Gaetz Withdraws
Breaking news.
Steven L. Taylor
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Thursday, November 21, 2024
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52 comments
Breaking news from the NYT: Trump Transition Live Updates: Gaetz Withdraws as Attorney General Pick.
One down, so score one for a normal outcome.
The question becomes: how bad will the replacement be and to what degree will the truly horrific nature of the Gaetz pick help camouflage how bad the next one is?
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor Emeritus of Political Science and former College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored
A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog).
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That played out a lot faster than I expected. It has been clear that nearly everyone in the House (but not Jim Jordan) hated him. But who knows, maybe Jordan hated him too. But the House doesn’t get to vote on appointees.
I have a handful of speculations in my head about how this went down, but I’m sorely missing any facts.
Now Trump can move on to someone unquestionably better liked on Capitol Hill: Ted Cruz.
Clearly enough senators made it clear that Gaetz wouldn’t be approved for Gaetz to pull out. I don’t think it was Trump’s call – I think he’d have said damn the torpedoes etc. Now will Gaetz rescind his resignation? Was it in the works or already accepted by the proper authorities? I’m genuinely curious about what’s going to happen in the next few days.
I had a feeling this might happen as hacked info is already being released that makes Gaetz a toxic pick for AG.
I do not think Trump is playing Nth dimensional chess or anything like that, rather that continuing to support Gaetz would tarnish a bit of the shine enveloping Trump and that was unacceptable in his eyes.
Sure, his next pick will suck and be seen as a much better choice by the MAGA faithful and a bit over half of Congress as this next pick clears a low bar of not having a paper trail of soliciting sex from 17 year olds on the Internet.
Is he gone because he paid less than sex for Trump, who’s supposed to be the best dealmaker in the room? In contrast to his other picks who’ve had to pay after having sex or for trying to get sex….
The MAGAs are wailing and gnashing their teeth that the Deep State has prevailed.
This may not be the end.
Former Congresswoman Gazte may be able to back down, but the felon isn’t.
I’ve a theory of politics I call the monster theory of politics. I haven’t grounded it well yet, but the gist is that monsters act with cruelty often for no reason, or only for the sake of inflicting pain, death, and especially suffering on others. I’m thinking of movie monsters. be it classics like werewolves and mummies, or modern ones like sharks and dinosaurs*.
The other distinguishing characteristic of monsters is that they are very persistent. They don’t give up, they don’t get tired, they are never sated or satisfied. They can’t be contained, they can’t be hurt physically enough so they’ll stop. They can’t be reasoned with. You have to kill them to stop them.
So if the felon wants it bad enough, she’ll find a way to get Geatz into the DOJ somehow. Appoint her as acting AG, or force Congress into a recess, or wait for one.
For now, what I suspect happened is the Nixon treatment. The party would vote against its own.
*The Terminator can be considered a monster, except it acts for a purpose. What I dislike about monster movies, and most and horror movies as well, is the pointlessness of it all.
@CSK:
Look at it this way: how often does one gets to experience schadenfreude from the winning side’s misery? usually the winners are happy, not angry.
Yes, the next pick will be almost as bad — Nancy Mace? — but this is important. Because everyone kept saying that this was Trump’s dominance move. He’d force the Senate to do the unthinkable against their will, and then he would be able to force them to do anything. But instead he backed down. He can be beaten. It’s a small sign of weakness, but now that it’s been proven possible, there will be more.
@wr:
Maybe Trump will pick Mike Lindell.
@wr: I keep expecting a civil war to break out among Republicans, but it never quite seems to happen.
This. If there’s one thing we know about this administration, it’s that there is no revelation sufficiently embarrassing as to make one of them let go of power. Anything merely contemptible can be dismissed (or used to pwn the libs); anything genuinely horrific can be denied, even if America saw it happen on live TV.
Two and a half weeks in since Election Day and Trump’s had his first loss. Not bad at all. Suddenly the flood-the-zone strategy might not look so hot after all.
I’m wondering if it might be better that Trump’s massively deficient picks make it through to their prospective placement, since the destructive awfulness of his 2nd administration is fait au complet, and the more deficient the prospect, the more with which the system can utilize to resist. People so functionally bad, institutions have to fight back and not capitulate.
In other words, full fail over half-assed fail.
