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November 13, 2024 - 10:35pm
Donald Trump announced today that he will elevate Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., as his next attorney general, a post with sweeping powers over the Department of Justice.
Gaetz may be known as a bombastic MAGA supporter in the eyes of the media. He livestreams, he podcasts, he trades barbs with political enemies with acidic bluster. But for those who have closely followed his legislative career, the Florida lawmaker represents a sharp break from the corporate-friendly orthodoxy of the modern Republican Party. Indeed, Gaetz’s elevation will provide sprawling prosecutorial powers for continuing his push against special interest influence and corporate malfeasance.
His record speaks for itself. From his perch on the House Judiciary Committee, Gaetz has promoted a surprisingly consumer-friendly agenda, routinely breaking with his GOP colleagues on crucial votes. He previously supported legislative measures to break up Silicon Valley monopolies, sharply regulate the online data broker industry, ban noncompete employment contracts, and an end to the practice of forced arbitration, among other corporate accountability votes. He has also taken maverick positions on reducing FBI surveillance powers, cutting certain arms supplies to Saudi Arabia and legalising marijuana.
In addition, Gaetz has staked a position at times to the Left of some establishment Democrats. In the fight over the Ending Platform Monopolies Act — a bill designed to curb anticompetitive practices by Amazon and Google — Gaetz ended up supporting the legislation, while California Democrats close to the tech industry, such as Zoe Lofgren and Eric Swalwell, voted against it.
In an era of severe political polarisation, the Florida representative has found opportunities to support actions of the Biden administration. In August, Gaetz wrote a letter to Alphabet chief executive Sundar Pichai, urging him to “adhere fully” to the antitrust ruling against the company secured by the current Department of Justice. He has called on Trump to continue a corporate law enforcement pattern started by the Biden administration. “I would hope that whoever is the next FTC chair would continue many of the cases that Chair Khan has brought against predatory businesses,” Gaetz told the Wall Street Journal.
Gaetz’s dealings with the populist Left do not end there. Not only did he push for a crackdown on the influence industry in Washington, he teamed up with Leftist firebrand Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on a demand to end congressional stock trading over concerns that lawmakers have enriched themselves using insider knowledge. “AOC is wrong a lot,” Gaetz said, explaining the bipartisan push. “But she’s not corrupt. And I will work with anyone and everyone to ensure that Congress is not so compromised.”
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SubscribeI have not been paying nearly enough attention and only (half) knew the cartoon version of Matt Gaetz. I stand educated; thank you Lee Fang.
Gaetz might be the walking proof of something I felt a decade ago. If one could get past the dramatic rhetoric of each side you might discover the Tea Party and OWS had more than a few ideas in common.
Let’s see if he gets confirmed (Carlos Danger has guaranteed that he won’t), and if he does, let’s see which version shows up for work.
I wonder if there are any RINOs bold enough to stand against the pressure the all-powerful Trump can bring to bear in the early days of his administration. I think Carlos is wrong on this score.
I haven’t been paying attention to Gaetz either – was only aware of him through the allegations that he was trafficking underage girls. Do we know if these were ever proven to be false?
Going against oligopolies and predatory behaviour will be a huge task for the new AG. There are far too many entrenched and monied beneficiaries of the current system – especially big tech, big pharma and big food.
Good luck!
“There are far too many entrenched and monied beneficiaries of the current system“. Elon Musk springs to mind, but I doubt anyone in the Trump Administration will go after him.
Never seen any evidence that Musk makes his billions by bribing politicians. Perhaps you have some?
Not to mention, Musk has come out and said that he will personally bank a primary against any Senator that decides they’re going to vote against Trump’s appointments.
Money talks in D.C., principles only whisper.
And for yourself? Who do you stand with?
I haven’t heard anything either and since he bought Twitter/X the left would have let the world know about it if there was any evidence, true or circumstantial. I will admit Musk’s wealth largely comes from the government though. I doubt Tesla is even viable without tax credits for buyers and emission credits from other car manufacturers. I’m sure one of SpaceX’s biggest customers is the Federal government.
At least he made his money by inventing things that contribute to society, unlike George Soros who made his money by driving currencies into the ground.
We should be thankful there is an alternative to the lethargic bureaucratic wasteland that NASA has become.
He has grown extremely fat off the government dollar, as far as I can see.
as far as I can see
What is it you Brits say, ‘should have gone to specsavers’?
