DOJ Staffers Were Already Panicking, but Now It's Even Worse...
Justice Department attorneys are struggling to grasp the possibility that Matt Gaetz might become their new boss.
TroibNews 
Donald Trump’s decision to nominate Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general has left Justice Department veterans alarmed, raising concerns about a potential crisis characterized by chaos and a desire for revenge.
The controversial Republican representative is already facing pushback in Congress, raising doubts about his ability to secure the necessary votes for the position. However, regardless of the nomination's fate, it signals Trump's intentions for the Justice Department in a potential second term: he seeks a staunch supporter who will show unwavering loyalty while targeting his perceived enemies.
Gaetz embodies this vision perfectly. Despite having no prosecutorial experience and primarily interacting with the Justice Department as a subject of a sex crime investigation, he has acted as a vocal supporter of Trump. His recent appearances, including attending Trump’s hush money trial and referencing a far-right militant group, further highlight his allegiance.
Trump's choice indicates a commitment to using the Justice Department to seek vengeance against those who have opposed him. "There's no conceivable justification for nominating somebody this smarmy and this offensive for a position of such significance in this democracy other than to have a puppet and somebody who, as Gaetz has demonstrated, will do anything Trump asks,” remarked Ty Cobb, a former Trump White House lawyer.
Staff members within the Justice Department expressed disbelief and alarm following the announcement. "This is completely wild. It’s so out of bounds, it’s just shocking,” said one DOJ lawyer who requested anonymity to avoid backlash. “He’s there for one purpose: to enact retribution. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t have a grand vision about the future of the department. I can't imagine how this isn’t going to scare people even more.”
Soon after Trump's announcement, Gaetz resigned from his House seat. Throughout his four terms, he has been embroiled in various scandals and has a reputation as a contentious figure among both his allies and adversaries. He played a role in undermining former Rep. Kevin McCarthy's speakership, nearly engaged in physical confrontations with colleagues, and was involved in discussions with Trump regarding strategies to overturn the 2020 election results. Although he was investigated for sex trafficking of a minor, he was never charged and has categorically denied the allegations.
“Generally, nominating reputed sex traffickers for the highest law-enforcement job in the land is not a good idea,” stated Marc Short, former chief of staff to ex-Vice President Mike Pence.
Additionally, Gaetz's policy views are unconventional for the role. He has called for the decriminalization of marijuana, urged pardons for former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, and proposed limitations on federal domestic wiretapping authority, which the FBI argues are essential for national security.
In his announcement, Trump praised Gaetz as a “deeply gifted and tenacious attorney,” asserting that “Matt will root out the systemic corruption at DOJ, and return the Department to its true mission of fighting Crime, and upholding our Democracy and Constitution.”
However, there were immediate doubts regarding Gaetz's chances for confirmation, even in a Senate likely to be under GOP control. The choice took many of Trump's allies by surprise, as Gaetz had not been previously considered a front-runner for the role.
In the days leading up to the election, and even thereafter, observers did not see him emerging as a candidate. This selection indicates that Trump may have overlooked more traditional contenders like Utah Sen. Mike Lee and former regulator Jay Clayton, who might have been seen as more palatable choices.
"I thought the worst we could get was Paxton,” reflected the career DOJ lawyer, referring to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, another potential candidate for the position.
By choosing Gaetz over established conservatives with standard backgrounds, Trump dashed any hopes that the Justice Department during his second term might mirror the structure it had under his first term, which was led predominantly by Republicans with extensive legal experience, such as Jeff Sessions, William Barr, and Rod Rosenstein.
“If there were any people left who were sort of holding on to the idea that it'll basically be like Trump's first term, where the people who are really in charge of the department are more or less these sort of old guard Republican stalwarts … they've now been disabused of that notion,” explained former federal prosecutor Jonathan Kravis. “Because even if it's not Matt Gaetz, even if he doesn't get confirmed, it's going to be someone else like him.”
A former Trump DOJ official, speaking anonymously to express their views freely, described the Gaetz nomination as “fucking appalling.” They elaborated that “The attorney general should not be a provocateur,” cautioning that “the problem with a person like that is he derives too much enjoyment from chaos and burning the place down, and those just would be the last traits you’d want in someone in charge of federal law enforcement.”
