'Likely a statutory rapist': Republicans pile on Trump's latest cabinet nomination

Many conservatives, including some who supported former President Donald Trump's 2024 bid for the White House, are drawing the line at his decision to pick scandal-plagued former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) to be his attorney general.

Writing in the National Review, Jeff Blehar said that many of Trump's cabinet picks were acceptable to him but he drew a bright red line at Gaetz.

"The most obvious reason that Matt Gaetz should not, and cannot, become attorney general of the United States is that he is quite likely a statutory rapist," he contended. "And a proudly boastful one at that. This is not an exaggeration. Gaetz was notoriously caught bragging about his dating and having sex with girls to other Republican congressmen back in 2021 — and then showing photos of them to others on the House floor."

It should be noted that Gaetz has not been convicted of any sex crimes, but was under investigation for alleged behavior related to someone under 18 years of age.

Blehar was not the only conservative to point to Gaetz's alleged depraved behavior with an underaged girl as a reason to not confirm him.

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The National Review's Jim Geraghty also made reference to Gaetz's alleged deeds when asked by right-wing radio host Hugh Hewitt whether he believed Gaetz was familiar with 18 U.S.C. 1001, which makes it a crime to lie under oath during Senate confirmation hearings.

"Hugh, I don't think Gaetz is familiar with anything that involves the number 18," Geraghty replied.

The Dispatch's Jonah Goldberg expressed bewilderment at why Trump believed that Gaetz would survive Senate confirmation hearings.

"I cannot imagine why someone would vote to confirm Matt Gaetz for host at Red Lobster, never mind Attorney General of the United States," he wrote.

Conservative Matt Lewis, meanwhile, took a fatalistic view of the Gaetz nomination.

"This is exactly what we deserve," he wrote.