Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) stated President-elect Donald Trump informed a “good joke” on Wednesday when he chose Matt Gaetz as his nominee for legal professional basic.
“To the president, I say, ‘No, seriously, who is your pick for attorney general?’” Swalwell stated on CNN’s “OutFront” Wednesday. “Because this pick is a middle finger to Democrats and sane Republicans, and it’s not being panned only by Democrats.”
Swalwell stated Republicans within the House had been “clowning this pick” each publicly and privately.
“Donald Trump not known for having a sense of humor. Credit to you. You’ve landed a good joke on the country,” he stated. “But this is a position, considering what it oversees — counterterrorism, money laundering, public corruption, child trafficking — it’s worthy of being taken seriously.”
That could have been a swipe at Gaetz, who was the topic of a sex trafficking investigation by the Justice Department for greater than two years.
He was alleged to have had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old lady and to have paid her to journey throughout state strains with him. Gaetz denies the allegations. He was not charged and the case was dropped final 12 months, reportedly as a consequence of witness credibility considerations.
The House Ethics Committee was additionally investigating Gaetz, till the Florida Republican resigned from Congress Wednesday following Trump’s announcement.
Swalwell stated he hoped {that a} handful of “reasonable people” within the Senate, which can be GOP-controlled within the new 12 months, would forestall Gaetz from being confirmed.
He name-dropped Republican Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Bill Cassidy (La.) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), and prompt that Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) may also contemplate blocking the affirmation.
“I just don’t see this happening,” he stated of Gaetz’s appointment.
In a post on X (previously Twitter) about Gaetz’s nomination, Swalwell stated, “Thank you, Donald. We all needed a good laugh this week.”