Debra A Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
The controversial Republican representative is already facing pushback in Congress, raising doubts about his ability to secure the necessary votes for the position. However, regardless of the nomination's fate, it signals Trump's intentions for the Justice Department in a potential second term: he seeks a staunch supporter who will show unwavering loyalty while targeting his perceived enemies.
Gaetz embodies this vision perfectly. Despite having no prosecutorial experience and primarily interacting with the Justice Department as a subject of a sex crime investigation, he has acted as a vocal supporter of Trump. His recent appearances, including attending Trump’s hush money trial and referencing a far-right militant group, further highlight his allegiance.
Trump's choice indicates a commitment to using the Justice Department to seek vengeance against those who have opposed him. "There's no conceivable justification for nominating somebody this smarmy and this offensive for a position of such significance in this democracy other than to have a puppet and somebody who, as Gaetz has demonstrated, will do anything Trump asks,” remarked Ty Cobb, a former Trump White House lawyer.
Staff members within the Justice Department expressed disbelief and alarm following the announcement. "This is completely wild. It’s so out of bounds, it’s just shocking,” said one DOJ lawyer who requested anonymity to avoid backlash. “He’s there for one purpose: to enact retribution. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t have a grand vision about the future of the department. I can't imagine how this isn’t going to scare people even more.”
Soon after Trump's announcement, Gaetz resigned from his House seat. Throughout his four terms, he has been embroiled in various scandals and has a reputation as a contentious figure among both his allies and adversaries. He played a role in undermining former Rep. Kevin McCarthy's speakership, nearly engaged in physical confrontations with colleagues, and was involved in discussions with Trump regarding strategies to overturn the 2020 election results. Although he was investigated for sex trafficking of a minor, he was never charged and has categorically denied the allegations.
“Generally, nominating reputed sex traffickers for the highest law-enforcement job in the land is not a good idea,” stated Marc Short, former chief of staff to ex-Vice President Mike Pence.
Additionally, Gaetz's policy views are unconventional for the role. He has called for the decriminalization of marijuana, urged pardons for former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, and proposed limitations on federal domestic wiretapping authority, which the FBI argues are essential for national security.
In his announcement, Trump praised Gaetz as a “deeply gifted and tenacious attorney,” asserting that “Matt will root out the systemic corruption at DOJ, and return the Department to its true mission of fighting Crime, and upholding our Democracy and Constitution.”
However, there were immediate doubts regarding Gaetz's chances for confirmation, even in a Senate likely to be under GOP control. The choice took many of Trump's allies by surprise, as Gaetz had not been previously considered a front-runner for the role.
In the days leading up to the election, and even thereafter, observers did not see him emerging as a candidate. This selection indicates that Trump may have overlooked more traditional contenders like Utah Sen. Mike Lee and former regulator Jay Clayton, who might have been seen as more palatable choices.
"I thought the worst we could get was Paxton,” reflected the career DOJ lawyer, referring to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, another potential candidate for the position.
By choosing Gaetz over established conservatives with standard backgrounds, Trump dashed any hopes that the Justice Department during his second term might mirror the structure it had under his first term, which was led predominantly by Republicans with extensive legal experience, such as Jeff Sessions, William Barr, and Rod Rosenstein.
“If there were any people left who were sort of holding on to the idea that it'll basically be like Trump's first term, where the people who are really in charge of the department are more or less these sort of old guard Republican stalwarts … they've now been disabused of that notion,” explained former federal prosecutor Jonathan Kravis. “Because even if it's not Matt Gaetz, even if he doesn't get confirmed, it's going to be someone else like him.”
A former Trump DOJ official, speaking anonymously to express their views freely, described the Gaetz nomination as “fucking appalling.” They elaborated that “The attorney general should not be a provocateur,” cautioning that “the problem with a person like that is he derives too much enjoyment from chaos and burning the place down, and those just would be the last traits you’d want in someone in charge of federal law enforcement.”
Debra A Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