You’re onto something. Musk’s companies would not have survived this long without taxpayer support through regulatory credits and government contracts. I don’t understand how he’s any different than the “beneficiaries of the current system”. But his rep with Trump has garnered enough good favor for him to not be lumped in. To me, it really contradicts any message that Republican Party is the party for the worker class.
I suspect that Matt Geartz is an enlightened choice for AG. No wonder Washington is going bonkers.
(The Party) “…can’t be whores for big business and be the voice of the working class at the same time…”
Bodes well.
I have watched Gaetz through many hours of Congressional hearings. He has a razor-sharp mind and the doggedness of an American XL Bully. These qualities will serve him well when he wades into the DOJ sector of the murky deep state.
Did I miss something? If Gaetz ‘represents the second most significant personnel choice towards a more consumer-centric GOP’ who ranks first?
That puzzled me too. Perhaps Lee Fang is thinking of Joe Biden’s appointment of Lina Khan, the head of the FTC. (Her term expired in September but she is staying on until her successor is confirmed.) As Lee Fang tells us in his article, Matt Gaetz is a Khanservative, along with JD Vance and Josh Hawley. They think that Lina Khan and her hipster-antitrust, neo-Brandeisian Democratic colleagues like Tim Wu, Jonathan Kanter and Barry Lynn are great.
UPDATE: No, it couldn’t have been Lina Khan, she’s a Democrat. Could he have been thinking of JD Vance?
I assumed the writer was anticipating RFKjr being appointed to FDA or something.
I think that President-elect Trump is being very clever. Think about how Mike Goetz has been a disruptive influence in the house recently. Even with the 10-vote plurality that the Republicans now have in the House of Representatives, they are still going to have trouble getting legislation passed through a continuingly obstructive Democratic minority. What better way than to elevate Goetz to a position in which he has to first resign from the House of Representatives to take the position as Atty. Gen. If he has many enemies, they are concentrating on preventing him from becoming Atty. Gen. then Trump kills two birds with one stone by nominating him: he gets him out of the House of Representatives, where he was becoming a pain to Republicans, and he then gets another opportunity to nominate somebody he really wants the second time around. This would put pressure on the Democrats ( and Rhinos) to have to confirm the second person nominated or, if they attempted to deny that one, this would paint them as obstructionists and against the total mandate that Trump was handed by the American people in the last election. So, Trump is playing the chess game, sacrificing a piece for the position, then attacking again and winning the game.
.
Unfortunately, Gaetz is a jerk whose attention-seeking behavior has earned him the dislike of Dem and Repub colleagues alike. And he has minimal legal experience, no executive experience.
So on policy choices, interesting. On character and fitness, bad.
Every good lawyer is a jerk. Usually, they’re a bulldog-type, get their teeth into a case and they never let go. The nice lawyers, however, often lose their cases (do not mistake bulldogish persistence for rudeness). Be polite, but persistent in the pursuit of your goals!
Lee Fang writes as though Matt Gaetz will be confirmed by the Senate as attorney general. He won’t. He has no management experience of any kind. He’s barely even a lawyer, since he worked for only two years in private practice. He isn’t popular among his colleagues in the House. (Or I should say former colleagues–he already resigned.) Compared to the competition for the attorney general job, someone like senator Mike Lee, Matt Gaetz is like a circus clown applying for the job of CEO.
Donald Trump may have some strategic reason I can’t fathom for nominating Matt Gaetz for one of the most important posts in his cabinet. Or Donald Trump may be as crazy as Joe Biden and thinks this appointment makes sense somehow. From what I’ve seen today, I suspect the latter. But one way or another, Matt Gaetz will not be the attorney general of the United States. I guarantee it.
UPDATE: I listened to what Democratic senator John Fetterman had to say about this and think he is right. Donald Trump is just trolling us with this nomination of Matt Gaetz. He knows it’s not going to happen, but he enjoys causing chaos and seeing the reaction. So he’s not crazy. But I do think it is out of line. He shouldn’t play around with Republican senators — he’s going to need their help.
Agreed 100%. This is kind of a tactical rope-a-dope. Gaetz is a stalking horse, a diversion, a sacrificial ambit claimt.The ‘Swampists’ will push back, hysterically hard, clogging up the hearing, and Trump will be able to sneak through all his other picks while ditching Gaetz, maintaining his sense of outsiderhood and playing the Est. GoP figures who still most despise him and threaten his power for total suckers.
Got to admit – ruefully – he is a hell of a hustler.
I agree. My hope is that Trump is playing to his most conservative supporters and when Gaetz fails to get his appointment through the Senate, he will nominate a better candidate. The rumors here in Florida are that he’s been eyeing the governor’s post when DeSantis is termed out in Jan 2027.
