As he posted on Truth Social:
I am proud to announce former Attorney General of the Great State of Florida, Pam Bondi, as our next Attorney General of the United States. Pam was a prosecutor for nearly 20 years, where she was very tough on Violent Criminals, and made the streets safe for Florida Families. Then, as Florida’s first female Attorney General, she worked to stop the trafficking of deadly drugs, and reduce the tragedy of Fentanyl Overdose Deaths, which have destroyed many families across our Country. She did such an incredible job, that I asked her to serve on our Opioid and Drug Abuse Commission during my first Term — We saved many lives!
For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans – Not anymore. Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again. I have known Pam for many years — She is smart and tough, and is an AMERICA FIRST Fighter, who will do a terrific job as Attorney General!
Here’s the report from Fox News:
Fox News Alert: Trump has nominated former Florida AG Pam Bondi to become his new choice for US Attorney General, reports @BretBaier pic.twitter.com/uUWx1sS9Uv
— TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) November 21, 2024
Early reactions from social media were generally positive:
Pam Bondi is basically as solid a pick as Gaetz, if we’re being honest.
We love Gaetz because he’s purebred America First royalty, but Bondi is a silent killer.
I’m all in for it! Not disappointed in the least!
— Joey Mannarino (@JoeyMannarinoUS) November 21, 2024
Pam Bondi is a badass!
Shattering the glass ceiling pic.twitter.com/dj2rFM8m3n— heather m (@silencednomo22) November 21, 2024
I love Pam Bondi since she was AG for FL and fought against the ACA/Obamacare. She would be great in any position and maybe even as president one day. pic.twitter.com/T6YLUsR44q
— JamUSnDiT (@jamusndit) November 21, 2024
#BREAKING: President Trump has chosen Florida AG Pam Bondi to be his US Attorney General
Pam is a FIGHTER!
LET’S GO! pic.twitter.com/F6xjRUan7J
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) November 21, 2024
Pam Bondi is the safe choice for AG. She's not Matt Gaetz but she's a fighter nonetheless.
— JD Rucker (@JDRucker) November 21, 2024
BOOM!!! Go Pam Bondi for AG. https://t.co/Lev7D5vTzu
— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) November 21, 2024
As I noted on X:
If corporate media hates her, that’s a good sign.
Pam Bondi was public about her belief that there was massive, widespread voter fraud during the 2020 election and went on air to claim she believed he definitely won Pennsylvania.
She led a coalition of Attorneys General to try to take down Obamacare.
She fought against the Ukraine impeachment debacle side-by-side with President Trump.
She’s not Matt Gaetz. Not as aggressive. Not as “based,” perhaps. But I believe she’s a solid pick for Attorney General.
If corporate media hates her, that's a good sign.
Pam Bondi was public about her belief that there was massive, widespread voter fraud during the 2020 election and went on air to claim she believed he definitely won Pennsylvania.
She led a coalition of Attorneys General to try…
— JD Rucker (@JDRucker) November 22, 2024
This is a breaking story and will be updated with new developments.
]]>Gaetz resigned last Wednesday shortly before the Ethics Committee was scheduled to release the investigation into allegations of the former representative engaging in sexual misconduct and illicit drug consumption. It remained unclear whether the committee’s report would be released, with Speaker Mike Johnson opposing the investigation’s publication.
“There was not an agreement by the committee to release the report,” Republican Rep. Michael Guest of Mississippi, the chair of the Ethics Committee, told reporters following a committee meeting Wednesday.
WATCH: Rep. Matt Gaetz responds on Tucker Carlson Tonight to allegations of sexual misconduct:
He says a former DOJ official named David McGee is trying to extort is family for money
He says that the FBI and DOJ have audio recordings that will prove his innocence. pic.twitter.com/J95AEFtxsr
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) March 31, 2021
Personally, I wholeheartedly support him for the role, and perhaps if it becomes necessary I’ll make the case for why I believe he’s ideal to take on the UniParty Swamp as the top law enforcement leader in the nation. But for now I just want to add clarity to the conversation because there seems to be a lot of confusion about what happens from here.
