other allegations may not become public as Gaetz resigned from the House. Trump’s choice of Gaetz was a surprise to many, including members of his own party, due to Gaetz’s past legal problems, reputation as a rabble-rouser in Congress, and ongoing Ethics investigation.
Many Republican senators have expressed a desire to see the findings of the House Ethics Committee investigation into Gaetz before confirming his nomination for Attorney General. The House Ethics Committee is set to meet on Friday, with the possibility of releasing the Gaetz report on the agenda. Gaetz’s resignation has complicated matters, as the committee has not indicated whether the report will be released. Senators such as John Cornyn and Lindsey Graham have differing views on the Senate’s authority to subpoena House records, with Cornyn open to issuing a subpoena if necessary.
Republican senators believe that despite the potential lack of disclosure of the Ethics report, they will receive all key evidence from the investigation through the FBI background check and Gaetz’s confirmation process in the Senate. Senators such as Susan Collins have expressed confidence that the necessary information will be brought to light during the vetting process. Gaetz will face Senate hearings and questioning on past scandals, including a successful coup against then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and a Justice Department investigation that ended with no charges, as part of the confirmation process.
While some Republican senators, such as Lisa Murkowski, have expressed skepticism about Gaetz’s nomination, no one has outright rejected him. Gaetz has already started working the phones to gauge his chances at confirmation next year, reaching out to Republican senators for feedback. Vice President-elect JD Vance and his team have also been making calls to Senate Republicans regarding Gaetz. Gaetz will have to answer questions during Senate hearings about the past scandals and his qualifications for the role.
Senators have raised concerns about Gaetz’s ability to get confirmed, considering his past actions in Congress and the disruption he caused. Senator Kevin Cramer highlighted how Gaetz’s successful push to oust McCarthy disrupted the House of Representatives and potentially affected their performance in the most recent election. Cramer stated that Gaetz has a steep hill to climb to secure votes, including his own, during the confirmation process. Some Senate Republicans may oppose Gaetz’s nomination, but final decisions will be made after the vetting process is complete.