A Dem Congressman was interviewed on CNN as to how this pick could even have been made, questioning Gaetz’s competence. The Congressman said he is a fiercely competent person. This was followed by Speaker Johnson’s presser where he said Gaetz is one of the most intelligent people in the Congress. Should be interesting to see how things play out. I bet you would have counted Trump out last May too.
“Guarantee” is a big word….
If the Senate confirmed Matt Gaetz to be the top attorney in the United States they would be an international laughingstock. The guy’s experience as a lawyer is 2 years as a rank associate at a run-of-the-mill law firm. And he would be in charge of hundreds of the most powerful, experienced lawyers in the country?
The current attorney general Merrick Garland was nominated to the Supreme Court. Before that he was one of the top judges in the country. Before that he was one of the top prosecutors in the country. And Donald Trump thinks Matt Gaetz can do his job?
Guarantee is a strong word, but not in this case. Donald Trump is degrading senators to see who will kneel down to him. It’s not going to work. But shame on him for pulling a stunt like this.
What you say about Attorneys General doesn’t seem all that strange to those of us from countries with the Westminster System of government. They are always elected politicians from the ruling party, and whilst they should be legally qualified (if they are not, they are called “Minister of Justice” rather than “Attorney General”, significant private practice experience is not common).
That’s a good point. In many countries the heads of agencies are ministers who are not expected to have expertise or experience in their fields. The appointments are political.
The United States has traditionally been different. The first American president George Washington had a four-man cabinet filled with stellar people: secretary of state Thomas Jefferson, secretary of the treasury Alexander Hamilton, secretary of war Henry Knox, and attorney general Edmund Randolph. That set the bar for these four cabinet posts that subsequent presidents have (usually) tried to clear.
But cabinet posts have proliferated to where there are now 16 most times. It’s not unusual for a president to make at least a few bad picks, and usually at least one or two nominations fail to make it through the senate. And many of the nominations are more political than merited.
But I can’t think of any president who has done something like this — nominate a secretary of state who is a joke. It’s like when George W. Bush nominated Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court, only worse.
During the campaign Donald Trump’s opponents said he would do things like this. I thought they were wrong. But they were right. Matt Gaetz. Pete Hegseth. Tulsi Gabbard. Bobby Kennedy. These people have no place in a cabinet position. Maybe in some advisory commission like Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. But not as a government official.
Donald Trump’s term in office has not even begun but I can’t wait for it to end. I would never have voted for him had I known he would be this foolish. Now I’m the fool, being told “I told you so” by those who were smarter.
What was Trump’s experience in politics before he became POTUS? And look at his success. There have been many,many highly credentialed people who have been disasters in their new jobs. Joe Biden, Alejandro Mayorkas and Lloyd Austin come to mind.
Don’t forget the chunky generals and admirals who report to work in tight skirts.
There have been highly qualified people who have been disasters in their jobs. That’s no reason to hire someone unqualified.
If I were hiring someone to be chief legal officer for a public company, do you think I would hire someone like Matt Gaetz? No. He doesn’t have the resume to even be considered.
And Garland was one of the most clueless hacks to ever be in the office. Your comment is like the exception that goes on to prove the rule.
Aren’t we finishing up a 4 year term of Biden, a D-class intellect with dementia, and Harris, a DEI mediocrity unsuited to be a principal of a large HS? Let’s also not forget Blinken, Austin, Mayorkas. Is anyone’s confidence inspired? Anyone proud?
You should look up the ages and occupations of the Founding Fathers in 1776.
Our government has massive problems and is almost hopelessly corrupt. I feel like I am watching the American Revolution 2.0. Who’s with me?
You are indeed watching the American Revolution 2.0.
Otherwise known as the Pluto return in the US Natal chart. We are in the process of either re-affirming our founding principles or walking away from them forever.
You should look up who was in the first cabinet. Names we still hear 250 years later.
George Washington (president). John Adams (vice president). Thomas Jefferson (secretary of state). Alexander Hamilton (secretary of the treasury). Henry Knox (secretary of war). Edmund Randolph (attorney general).
And who do we get? Matt Gaetz. Pete Hegseth. Tulsi Gabbard. Bobby Kennedy. I’m not saying these are bad people. They are talented, persuasive people. But they are not qualified by training and experience to be cabinet members. We can do a lot better.
That some qualified people turn out to be disasters in office doesn’t mean you hire the unqualified.
