Trump Presidency: Criticisms Trail Attorney General Nominee, Matt Gaetz
Returnee United States (US) President Donald Trump has sparked outrage and shock among the Republican Party members and the American public with his nomination of Matt Gaetz for the Attorney General position.
Leading the charge against the appointment is Olivia Troye, a former official in the Department of Homeland Security during the Trump administration who has become an outspoken critic of the former President.
Troye is quoted as saying; “This guy has been on the run from the law for quite some time now, so he’ll think he’s above it. He’ll be corrupt as hell”.
Speaking in the same vein, the Co-President of the watchdog group Public Citizen, Robert Weissman said it was “hard to imagine a worse and more unqualified candidate” than Gaetz.
“As a member of Congress, Gaetz has demonstrated contempt for the rule of law, truth, and decency. He is singularly unqualified to lead an agency that enforces civil rights laws and environmental protection statutes.
“Under Gaetz, we’d have every reason to expect an America where corporate criminals walk free but immigrants and people of color are harassed or rounded up with minimal pretext,” Weissman said in a statement.
Amid the scathing criticisms trailing the controversial appointment, Republicans in the Senate have been evading questions from reporters about whether they found Gaetz to be qualified and whether they would approve his nomination.
Thom Tillis, a Republican Senator of North Carolina, told Politico’s Burgess Everett: “I’m all about counting votes, and I would think that he’s probably got some work cut out for him.”
Gaetz Quits Congress
Meanwhile, following his nomination by Donald Trump for the post of Attorney General, the Associated Press reports that Matt Gaetz has resigned from Congress.
The resignation effectively ends a bipartisan House ethics probe on him that was launched in June over longstanding allegations of sexual misconduct, illicit drug use, and other alleged ethical breaches.
A few more reactions to Trump’s selection of Matt Gaetz to be attorney general have also been coming in, with one Republican representative, Mike Simpson, reportedly responding “Are you sh—ing me?” when asked whether he had the right character for the role.
Another Republican representative, Max Miller, called the selection “silly,” according to NBC, adding; “I believe that the President is probably rewarding him for being such a loyal soldier to the president.
“But the president is smart enough, and his team is smart enough to know that Mr Gaetz will never get confirmed by the Senate whatsoever.” – The Guardian report
