Evening Report — GOP senators in their own words on Gaetz

Evening Report

Thursday, Nov. 14

Washington in uproar over Gaetz

President-elect Trump’s nomination of former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) for attorney general is drawing widespread scrutiny in Washington.

Gaetz's nomination immediately put newly-elected Senate GOP Leader John Thune (S.D.) in a bind, while sending the news media into a frenzy around whether Republicans would vote to confirm a pick who has racked up a long list of enemies in both parties since entering the House in 2017.

The nomination also provoked questions about the fate of a House ethics investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct by Gaetz, which appears to be on ice after he abruptly resigned from Congress on Wednesday.

Republicans will have a 53-47 majority in the Senate, so Gaetz can only afford three defections, unless Trump and Thune decide to do away with historical norms by confirming him through a recess appointment.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS: GOP SENATORS ON GAETZ

Republicans have been hounded by the press since the AG announcement.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said Gaetz is “not a serious candidate.”
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said she was "shocked" by the nomination. “There will be many, many questions raised” at Gaetz’s hearing “if in fact the nomination goes forward,” she said.
Sen. Thom Thillis (R-N.C.) said Gaetz has “a lot of work to get to 50.”
Thune said he was unsure if Gaetz could be confirmed: “I don’t know until we start the process, and that’s what we intend to do with him and all the other potential nominees."
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) told ABC News he "absolutely" wants to review the results of the House Ethics Committee investigation.

Meanwhile:

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Republicans need to “give Matt a chance.”
Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) warned Republicans against bucking Trump, saying there will be penalties for those that vote against one of his Cabinet picks: "We’re gonna try to get you out of the Senate."
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), who went on a tear against Gaetz for leading the charge to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) last year and told lurid stories about the House Republican, said on CNN this week: “We’ve had our differences…I completely trust President Trump’s decision-making on this one...There are a lot of questions that are going to be out there, he’s got to answer those questions. Hopefully he’s able to answer those questions right, and if he can, we’ll go through the confirmation process.”

DEMOCRATS ARE IRATE

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called on the House Ethics Committee to release its report on Gaetz: “We cannot allow this valuable information from a bipartisan investigation to be hidden from the American people.”
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) called the nomination a “red alert moment for American democracy.”
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) said Trump was “trolling” with the nomination: “Even the Republicans know who [Gaetz] is.”

💡Perspectives:

• The Hill: The mainstream press still doesn't understand Trump.

• UnHerd: The left should welcome Gaetz as attorney general.

• Slate: The GOP conclave is over and a new McConnell has been chosen.

Read more:

• Trump bewilders Senate GOP with Gaetz pick.

• Thune seeks to squash concerns he can't work with Trump.

Welcome to Evening Report! I'm Jonathan Easley, catching you up from the afternoon and what's coming tomorrow. Not on the list? Subscribe here.

CATCH UP QUICK

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been tapped to lead the Department of Health and Human Services in the incoming Trump administration.
Florida is suing FEMA for discriminating against homes with Trump signs in the yard during Hurricane Milton.
The FBI raided the home of Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan. The crypto-based prediction market startup was a popular betting platform for the U.S. election.
Former Pentagon officials testified in front of a House panel this week about UFOs, saying "we are not alone." Lawmakers heard testimony about a hidden UAP trove and a "secretive arms race."
A $1 billion proposal is the latest plan to refurbish and save the iconic Houston Astrodome.

NEWS THIS AFTERNOON

Trump gets blowback for Gabbard, Hegseth picks

President-elect Trump’s attorney general pick isn’t the only Cabinet selection getting blowback.

Trump’s picks of Tulsi Gabbard to be his Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and Pete Hegseth for Defense secretary have Democrats and Washington careerists in knots, while underscoring the president-elect’s disdain for the national security establishment that he believes sought to undermine his first term in office.

Gabbard was an Army platoon leader stationed in Kuwait, finishing her career as a lieutenant colonel. She represented Hawaii’s 2nd District in the U.S. House for four terms, while undergoing a political transformation that took her from supporting Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) for his two presidential runs, to backing Trump in 2024.
Gabbard has been shunned by the national security firmament in Washington for her heterodox foreign policy views. Gabbard has been critical of Ukraine and blamed Russia’s military provocation on the West. Gabbard also visited Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and cast doubt on his use of chemical weapons.
Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), a former CIA official, said on X: "I am appalled at the nomination of Tulsi Gabbard to lead DNI. Not only is she ill-prepared and unqualified, but she traffics in conspiracy theories and cozies up to dictators like Bashar-al Assad and Vladimir Putin."

