Here’s who could replace Matt Gaetz when he retires
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Here’s who could replace Matt Gaetz when he retires

Kaneb0

Top line

Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., removed himself from consideration as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general in a shock decision less than two weeks after Trump nominated him for the role — reigniting the race to lead the Justice Department.

Key facts

While it’s unclear who Trump might nominate instead of Gaetz, a number of names were in the mix before he took himself out of the race, while others emerged when it became clear Gaetz’s confirmation was in jeopardy amid an explosive sexual misconduct scandal.

Todd Blanche: New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman told CNN this week, Trump believed Gaetz had less than a 50% chance of confirmation and Blanche — Trump’s personal attorney who led his defense in the Manhattan trial, and whom Trump nominated for deputy attorney general — was a potential alternative choice.

Todd Blanche: New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman told CNN this week, Trump believed Gaetz had less than a 50% chance of confirmation and Blanche — Trump’s personal attorney who led his defense in the Manhattan trial, and whom Trump nominated for deputy attorney general — was a potential alternative choice.

Todd Blanche: New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman told CNN this week, Trump believed Gaetz had less than a 50% chance of confirmation and Blanche — Trump’s personal attorney who led his defense in the Manhattan trial, and whom Trump nominated for deputy attorney general — was a potential alternative choice.

Mark Paoletta: A former legal adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence and the Office of Management and Budget, Paoletta is reportedly involved in crafting Trump’s Justice Department plans and has defended Trump’s push to exert more authority over the agency.

Robert Giuffra: Co-chairman of the New York law firm Sullivan and Cromwell, Giuffra was among those considered before Gaetz was nominated, Politico reportedciting an unnamed source familiar with the deliberations.

Aileen Cannon: The federal judge who dismissed Trump’s case involving classified documents and was nominated to the bench by him in 2020 was among those on a list of potential candidates circulated by Trump’s transition team, ABC News reported before the election, citing several unnamed sources familiar with the matter.

Kash Patel: The former chief of staff to Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller during Trump’s first term, Patel is considered one of Trump’s staunchest loyalists and often speaks of his desire to help Trump retaliate against his enemies — though Patel, controversial due to frequent incendiary comments, is more fluid often as one potential candidate for FBI Director.

Who else might Trump consider for attorney general?

A number of former AG contenders have landed other jobs in the Trump administration or have said they are not interested in the attorney general role. Former Director of National Intelligence and former Texas Rep. John Ratcliffe was appointed CIA director. Trump wiretapped his former acting attorney general, Matthew Whitakeras US ambassador to NATO and former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission Jay Clayton was elected US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Late. Mike LeeR-Utah and Sen. Erik SchmittR-Mo., have both indicated they are not interested in the AG job.

Key

Betting markets (which are not inherently reliable) predict that Bailey, Blanche, Lee and Paxton, in that order, have the best chances to win the nomination, according to Kalshi.

Key background

The attorney general is seen as one of Trump’s most important appointments, as he and his allies have expressed interest in asserting far more power over the Justice Department than past presidents. The Gaetz decision was a surprise choice and was met with opposition by some GOP senators. Gaetz suddenly announced On Thursday, he was bowing out of the race for attorney general and followed suit growing fallout over the sexual misconduct allegations against him that have overwhelmed the political news cycle since Trump nominated him for the role on Nov. 12. Gaetz announced his decision on Xwrites, “it is clear that my confirmation unfairly became a distraction from the critical work of the Trump/Vance transition.” Gaetz has been the subject of sexual harassment allegations for years, including via a sedan closed Investigation by the Ministry of Justice whether he had sex with a minor and paid women to travel with him in violation of federal sex-trafficking laws and a House Ethics Committee investigation into the allegations, among other issues. New details if the allegations against Gaetz surfaced after Trump nominated him and he subsequently resigned from Congress, which released a report on the committee’s Gaetz investigation in danger because the committee does not have jurisdiction over former members of Congress. Among the new allegations: A lawyer for two women who testified before the Ethics Committee, Joel Leppard, said his clients told the committee that Gaetz paid them for sex, and that one of his clients said she saw Gaetz having sex with a minor. Venmo receipts allegedly showing payments Gaetz made to people involved in sex parties he allegedly attended and other records detailing payments to the two female ethics committee witnesses were also made public in reports by ABC News and New York Times. Gaetz has denied all allegations against him.

Further reading

Gaetz retires as Trump’s Attorney General Pick (Forbes)

Matt Gaetz Controversy Explained: Sexual Abuse Allegations Sink Trump’s Attorney General Nominee (Forbes)

Gaetz Confirmation Battle: Report on sexual misconduct allegations held up by ethics panel — but House could force its release (Forbes)

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