I was working on a post in a desultory manner but decided to wait until tomorrow. Plus it’s snowing fairly heavily in Chicago so everything is a big mess of sloppy ice water.
BUT: this is excellent news if you have any neurons (click to read):
The NYT:
Matt Gaetz, President-elect Donald J. Trump’s contentious choice for attorney general who had faced a torrent of scrutiny, said on Thursday that he was withdrawing from consideration for the role.
“It is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” Mr. Gaetz wrote on X. “There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle.”
Mr. Gaetz, who visited with Republican senators on Wednesday to help make a case for his selection, said in the post that the meetings were “excellent,” and that “momentum was strong.” But he added that “Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1,” referring to the Justice Department.
He added, “I remain fully committed to see that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history. I will forever be honored that President Trump nominated me to lead the Department of Justice and I’m certain he will Save America.”
Mr. Gaetz was under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for sexual misconduct until he resigned from the House on Nov. 13, after Mr. Trump announced his intention to nominate him.
Mr. Trump, in a social media post, said he appreciated Mr. Gaetz’s attempts to win over senators and be confirmed as attorney general, adding that he thought Mr. Gaetz “was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the administration.”
House Republicans voted yesterday to block the Ethics Committee report on Gaetz, but the momentum for withdrawal was strong. I am glad because I always thought that Gaetz had the greatest potential to harm America among all the cabinet members, followed by Pete Hegseth (Trump’s choice for Secretary of Defense), and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (proposed Secretary of Health and human services.
One down, two to go.
I wonder if DeSantis will appoint him to fill his old seat?
Nah, they have to have a special election for the House of Representatives. Different rules from Senate. I don’t know if he will run again…..seems a bit of a stretch, “I really didn’t want this ethics report to come out so I resigned two days after being elected, but now I’m running again”
Oops. That’s right. But DeSantis could give him Rubio’s seat in the Senate
That’s a nasty thought. There was some discussion before Rubio was nominated over negotiations re the senate seat. I don’t think Gaetz was mentioned. DeSantis might want a short term filler so he can run himself when it comes open (in two years?) since he will time out on the governorship.
One down, more to go. Of course the coward clown had him to give up
I just read:
“A source familiar told Fox News Digital that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., will chair the Delivering on Government Efficiency Subcommittee, which will focus on rooting out waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government.”
She’s pretty kooky.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/comer-create-doge-subcommittee-chaired-marjorie-taylor-greene-work-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy.amp
Yup. This is the first thing I saw in the news once we (in the Pacific Northwest) got our power back. A “bomb cyclone” left half a million in the dark, and we’re just starting to become sentient again. Three hundred thousand still do not have power. But neither will Matt Gaetz have power either. Good news.
I’m thinking all of the “Matt Gaetz pulls out” jokes have been done elsewhere, I realize this is a family show.
I guess I’m dirty-minded then, because you made me cackle!
I aim to please 🙂
Matt just aims to get his money’s with
That was a sort of trial balloon. The reason it was “a distraction” is because he is smarmy, and we, the New American Revolutionaries, want people of integrity to do the damage to the Administrative State. Good riddance.
I dare say Ben Franklin engaged in smarm over in France during the Founding. He didn’t have instant exposure like we have today, however.
A rather deft political assassination on the part of DJT. Good way to rid yourself of a turbulent but popularly elected priest in Congress.
I think Tusli Gabbard belongs on this list. Putting a Russian asset in charge of National Security Information will not end well.
+mucho
What is it that makes a serving US military officer with a security clearance a “Russian asset”?
Is she inconstant? Yes. Does she lack significant executive experience? Yes. Does she take public stances that more circumspect and self-preserving politicians would avoid? Yes. But please do inform us what makes her a traitor to her country.
Her crime was supporting Bernie over Hillary. She even resigned from the number two spot on the DNC over their shabby treatment of Bernie.
Just guessing here, but I don’t think GBJames intended to literally say that she is a traitor to the US. But the reports of her spreading Russian disinformation and “parroting” Russian talking points are fairly widespread. Her sympathies are pretty transparent.
