Trump is determined to see Gaetz confirmed as AG despite controversies

By Kristen Holmes, Lauren Fox, Pamela Brown, Jamie Gangel and Steve Contorno, CNN
6 minute read
Updated 6:39 PM EST, Sat November 16, 2024

(CNN} — President-elect Donald Trump is pressing forward with his decision to put forward former Rep. Matt Gaetz as attorney general, despite widespread unease on Capitol Hill about entrusting the Justice Department to a figure with limited legal experience who has recently faced investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct.

Trump’s insistence on the controversial pick has drawn warnings from allies and lawmakers, who caution that Gaetz faces an uphill climb to secure the 51 votes needed for Senate confirmation. There is growing concern, too, that the spectacle of a Gaetz confirmation hearing might overshadow the priorities on which Trump has spent the last two years campaigning and for which he received a mandate to push through with his victory this month.

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