I’m still considering the brinksmanship of this idea.
@Jay L Gischer:
It would necessarily have to be an uncivil war as we have witnessed.
@Kathy:
With this spate of Republicans, when they are happy they are dangerous, and when they’re angry they’re also dangerous There’s no upside for the other side.
There was speculation almost immediately that this was a bone Trump was throwing to Gaetz so that he could resign his House seat (and run for governor) ahead of the Ethics Committee report’s release. With Gaetz withdrawing himself from consideration, there’s no justification for releasing said report and he can go about his merry way.
I have no idea what percentage of GOP Senators hire sex workers, but I’m guessing the majority are smart enough to pay for it via Venmo. As sleazy politicians go, this seems indefensible, and that might have been the death blow.
@James Joyner:
Here’s what I don’t get:
If the ethics report on Gatz won’t be released because they resigned to take up a cabinet post, then why the hell did they even run for another term, knowing the report would then be released?
Malice and dirty politics against one’s enemies is not sufficient justification now?
@CSK: When that House report is released, it will exonerate him. It’s really the deep state and the libs holding it back.
@wr: The smart move for the party might be Ted Cruz. If he looks vulnerable, and IIRC people in Texas were saying he does, it secures the seat for the party and gives him a promotion that can be parlayed into a SCOTUS appointment. Huge win.
@James Joyner: “There was speculation almost immediately that this was a bone Trump was throwing to Gaetz so that he could resign his House seat (and run for governor) ahead of the Ethics Committee report’s release.”
Because if there’s one thing Trump is known for, it’s going out of his way to help his followers, even if it comes at a political cost for him!
@Jay L Gischer: Was a conservative and a Republican for several decades. Beating “the liberals” is only job. Everything else” is secondary.
Gaetz was so manifestly unqualified and unsuitable that he was going to force the Republicans in the Senate to do their jobs and hold confirmation hearings.
Thune had expressed a willingness to go along with Trump’s demand to put congress in recess so Trump could recess-appoint everyone, but Gaetz might have blown that for him.
I have no idea who Trump will nominate instead — except maybe move his defense lawyer up a rung — but I’m going to predict that the Surgeon General nomination will go to Ronnie Jackson. He’s not a general. He’s not a surgeon. He let his medical license lapse. He’s perfect.
(Rand Paul would also be an excellent choice, having created his own accreditation rather than try to get accredited by the real one, but I don’t think Paul would give up a Senate seat)
Or maybe the MyPillow guy, putting an emphasis on how America isn’t sleeping enough. He’s also a former(?) drug addict, and so would play well to the opioid abuse epidemic.
You just know that Rudy Giuliani is bouncing up and down in his seat as he tries to get a call through to Trump to say “Pick me! Pick me! Pick meeee!!!!!!!” and wondering why he keeps getting disconnected.
Whew. At least for day the Senate managed to scrape together the minimum level of good sense necessary to reject a pedophilic, statutory rapist for Attorney General. Signs and wonders.
We can only hope some of the sanity will soon rub off on the half of US voters who think ‘paedophile, rapist, and fascist’ looks great on a presidential resume.
@Kathy:
Beginning to think Trumpers need bitterness, grievance, and resentment like normal human beings need air, water, and bowel movements.
It’s wild to watch a winning coalition celebrate victory with anger, vitriol, and depression. Is happiness too ‘woke’ or something?
@DK:
Well, they have to justify their belief that they’re patriots being persecuted.
@wr:
Yes, an itsy bitsy bit of validation for those monitoring the anti-fascist guardrails with vigilant watching and waiting, rather than with reactionary, hair-on-fire impulsiveness — as some think they should or would.
Gaetz, Hegseth, McMahon, RFK-Jr, all have sexual misconduct allegations swirling around them. Just like Trump, their benefactor.
And this crew pulls an overwhelming amount of support from evangelical Christians.
This theme has become so common, the weight of the absolute disconnect here, is of zero significance. We are well into an “anything goes” phase.
This whole quasi-Christian nationalism thing has the feel of a glad-handing, multi-level marketing, pyramid networking, but with even less ethical framework. Just lots of bonuses for those building their “downline.”
@James Joyner:
I think that we should take the speculation one step forward!
