In Congress, critics of former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) breathed a sigh of relief when he withdrew from consideration for U.S. attorney general. President-elect Donald Trump, following Gaetz's withdrawal, promptly nominated someone else: former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Among GOP members of Congress, Gaetz is controversial not only because of the role he played in former Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) being ousted as House speaker, but also, because of the sex trafficking allegations he has faced.
Gaetz vehemently denied those allegations, and he was never charged with anything. But he was the subject of two separate investigations: one by the Department of Justice (DOJ), the other by the House Ethics Committee.
Gaetz, however, isn't the only Trump ally who has faced sex-related allegations. Fox News star Pete Hegseth, Trump's nominee for secretary of defense, has faced a sexual assault allegation — which he has forcefully denied.
The Hill's Alexander Bolton, in an article published on November 25, reports that GOP senators are becoming increasingly uneasy over the sexual misconduct allegations against nominees for Trump's incoming administration.
"Republican senators are squirming over the rash of sexual misconduct allegations against President-elect Trump’s Cabinet picks, which they fear will become a focal point of Senate confirmation hearings next year," Bolton explains. "Senate Republicans expressed relief Thursday when former Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration to serve as attorney general amid allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use."
Bolton continues, "But GOP lawmakers are already warning that Trump's other controversial nominees, including Pete Hegseth, who has been tapped to head the Defense Department; Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is slated to head the Department of Health and Human Services; and Linda McMahon, who would lead the Department of Education, will also face tough questions related to allegations of sexual misconduct or enabling sexual abuse."
A GOP senator, interviewed on condition of anonymity, stressed that senators must be given a chance to thoroughly vet Trump's nominees.
The senator told The Hill, "That's why the Constitution matters. It gives us the chance to advise and consent. We just need to make sure we do our jobs. A president should have some level of deference to who he or she wants in positions that surround them but that doesn't mean it's a free card. It doesn't mean there's nothing we’re supposed to do."
Another GOP senator, also quoted anonymously, told The Hill, "There are clear signals from my colleagues that there's more trouble than just with Gaetz…. It would be awful for the Senate, and I don't think it's good for the country."
Reprinted with permission from Alternet.