Hegseth, Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Defense, is a decorated veteran and only 44 years old. But his time as an anchor on Fox News will give opponents hours of tape to dredge up during his confirmation hearing.

Democrats have honed in on his promise to purge “woke” generals and his opposition to women in combat roles.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), a Purple Heart recipient who lost her legs when her helicopter was hit by a grenade in Iraq, told CNN: “He doesn’t think women should be in combat and that he wants to be able to fire the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I ask him, how does that strengthen our nation’s military?…Where do you think I lost my legs?”

Washington insiders are also closely watching to see what Elon Musk and tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy will do at the newly minted “Department of Government Efficiency," which Trump has described as "the Manhattan Project of our time."

Here’s how Ramaswamy described their mission to Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity: “We want to go in and slash and burn that bureaucracy to help Americans, stimulate the economy and to restore self-governance again…The people we elect to run the government — they’re not even the ones who run the government anymore. It’s these unelected bureaucrats.”

💡Perspectives:

• The Wall Street Journal: Elon and Vivek can make government work again

• The Hill: How states can protect public health from a fringe federal takeover

• Vox: Could Trump actually get rid of the Department of Education?

• City Journal: America’s cities want to be great again

Read more:

• Trump whirlwind lands in Washington with stunning moves.

• From Bernie backer to Trump nominee, what to know about Gabbard.

• 5 things to know about Pete Hegseth.

• RFK Jr. faces hurdles in push against fluoride in water.

• Some in MAGA world don’t like Rubio for Secretary of State.

ON TAP

Biden arrives this evening in Lima, Peru for the APEC summit.

33 days until electors vote in their states.

36 days until the government funding deadline.

50 days until the new Congress begins and the House leadership elections.

53 days until Congress counts the electoral votes.

67 days until Inauguration Day.

IN OTHER NEWS

Washington roundup: Harris campaign financial woes; split-ticket voting fallout

Vice President Harris’s $1 billion campaign machine finished the election cycle carrying debt, according to NBC News. The Harris campaign is still sending out emails and texts to raise money, despite last week’s election loss. NBC reports on the clashes, confusion and secrecy around the Harris campaigns finances, which reportedly cut multimillion-dollar checks to organizations run by the celebrities who appeared with her during the campaign.
Split-ticket voting in key swing states protected Democrats from an electoral bloodbath on Election Day. Democrats won hotly contested Senate seats in states that President-elect Trump carried, including Arizona, Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin. Those races could end up being significant, as Trump tries to confirm a handful of controversial Cabinet positions that have split Republicans.
Republican David McCormick is in Washington, D.C. for freshman orientation in the Senate, but his race against incumbent Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) is headed for a recount. Decision Desk HQ called the race for McCormick on Thursday. Republicans asked the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to ensure ballots with missing or improper dates are not counted, accusing several counties of ignoring the court's previous ruling.
House Republicans locked in their picks for leadership positions for the next Congress, although it remains to be seen if there will be a revolt among conservative hardliners against Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.). Leadership elections will take place on Jan. 3.

Rounding out the leadership team:

Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) as majority leader.
Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) as majority whip.
Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) as chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee.
Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) as House GOP conference chair.
Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.) as policy chair.
House Republicans also struck a deal to make it harder to oust the Speaker, as they seek to avoid a repeat of the drama between former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).

💡Perspectives:

• The Hill: Democratic elites must own their loss.

• The Nation: Liz Cheney was an electoral fiasco for Harris.

• USA Today: Progressives insult Americans because Trump won.

Read more:

• Senate Dem sees a chance of more Ukraine funding in lame duck.

• New York’s Espaillat running unopposed for Hispanic Caucus chair.

Stay Engaged

Did I miss a story? Drop me a line: jeasley@thehill.com. Follow TheHill.com for the latest and recommend us to others: TheHill.com/Evening. See you next time.