I want to start the rumor that the real play was for Gaetz to go through all of this, and then get pulled so he can…
Either (a) replace Marco Rubio in the Senate ORRRRR… for DeSantis to take Rubio’s spot and then have Gaetz become Florida’s new Govornor!
Question about this: this would be after Jan. 20, right? Because Trump isn’t President right now, in order to do a recess appointment, it’d have to be after he’s sworn in. I haven’t paid that much attention to this recess appointment nonsense because I don’t see the Senate willingly giving up their authority to advise and consent.
@Matt Bernius: Good lord, this is exactly what I meant by the potential for Gaetz to fail up.
Isn’t Lara Trump gunning for that Senate seat?
@Gustopher:
Good point!
@Jen:
Well, she said she’d “absolutely consider it.” And, coincidentally, she’s launching her new apparel line!
Seriously, though, DeSantis is said to be under pressure to choose her.
Although he resigned his current House seat, Gaetz could return in January and assume the House seat in the next Congress to which he was just elected. He may not have the support of half the Senate for confirmation, but he only needs a third of the House (plus himself) to avoid expulsion from the House.
@Rob1:
I think that’s a plus for el felon. They surround themselves with others who use sex as a means for exerting power.
As to Christians aiding, abetting, defending, and kissing the ass of such people, I’m beginning to see their religious devotion as the ultimate in moral licensing. This is something that struck me when I first learned of Calvin and predestination, not to mention notions of faith alone (sola fide) as the path to “salvation.”
Stripped of all rationalization, they add up to mean: you can sin and be cruel and rotten and terrible and hate people and all you want, and still be righteous. What you believe matters. What you do doesn’t.
Not that other forms of theology cannot be perverted or corrupted, or that they are not pervert and corrupt from inception. See the atrocities Crusaders got away with, or the Spanish Inquisition, or the trials of accused witches. Or the notion of Jihad, or the clusterfuc*s in Iran and Afghanistan, just to give equal time to other religions.
Morality and ethics are posible, but the assertion of faith or belief or Christianity or Islam, etc., don’t have a thing to do with the good. Gandhi is claimed to have said he liked Christ but not Christians, because Christians are so unlike Christ.
@Rob1:
Ok, but to be fair, they are just assaulting women. A lot of evangelical “Christians” think they barely count.
@DK: It seems to be a feature of the evangelical movement I grew up in/with that they seem to be unable to deal with the notion that “God makes his sun to shine and his rain to fall on the good and the evil, the just and the unjust alike.” They need people to be unhappy or miserable and if it’s not the sinners, then it’s them enduring and awaiting their vindication.
And they’re upset now because they can see that Trump isn’t anyone’s picture of an avenging agent sent by God. He’s just not the Michael the archangel type. He’s not even Cyrus–the Persian, Billy Ray, or Miley.
@Matt Bernius: Yeah. That works! Umpteen-dimensional chess!
Pam Bondi is Trump’s new pick for AG.
@CSK:
That’s not good. The felon knows Bondi can be bought, cheap, and will lie for him.
@CSK:
It will be a long and terrible 4 years.
@just nutha: “He’s not even Cyrus–the Persian, Billy Ray, or Miley.”
For many years I felt guilty because I gave Billy Ray Cyrus his first acting job, and created a monster. But Miley has turned out to be smart and cool enough that I’m happy to have been a part in all of that.
@charontwo: “It will be a long and terrible 4 years.”
Will be? Hasn’t it already been four years since the election?
@CSK: Is there any chance that Trump will see Gaetz as a quitter or loser and decide to throw him under the bus as a token “getting tough on pervs” distraction move?
(Asking for a friend.)
@just nutha:
Tell your friend I doubt it very much.
In case you all want to know how shit’s gonna go the next four interminably terrible years, Bondi was Florida AG and made a case against Trump “University” go away after one of Trump’s fake charities donated $25K to her campaign.
@Mikey: Darn. I was hoping the fact that she’d actually been a prosecutor and an AG was going to be…
…well, at least neutral.
@Just nutha ignint cracker: In a universe that did not contain Donald Trump, she’d be reasonably qualified for the job
But…here we are.
@CSK:
Damn. Once again, Luddite’s hope are dashed.
@wr: “Someday, and that day may never come, I will call upon you to do a service for me. But until that day, accept this justice as a gift on my daughter’s wedding day.”