By Jim Turner ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Panhandle Republican who in recent years has become a national political lightning rod, was picked Wednesday by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as U.S. attorney general.
Trump’s announcement that he is nominating Gaetz to lead the Department of Justice came shortly after he confirmed that U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is his choice for secretary of state. Rubio’s expected nomination had been widely reported in recent days.
In a statement, Trump called Gaetz “a deeply gifted and tenacious attorney” who will end “the partisan weaponization of our justice system” and “root out the systemic corruption at DOJ.”
“Under Matt’s leadership, all Americans will be proud of the Department of Justice once again,” Trump wrote.
Gaetz quickly replied on X, “It will be an honor to serve as President Trump’s Attorney General!”
The appointment, which is subject to U.S. Senate confirmation, caught many people off-guard and immediately drew criticism from Trump opponents.
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said nominating Gaetz “is beyond catastrophic for the country.”
“Matt Gaetz is a chaos agent who cares about nothing but his own personal power,” Fried said in a statement. “He spent his eight years in Congress trying to burn our institutions to the ground — bringing us to the brink of multiple government shutdowns and constitutional crises along the way.”
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said in a brief interview with Hearst Television that Gaetz is “an interesting pick, and we’ve got a confirmation process.”
Republican Party of Florida Chair Evan Power described Gaetz as a trusted friend.
“Matt Gaetz has been a relentless warrior for conservatism and a steadfast champion of the MAGA movement,” Power said.
An early supporter of Trump and a frequent guest on conservative media, Gaetz has identified himself as a “libertarian populist” and has been at the center of several controversies in Florida and on Capitol Hill. In 2023, for example, he orchestrated the removal of California Republican Kevin McCarthy as speaker of the U.S. House.
Though McCarthy left Congress, their feud has continued to simmer, and Gaetz has remained under a House ethics investigation related to allegations that he had an inappropriate relationship with a minor and possibly violated sex trafficking laws. Gaetz has repeatedly denied the allegations.
Trump’s selection of Gaetz will lead to Gov. Ron DeSantis calling a second special election to fill congressional seats. Trump announced this week that U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., will serve as national security adviser in the new administration.
Gaetz and Waltz represent Republican strongholds. In the Nov. 5 election, Gaetz received 66 percent of the vote in Congressional District 1, which is made up of all or parts of Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties. Waltz represents Congressional District 6, which is made up of all or parts of Flagler, Lake, Marion, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia counties.
Gaetz was first elected to the Florida House in a 2010 special election before winning the congressional seat in 2016. His father is former state Senate President Don Gaetz, a Niceville Republican who was elected last week to return to the Senate.
Meanwhile, Trump on Wednesday confirmed that Rubio is his choice for secretary of state, saying in an online post that “Marco is a highly respected leader, and a very powerful voice for freedom.”
“He will be a strong advocate for our nation, a true friend to our allies, and a fearless warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said.
Rubio, who went from challenging Trump for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016 to being considered a potential running mate this year, served as Florida House speaker during the 2007 and 2008 legislative sessions before getting elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010.
Rubio was considered Trump’s top adviser on Latin America issues during Trump’s first term in the White House and is viewed as a “China hawk” for tough stances against the country.
The Republican Party of Florida quickly issued a statement saying Rubio “will ensure that the best interests of our nation will be upheld as he implements President Trump’s agenda.”
“Communist regimes around the world, from China, Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Iran, and beyond should be worried,” the statement said.
Fried described the appointments of Gaetz, Waltz and Rubio as Trump “raiding our state for any Florida Man loyal to him, no matter how incompetent, unqualified, or extreme they may be.”
Rubio’s nomination will require U.S. Senate confirmation. Rumors quickly swirled this week about potential replacements for Rubio in the Senate, with DeSantis able to name a successor.
Names mentioned have included Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, former Florida House Speaker Jose Oliva, U.S. Rep. Laurel Lee and James Uthmeier, DeSantis’ chief of staff.
Rubio’s term is scheduled to expire in 2028, but DeSantis’ appointee would serve until an election is held in 2026.
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