Former Florida Rep. to be President-elect Donald Trump鈥檚 attorney general has created a remarkable amount of hesitation from Republicans, who are otherwise inclined to follow Trump鈥檚 wishes.
Gaetz is unpopular with many fellow House Republicans for his push to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy and a long trail of stories about his personal conduct, including a federal investigation into allegations that he arranged to have sex with a minor. The investigation was closed without charges and Gaetz denies wrongdoing.
Other Republicans on Wednesday and Thursday said they would consider Gaetz鈥檚 nomination with an open mind or noted favorably his advocacy for Trump. Gaetz is a longtime Trump supporter and frequently campaigned for him.
Here are what Republicans are saying about him:
REP. DON BACON, Nebraska:
鈥淚 was told growing up that if you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything at all.鈥�
JOHN BOLTON, former U.N. ambassador and national security adviser:
鈥淚t must be the worst nomination for a Cabinet secretary in American history. I think this is something that falls well outside the scope of deference that should be given to a president in nominating members of the senior team. Gaetz is not only totally incompetent for this job, he doesn鈥檛 have the character. He is a person of moral turpitude.鈥�
SEN. SUSAN COLLINS, Maine
鈥淥bviously the president has the right to nominate whomever he wishes, but this is where the Senate鈥檚 advise and consent process is so important. I鈥檓 sure that there will be many, many questions raised at Mr. Gaetz鈥檚 hearing if in fact the nomination goes forward."
SEN. JOHN CORNYN, Texas:
鈥淲e鈥檒l handle it like any other nomination. I鈥檓 not going to prejudge any of these.鈥�
SEN. KEVIN CRAMER, North Dakota:
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a little bit of a test.鈥� 鈥淚t will take a lot of political capital to get him" confirmed.
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, South Carolina:
"I鈥檓 predisposed to try to help presidents with their picks. But he鈥檒l have to answer some tough questions in the hearing, and we鈥檒l see how he does,鈥� Graham said in a statement released Wednesday.
Later Wednesday, Graham said during a Fox News Channel interview, 鈥淚 think Matt Gaetz is very bright. I think he's qualified. He'll have a hearing and he'll have some tough questions to answer," and suggested that Republicans 鈥淕ive Matt a chance.鈥�
SENATE GOP LEADER JOHN THUNE, South Dakota:
鈥淭hat鈥檚 probably a good question for the chairman of the Judiciary Committee.鈥�
SEN. CHUCK GRASSLEY, Iowa, the likely next chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee:
鈥淚 suppose I鈥檒l have to look at it. That鈥檚 all I can say at this point because I don鈥檛 know much about Matt Gaetz.鈥�
HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON, Louisiana:
Gaetz is 鈥渙ne of the most intelligent鈥� members of Congress and 鈥渁 reformer in his mind and heart." 鈥淚 think he'll bring a lot to the table on that.鈥�
REP. ANNA PAULINA LUNA, Florida:
鈥淪o a lot of people will try to brand him just as a firebrand. But the fact is that there is a lot of strategy behind" Gaetz's effort to oust former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
SEN. MARKWAYNE MULLIN, Oklahoma:
鈥淢att Gaetz and I, there鈥檚 no question, we鈥檝e had our differences. I completely trust President Trump鈥檚 decision-making on this one. But at the same time, (Gaetz) has to come to ... the Senate and sell himself. There鈥檚 a lot of questions that are going to be out there. He鈥檚 got to answer those questions.鈥�
SEN. LISA MURKOWSKI, Alaska:
鈥淚 do not see him as a serious candidate. The president is free to nominate whoever he may wish. Our constitutional role in nominations is to provide advice. ... I don鈥檛 know that any of my Senate colleagues advise that Matt Gaetz name should go up, but it鈥檚 what (Trump) apparently has advanced. But, then our role is to determine the consent end of it. Do we give our consent or do we not?鈥�
SEN. MARCO RUBIO, Florida.
鈥淚鈥檝e known Matt for a very long time. We鈥檙e friends. I think he would do a very good job for the president.鈥�
REP. MIKE SIMPSON, Idaho:
鈥淭hat was about as big a surprise as I鈥檝e had in a long time. I have a really hard time believing he could get through the Senate confirmation process. You never know.鈥�
SEN. THOM TILLIS, North Carolina:
鈥淚've got very few skills. Vote-counting is one. I think he's got a lot of work to do to get 50鈥� votes in the Senate. 鈥淧resumably, the folks who have put him forward have gamed that out. But, I'm sure it will make for a popcorn-eating confirmation hearing. Mr. Gaetz and I have jousted on certain issues between the House and the Senate. ... There鈥檚 obviously been a lot of disagreements between members of the Senate and Mr. Gaetz."
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Beaumont reported from Des Moines, Iowa. Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri, Stephen Groves, Kevin Freking, Mary Clare Jalonick and Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report.
Thomas Beaumont, The Associated Press