I discussed it in detail in a segment of my show (apologies for the backup YouTube link but I don’t have it posted on my Rumble channel yet):
For those who prefer to read rather than watch, here are the four paths for Gaetz to become Attorney General. I’ve put them in order from least to most ideal.
There has been a lot of buzz about Speaker of the House Mike Johnson “forcing” the Senate into recess if upcoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune is unwilling or unable to adjourn for the required 10 days so Trump can make recess appointments.
What Johnson was referring to was a resolution calling for both chambers to adjourn. If the Senate does not want to adjourn, they can send back their edits to the resolution. If Johnson then denies the edits, the chambers are in a “state of disagreement” over adjourning. If that happens, then President Trump would decide when they adjourn and for how long.
If it sounds too good to be true, that’s because it is. This has never happened in Congress for a reason. All Thune has to do is… nothing. If he does not reply to Johnson’s resolution, it goes into limbo. Nothing happens other than Johnson being able to say he gave it his best shot.
The Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 allows President Trump to appoint Gaetz as Attorney General in an “acting” role. This will give him full power over the Department of Justice and does not require the Senate’s advice or consent.
But it only lasts for 210 days. If President Trump nominates someone else during that time, then Gaetz can remain in the role until the Senate confirms the new Attorney General, but not longer than another 210 days.
This would give us 7-14 months with Attorney General Matt Gaetz. It’s better than nothing and a lot can be done in that time. But obviously it’s not ideal for those of us who want him to fill the role for at least four years.
The option that most seem to be hoping for is a recess appointment made with a cooperative Senate and Senate Majority Leader adjourning for 11 days. This is what Trump called for before the secret GOP Senate leadership vote and all three contenders agreed to some extent.
Fast forward to today and this seems less likely, but I still think it could happen if Thune really is on Trump’s side and if he doesn’t see a path to confirmation. Gaetz can only afford to lose three GOP votes and some are saying ten or more Republican Senators are not committed to voting for him.
The reason this isn’t the most ideal scenario is because even though it’s faster than going through the confirmation process, it also opens the doors for lawfare to slow or even stop it. Trump wants the option available but he would prefer…
A SPEEDY confirmation process for Gaetz and everyone else Trump appoints is the ideal scenario. Trump knows this which is why he’s been hitting the phones to stir up support among Republican Senators.
The risk here is if Thune works at Mitch McConnell’s speed. During Trump’s first term, McConnell was only able to confirm one of Trump’s picks before Inauguration Day. Compare that to Barack Obama and George W. Bush who both had key people in place with double-digit confirmations before they even stepped foot in the Oval Office.
I neither like nor trust Thune but he’s who we have so I’m going to give him the opportunity to prove me wrong about him. I hope and pray that he can buzz through confirmations and have Trump’s team in place early. If he can unify the caucus behind Gaetz, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, and any of the other controversial picks, then Thune will earn my respect for now. If he pulls a McConnell and acts to subvert Agenda 47, then he will prove to be the UniParty Swamp creature that I believe him to be.
]]>Absolutely not.
Make those opposed to him ask him questions. Make them try to demonstrate why he’s not worthy of the position. LET HIIM DEFEND HIMSELF because he has done nothing wrong.
What he HAS done is gone against the grain and challenged their fellow RINOs with historic results. By putting him through the confirmation process they will essentially try to convict him. Consider it his first warm up match before taking on the most consequential role in the administration.
A recess appointment lets them off the hook. They need to put on public display their disdain for anything or anyone who would dare issue the proverbial search warrant for their DC Country Club. They need to tell the American people why they believe a patriot who doesn’t need the money is somehow more corrupt than they are.
