Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) expressed powerful support for President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), amid allegations of sexual impropriety, drug utilize and other forms of misconduct. His comments came after a meeting with Gaetz and Vice President-elect JD Vance.
In a post on He urged other senators not to convict the nominee based on unconfirmed allegations.
“I fear that the process surrounding the Gaetz nomination will turn into an angry mob and unconfirmed allegations will be treated as if they were true,” Graham wrote.
Like others defending Gaetz, Graham pointed out that he was never charged with a crime after a lengthy investigation by the Justice Department.
“I would also urge my colleagues to return to established practice, obtain relevant information, and give the nominee an opportunity to make his case for why he should be confirmed,” the lawmakers 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 ensuring that the process can move forward in line with past practices and fundamental fairness. This process will not…
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) November 20, 2024
During a call with reporters on Tuesday, Graham insisted that “no one should be disqualified based on a media report.”
One of the reporters replied, “It’s more of an investigation.”
Graham replied: “And they got no further.”
GROSS: Lindsey Graham defends Matt Gaetz and checks the facts live on CNN. pic.twitter.com/w0cGlY5bV1
– Breaking911 (@Breaking911) November 19, 2024
Gaetz’s nomination was considered not only by Senate Democrats but also by 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 asked whether President-elect Donald Trump is influencing Johnson’s stance against the release of the House Ethics Committee report on the nominee have.
“The president and I have literally not said a single word about the ethics report, not once,” Johnson said.
The spokesman argued that the report should remain secret because Gaetz resigned from Congress shortly after his nomination was announced. “The jurisdiction of the House Ethics Committee does not extend to non-members of Congress,” Johnson emphasized. “I think it would be a Pandora’s box.”
Senior Justice Department and FBI officials have reportedly hired a lawyer in anticipation of possible 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 contain statements about an alleged sexual encounter with a 17-year-old girl. The DOJ declined to prosecute this case due to credibility concerns regarding one of the witnesses, former Florida politician Joel Greenberg, who “admitted to making up sexual allegations against another political rival.”