Russia knows this. It has been reported that “a commentator on Kremlin state media referred to her as “Russia’s girlfriend” and her comments have been featured on the country’s state-run TV programs”.
So… is she a “traitor”? Probably not. Should she serve as director of national intelligence? Definitely not.
To be a “Russian Asset” would mean that she is in the employ of Russia against her oath to this country.
You’re stating that a US Army Reserves Lt. Colonel’s “sympathies are pretty transparent”, meaning that she would favor Russia over the US? Or that she would send US secrets to Russia? To quote our president, “Come on, man.”
Hmm, thanks for putting words in my mouth. Sorry, I did not use the words “Russian asset”, that was someone else, and I also believe I said that I do not think she is a traitor. Let me check… yep, that’s what I said. I did say that I think, based on her own comments, that she has pro-Russia sympathies. That is not the same thing as saying she would favor Russia over the US. The job is a little more complex than just that.
In my opinion, anyone who is going around parroting Russian talking points, as has been reported by multiple sources including the rather conservative Washington Post, should not be the US director of national intelligence. You disagree? Fine.
If she is not a Russian asset, then she is a virtuoso of deception.
To use the term “Russian Asset” is a very strong accusation and would imply being a traitor, or at the very least, someone serving two different countries.
Sorry, Steven, I wasn’t implying that you said that, though on rereading my note I see it could be taken that way.
I will disagree with you, and respectfully. To me her years of service speaks well to her loyalty, and I don’t see her as being a Putin loyalist. Someone who is not afraid to voice an opinion other than the official US opinion, yes.
That said, I’m not on board with her visit to the dictator Assad, as I also thought that Pelosi was wrong to do so. She met personally with Assad, and privately. This, to me is more egregious than anything coming out of her mouth about Russia.
OTOH, if we assume she’s loyal to the US and committed to fighting against war and internal surveillance programs, then I could be on board with the pick provided she acknowledges her past mistakes. She’s certainly not committed to Republican values which makes for an interesting voice in the cabinet.
Totally
Gabbard’s sympathetic views toward Russia cause alarm as Trump’s pick to lead intelligence services
https://apnews.com/article/gabbard-trump-putin-intelligence-russia-syria-a798adaf9cd531a5d0c9329f7597f0f6
She cozied up to brutal Bashar Assad. Seems to like Putin.
Friend just pointed out that Gaetz resigned his current seat, but he was elected for the next Congress, so he can take his seat in January.
But then the House presumably would resume the hearing against him that was stopped when he resigned. I think he’s probably looking to avoid having that come down on him. I suspect he will probably think he’s better off just joining the conservative media. I hear there’s an opening at Fox…
I think, since it’s a new Congress, the process would need to start anew.
I’m looking forward to Ms Gabbard’s confirmation hearing so I can finally be schooled on what it means to be a “Russian asset.” After all, the man who wants her to be working for him has been called a Russian asset for the past eight years and he’s going to be in the White House.
Leslie, I assume the hearings will result in proof of payment for spying on the US, or at a minimum of her passing secrets to Russia because she loves Russia more than the country she swore her oath to, because otherwise the accusation would be inflammatory misinformation, something that the Democratic Party has said they are against, and something that commenters on a science-based website like this would oppose as well.
I assure you that many a heart in Eastern Europe – including yours truly – are now waiting anxiously to see whether he is a Russian asset or not.
I’m guessing Gaetz had little to do with his own withdrawal from Trump’s appointment and everything to do with Trump strategically withdrawing his nomination.
The lady is an obvious worry. Crazy.
Very good news……..looks like matt gaetz will have to move home and start the only garden he likes ………………a kindergarten. Why does Donald Trump appear to WANT to pick people that are sexual predators? If a doctor makes a series serious errors he can removed for malpractice, yet the president can do literally anything.
I think the strategy (if you can credit him with that much intelligence) is to put forth the absolute worst nominations. Then we heave a sigh of relief “well at least they’re better than xyz”. If you’ve seen the movie The Piano and were relieved that only fingers were chopped off instead of an entire hand you’ll understand.