US: John Fetterman said this about the appointment of Matt Gaetz
US: The appointment of U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz as attorney general by Donald Trump was described by Senator John Fetterman as “god-tier kind of trolling.”
To the amazement of many on both sides of the political spectrum, the president-elect revealed on Wednesday that he was nominating Gaetz to lead the Department of Justice.
The selection, according to Pennsylvania Democratic Senator Fetterman, was a “god-tier kind of trolling, just to trigger a meltdown.”
Fetterman went on, “But really the Dems’ opinion on Gaetz, that’s not really what’s interesting,” “What to me is interesting is, the good ones (opinions) are gonna come by my colleagues on the other side, the GOP, on how they can justify voting for that j******.”
Fetterman said, “It’s just trolling,” before enumerating what he deemed to be “serious appointments.”
“There have been serious, qualified individuals nominated to posts, like [Florida Senator Marco] Rubio or [New York Representative] Elise Stefanik,” Fetterman said in a post on X. Senator Eric Schmitt of Missouri would make a good AG (attorney general).
The House Ethics Committee is looking into Gaetz, who has served as the representative for Florida’s 1st Congressional District since 2016, due to claims of sexual misconduct. In 2023, Gaetz was informed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) that he would not be charged with federal sex trafficking. Gaetz has denied any misconduct.
Gaetz would succeed Attorney General Merrick Garland, whose Department of Justice oversaw criminal investigations into former President Trump, accusing him of handling secret papers after leaving the White House and attempting to reverse his 2020 election defeat. Trump has denied any misconduct.
In his reaction to Gaetz’s nomination, vice president-elect JD Vance brought this up on X, saying: “The main issue with Matt Gaetz is that he used his office to prosecute his political opponents and authorized federal agents to harass parents who were peacefully protesting at school board meetings.” He said, “Oh wait,” “That’s actually Merrick Garland, the current attorney general.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson claims that Gaetz has already resigned from Congress, but the Senate must approve him before he can take up the position.
Some Republicans have questioned if this will really occur. Senator Susan Collins of Maine said to reporter Max Cohen of Punchbowl News: “I was taken aback by the nomination. The Senate’s advise and consent procedure is crucial for this reason. There will undoubtedly be a ton of questions during Mr. Gaetz’s hearing.
However, others have supported the appointment. For example, Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie told reporters, “He’s the attorney general.” Accept it.
In his nomination statement, Trump referred to Gaetz as “a deeply gifted and tenacious attorney…who has distinguished himself in Congress through his focus on achieving desperately needed reform at the Department of Justice.”