They’ve tried to bribe, bully, and blackmail Matt Gaetz over the years and they’ve failed. That terrifies the UniParty Swamp because it means they won’t be able to prevent him from bringing their crimes to light. For too long they’ve hidden behind procedures and protocols while pretending like everything in the Senate is on the up and up, but it’s clear that the cowards on both sides of the aisle are more interested in protecting their own interests than the interests of the people they represent.
A confirmation hearing for Gaetz will be an excellent test of John Thune’s leadership. Senate Republicans who backed him said we can trust him. This is his chance to demonstrate that.
The UniParty Swamp is using the media to paint a dark picture of Gaetz’s chances of confirmation. Their hope is that President Trump will pick someone less aggressive, or at least use a recess appointment to keep them from having to expose themselves in a public hearing. Neither should happen. President Trump should stick to his guns, put Gaetz in front of the Senate, and make them do their job.
This is our country. They work for us. Let Gaetz go to work, starting with a confirmation hearing. I’m confident that he’ll shine and they’ll have no choice but to confirm him.
]]>Trump announced Gaetz’s appointment on Truth Social Wednesday, asserting that “Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations, and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department.” Jennings, on “CNN News Central,” said he was “surprised” by Trump’s choice, adding that it reflects the president-elect’s confidence that Republicans will support his agenda without resistance.
“Are you not entertained? I mean, this is the most entertaining transition I’ve ever seen … I’m as surprised as anyone. But what I take away from this is that this is a president-elect who is feeling his power,” Jennings said. “I mean, this is someone who is appointing people to things, whether it’s Gaetz or anything else we’ve seen today, who is feeling his power, feeling his influence, doesn’t feel like he’s in a mood to negotiate with the people in Washington, D.C. He’s here to do what he wants to do and he’s going to expect the Republicans to fall in line.”
“It is apparent to me that Trump is in a decisive mood and is not someone who’s interested in picking things that he would consider to be watered down,” he added. “So that’s my initial reaction … I mean, we truly learned about it two seconds before we came on here, so pretty wild day.”
Trump also announced he would appoint former Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard to be director of National Intelligence for his second administration in a Wednesday statement, writing that she will bring a “fearless spirit” to the intelligence community to help secure “Peace through Strength.” Moreover, the president-elect named Republican Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as his pick for secretary of state in another Wednesday statement, calling him an “Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies and a fearless Warrior.”
Trump on announced in a Tuesday statement that Fox News host and veteran Pete Hegseth is his choice for secretary of defense in his upcoming administration.
“You can’t underestimate Donald Trump’s influence over the Republicans in the Senate on this. And he’s going to be insistent that he get his government and his administration. And look, here’s the thing: He won. And he won the popular vote and he believes he has a mandate,” Jennings said. “And honestly I think he does too. And some of these picks are conventional. Marco Rubio, for instance, you know? Well-known name. But some of them are designed to shake up Washington. And I am assuming that’s what Donald Trump believes he’s doing here with a few of these folks.”
CNN anchor Dana Bash said Wednesday that she couldn’t come up with a single “example” of why governing “could be harder” for Trump in his second term due to his strong support among elected Republicans.
“That really does change the game for Donald Trump in how he can get things through, who he can get through and the kind of support he has for what he wants to do,” she said.
Trump announced Gaetz’ selection in a Truth Social post, describing him as a “deeply gifted and tenacious attorney, trained at the William & Mary College of Law” who would end “Weaponized Government.” Murphy, on “The Lead with Jake Tapper,” called the decision “stunning” and warned of “cataclysmic” consequences for “American democracy.”
“I was walking off the Senate floor just moments ago when the news was announced. You could literally hear the jaws dropping to the floor of Republican senators who are now going to be in a position to stand up to Donald Trump in a way that they have been unwilling to. I mean, listen, Matt Gaetz is dangerously unqualified, but that’s not the worst of it,” Murphy said. “Gaetz has been Trump‘s chief defender when it comes to Trump’s assault on democracy, his attempt to overthrow the government on January 6. And he has openly called for the abolition of law enforcement agencies if they don’t get in line with conservative political priorities. This is going to be a red alert moment for American democracy.”