Thus the word of Carnac the Magnificent, love slave of Huma Abedin.
Carlos Danger had a brief fling as an entertainer playing tthe prophetic Carnac the Magnificent on the Johnny Carson Show.
For F’s sake, get a grip. By all means enjoy the Trump victory and relish what sort of sorely-needed creative disruption some of his bolder picks might bring. But Matt Gaetz as AG?! Come on, you might as well pick Jeffrey Epstein’s rotting corpse.
Gaetz is almost certainly a serial sexual grub and he is at the very least a deeply-compromised figure who can’t possibly deal in any way usefully with the DoJ. I mean that in every possible sense. He’s also despised by most of his own party and there’s every chance he won’t last two minutes in confirmation hearings.
Absolutely Trump should select his team to leverage his eye-popping clean-sweep mandate to drain the swamp, etc. But Gaetz is one of the slimiest creatures in, and most decadent creators of, the thing in the first place.
On reflection: see Carlos Danger post/my reply. This pick is pure hustle.
And there you go repeating the slanderious lies of the current DOJ who sought to frame Gaetz and defame him. Way to be part of the swamp
Oh, Troy, if you want to die on this especially grubby hill, go ahead. But pointing out that Gaetz is not an admirable man or one you’d actually want on your team in any way, shape or form doesn’t make me ‘swampy’. President-elect Trump won a vast and sweeping mandate, mate. You can relax; you don’t need to hang on quite so maniacally tight to defending every last absurdly illegitimate camp-follower and opportunist parasite he’s happy to exploit, right?
Matt Gaetz is an unconfirmable throwaway. In engineering terms, he’s a sacrificial component: designed to fail, in order to preserve the overall machine’s structural integrity. Come on, absolutist aggression is a useful tool when you have no power, but when you’ve actually deployed it to win great power, all its continued use can do is end up eating your own side.
And here we thought all the left-wing tears had been shed.
What I said to Troy, Jerry.
PS: The notion that I am ‘left-wing’ gave me the best laugh I’ve had since Oprah claimed that a million bucks grifted by her production company from the Harris camp somehow isn’t money paid ‘to’ her. That’s the same kind of conveniently selective and hypocritical b/s as pretending that Matt Gaetz isn’t a serial grub and, even more pertinently, simply untenable as a confirmable AG nominee.
With respect, nothing was proven or charged. The Dems have a habit of “charging” and “indicting” their political foes with every charge they can think of, then using it to tar and slander their target.
Not a serious pick. Won’t get approved by Congress. Gaetz has too many enemies.
Which begs question what’s Trumpster up to you? One gets the sense he’s developed a Monty Pythonesque humour and even for his opponents it must offer some amusement.
The day before he creates a couple of non jobs in a new quango for Elon and Vivek to share and titles it the Dept of Govt Efficiency. Yes, an additional Govt dept to tackle the sprawl of Govt, and furthermore given a year and a half to produce a Report. Doh! I thought they knew where all the waste was already? Straight out of an episode of Yes Minister. And ‘to share’ !! You heard that right too. Jeez it’ll be fun watching those two egos look to out headline each other whilst dragged into a quagmire of employment law shortly followed no doubt by the mass firing of, for example a bunch of Food inspectors, followed by the inevitable salmonella outbreak somewhere. Welcome to the reality and responsibility of Govt boys. It’s not so easy is it etc. Trumpster is teaching them a lesson – don’t get ahead of yourselves there is only one Star in this operation and it’s me. Quite funny.
You still don’t get, do you? Probably never will.
Remember in Trump’s first term how he wanted Congressman Dan Ratcliffe as the Director of National Intelligence and the Senate refused to confirm him… so Trump simply appointed someone they liked even less as acting director (Ric Grennell) until they relented and confirmed Ratcliffe? Yeah, I think the Senate will eventually see the light. They are playing on the same gameboard this time around.
Trump may recess the appointment and push it through that way. It’s an option. Gaetz though will now be haunted by much greater awareness of the investigation into his sexual behaviour, which even if the Senate report suppressed will continue to undermine and be a constant source of questioning. Lewinsky never went away did it. He’s sufficient enemies just on his own side to make sure his apparent equivalent not going away.
Again one wonders if some humour in this from Trumpster – Gaetz ends up out of the House and out of government in due course with his reputation further wrecked. On balance though I think Trump just wants to trigger liberals with some crackers appointments, but poor picks usually blow back on the Head Coach.
Mudslingin’ ain’t arguin’, pal.