Matt Gaetz, JD Vance hit Capitol Hill to sway GOP on Attorney General nomination
WASHINGTON (TNND) — Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are holding on to an ethics report on Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump’s controversial pick for the next Attorney General.
Vice President-elect JD Vance and Gaetz hit Capitol Hill Wednesday. They hoped to try and sway Republican Senators on the fence about the former Congressman. Trump said Tuesday he’s sticking with his controversial pick to lead the Justice Department. Gaetz has denied allegations that led to a sex trafficking investigation by the DOJ, and a House ethics investigation into sexual misconduct and illicit drug use.
Not every Republican seems sold on the Gaetz pick, and it would require four Republicans no votes along with all Democrats to sink his nomination.
I was shocked by the nomination, given the many allegations, but that's why it's important that the Senate go through its process of making sure that we have a background check," said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, on Wednesday.
The House Ethics Committee met behind closed doors Wednesday to discuss whether to release their report on Gaetz publicly or just to Senators voting on the nomination. They didn’t come to an agreement on the report’s release and will meet again in December.
“I view a public release versus a conversation about transmittal to the Senate. I think those are separate conversations," said Chair Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., before the meeting.
Some Republicans also believe that all the information they need will come out in the vetting process even if they don’t get their hands on the House report.
“Because all of those same witnesses...are coming out publicly and many more and much more evidence will be just as available to the Senate Judiciary investigators and, of course, they have subpoena power," said Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D.
Senate Democrats have asked the FBI for all documents related to its investigation into Gaetz as they prepare for the nomination hearings likely to happen early next year.