“Matt Gaetz is being nominated for one reason and one reason only. Because he will implement Donald Trump‘s transition of the Department of Justice from an agency that stands up for all of us to an agency that is simply an arm of the White House designed to persecute and prosecute Trump’s political enemies,” Murphy said. “This is a stunning announcement in some ways, but not surprising in others because Trump told us during the campaign that he was going to use the White House to go after people who politically opposed him, and it seems this pick for the head of the Department of Justice is very much in line with the promises he made during the campaign.”
Trump also announced Wednesday that he would appoint former Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard to be director of National Intelligence. He also said he would appoint Republican Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state. He announced on Tuesday that he would appoint Fox News host and veteran Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense.
“Matt Gaetz is being nominated because he will be and is today a political agent of Donald Trump. The ramifications of this pick, this particular pick, are stunning and potentially cataclysmic for American democracy,” Murphy added. “I hope that some Senate Republicans will see that.”
Trump is facing multiple federal prosecutions from special counsel Jack Smith, but the Department of Justice is considering how to wind down its cases against him as he prepares to take office in January, multiple reports indicate. DOJ policy bars the criminal prosecution of sitting presidents.
It will be an honor to serve as President Trump’s Attorney General! pic.twitter.com/dg0iQ0bA6Y
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) November 13, 2024
Wow. Considering the string of awful Attorneys General we’ve had the past two decades, this is a big win for America.
#BREAKING REPORT: Elon Musk is threatening to fund primary challengers against Congressmen and Senators who go against the Trump agenda, per multiple Capitol Hill sources
LFG!!!
Backstabbers WILL BE REMOVED. Don’t screw around! pic.twitter.com/wR15OjSS3s
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) November 13, 2024
THIS is why the DC elites are so freaking terrified about Attorney General Matt Gaetz
He’s going to take a WRECKING BALL to the corrupt DOJ
LET’S GO! pic.twitter.com/LrGQRwbPE1
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) November 13, 2024
Attorney General will look great on you my love pic.twitter.com/p2yXnPpkny
— Ginger Gaetz (@GingerLGaetz) November 13, 2024
Matt Gaetz as AG has REAL potential. We needed a pit bull to hunt down and prosecute the deepstate. He's a pit bull.
Here he is eviscerating the current AG Merrick Garland six months ago.
Solid pick. pic.twitter.com/5ltLfJHD2e— Clint Russell (@LibertyLockPod) November 13, 2024
This story is breaking and will be updated with more information.
]]>Cuffari, whose investigations have been critical of the border crisis and security failures that led to the first assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump as well as the federal response to Hurricane Helene, has faced calls to resign after a Wednesday report from the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) alleged that he “abused his power” during “retaliatory investigations” against former employees. Gaetz called this investigation’s timing “telling” and “gross,” saying that his removal “would look like a cover-up,” according to the letter obtained exclusively by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
“You have independent oversight over the nerve center of the D.C. swamp, and the knives are out for you,” Gaetz said in the letter. “I am very concerned that Vice President Harris and others who want to cover up the open border and the assassination attempts on former President Trump will be calling for your firing and privately leaning on President Biden to remove you.”
After the report was released, Democratic Reps. Jamie Raskin, who serves as ranking member for the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, and Bennie Thompson, who serves as ranking member for the House Committee on Homeland Security, called on Biden to remove Cuffari, who was appointed by Trump and confirmed in 2019.
“In the wake of the independent and nonpartisan CIGIE Integrity Committee’s report documenting IG Cuffari’s misconduct, we call on President Biden to remove him as inspector general of DHS,” Raskin and Thompson said in a joint press release. “CIGIE’s report confirms the findings of our own multi-year investigation, which is that DHS Inspector General Cuffari misled Congress during his confirmation to become an inspector general and, after becoming an inspector general, once again misled Congress and proceeded to blatantly abuse his powers and waste millions in taxpayer dollars.”
