Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) voiced strong support for President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Attorney General, former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), amid allegations of sexual impropriety, drug use, and other forms of misconduct. His comments came after he met with Gaetz and Vice President-elect JD Vance.
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In a post on X, Graham called for a fair and unbiased Senate confirmation process and criticized what he called a “lynch mob” mentality surrounding the nomination. He urged other senators to refrain from condemning the nominee based on unverified allegations.
“I fear the process surrounding the Gaetz nomination is turning into an angry mob, and unverified allegations are being treated as if they are true,” Graham wrote.
Like others who defend Gaetz, Graham pointed out that after a lengthy Justice Department investigation, he was never charged with a crime.
“I would also urge my colleagues to go back to a time-tested process, receive relevant information, and give the nominee a chance to make their case as to why they should be confirmed,” the lawmaker wrote.
I had a very good meeting with President Trump’s nominee for Attorney General, Matt Gaetz, and Vice President-elect JD Vance. I am committed to allowing the process to go forward in a manner consistent with past practices and fundamental fairness. This process will not be a…
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) November 20, 2024
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During a conversation with reporters on Tuesday, Graham insisted that “Nobody should be disqualified because of a media report.”
One of the reporters pushed back, saying, “It’s more that it’s an investigation.”
Graham replied, “And they didn’t proceed forward.”
BIG: Lindsey Graham defends Matt Gaetz and fact-checks CNN live. pic.twitter.com/w0cGlY5bV1
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) November 19, 2024
Gaetz’s nomination has come under scrutiny not only from Senate Democrats but also from some Republicans. Still, he has a number of defenders on the GOP side. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) discussed the matter during a heated interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, who questioned whether President-elect Donald Trump influenced Johnson’s stance against releasing the House Ethics Committee report about the nominee.
“The president and I have literally not discussed one word about the Ethics report, not once,” Johnson said.
The Speaker argued that the report should remain sealed since Gaetz resigned from Congress shortly after his nomination was announced. “The House Ethics Committee’s jurisdiction does not extend to non-members of Congress,” Johnson pointed out. “I think that would be a Pandora’s box.”
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Senior officials within the DOJ and FBI have reportedly lawyered up in anticipation of potential criminal investigations under Gaetz’s leadership if he is confirmed.
The controversy surrounding Gaetz stems from longstanding allegations of misconduct. A hacker reportedly obtained sealed files related to a defamation case involving one of Gaetz’s accusers. The files reportedly include testimony about an alleged sexual encounter with a 17-year-old girl. The DOJ declined to prosecute this case due to credibility concerns with one of the witnesses, former Florida politician Joel Greenberg, who “admitted to fabricating sexual allegations against another political rival.”