Gaetz pushed back in the letter and pointed out that both he and FBI Director Christopher Wray object to Cuffari’s removal.
“It would look like a cover-up on the part of President Biden and Vice President Harris,” Gaetz said in the letter. “Given two assassination attempts on former President Trump, your continued oversight responsibilities related to the Southern border crisis, and now the numerous whistleblowers coming forward about FEMA mismanagement of the Hurricane Helene response, removing you might be politically convenient for those in power, but Americans would see it as a dirty trick.”
“It is telling, and rather gross, that this report comes out right before the November election,” Gaetz said in the letter. “After all, your office has oversight over parts of the Department of Homeland Security that might be asleep at the wheel as our election technology is penetrated by foreign adversaries.”
Tuesday night’s endorsement can be classified as the latter.
In a Tweet, Gaetz endorsed former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy to replace Ronna Romney McDaniel as Chairperson for the Republican National Committee. McDaniel is reportedly stepping down soon.
I fully endorse Kevin McCarthy for RNC Chair. Kevin is well organized and a very high-revenue fundraiser. He will also be well-liked by the RNC Committee.
The RNC Chair doesn’t make any policy decisions, set any agenda, or negotiate against Democrats, ever.
Kevin would be terrific.
Gaetz led the successful charge to force McCarthy to vacate the Chair. His argument for putting McCarthy in charge of the organization responsible for fundraising in a presidential election year is sound on one level as McCarthy is known for extremely successful fundraising. The rest of Gaetz’ endorsement reasoning is wrong.
To say the RNC Chair does not make policy decisions or set agendas is demonstrably inaccurate. The RNC helps pick winners and losers during primary season. They also decide which races to lean on and which to ignore during the general election.
McDaniel famously botched the last Virginia elections. In 2022, the RNC conspicuously left important races in Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Alaska with limited national party support; one can argue that the “Red Tsunami” failed to materialize because the RNC favored Republicans who aligned with moderate policies. These are just some examples of how the RNC Chair sets agendas.
Gaetz is right most of the time but when he’s wrong he’s disastrously wrong. He should declare that his endorsement was satirical and back someone who can actually help the nation instead of working directly for the UniParty Swamp.
McCarthy didn’t leave many hints about his future in his short op-ed in WSJ:
I will continue to recruit our country’s best and brightest to run for elected office. The Republican Party is expanding every day, and I am committed to lending my experience to support the next generation of leaders.
It often seems that the more Washington does, the worse America gets. I started my career as a small-business owner, and I look forward to helping entrepreneurs and risk-takers reach their full potential. The challenges we face are more likely to be solved by innovation than legislation.
Finally, the most reliable solution to what ails America is before our eyes: everyday men and women who are raising families, showing up for work, volunteering, and pursuing the American Dream with passion and purpose. I agree with President Reagan’s observation that “all great change in America starts at the dinner table.” Despite the best attempts by special interest groups and the news media to divide us, I have seen the goodness of the American people. They are what will ultimately uphold the enduring values of our great nation. We all have a role to play in that effort.
Congressman Matt Gaetz, McCarthy’s nemesis who led the charge to oust him from his Speaker role, had a one-word response to the news:
Some Republicans are concerned that McCarthy’s premature departure will leave the GOP majority in the House at a dangerously slim level. As former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Monica Crowley noted:
Republicans bounced George Santos.
Kevin McCarthy is leaving this month.
Bill Johnson is retiring.
This will leave the GOP with a ONE-SEAT majority.
Democrats would never do their voters like this.
These people don’t give a sh!t about us or the country. In fact, they revel in sticking it to us and the country.
Disgusting.
Despite the thin majority, America First patriots are generally pleased by the move. McCarthy has been one of the leaders of the UniParty Swamp since before he was Speaker and tried to sabotage conservative replacements for him after his ousting.
I, for one, am ecstatic. One RINO down. Hundreds more to go.