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For nearly two years, J.D. Vance’s presence in the Capitol went largely unnoticed. As a freshman Senator from Ohio, the Republican who transitioned from finance to a bestselling author to a supporter of Trump was often overlooked. However, this week, Vance found himself at the center of attention as he navigated the Senate halls on Wednesday, attempting to persuade his colleagues to overlook serious reservations regarding one of Trump’s controversial Cabinet nominees. He returned on Thursday to advocate for an alternate candidate facing similar scrutiny.
Vance’s pressing task was to salvage the nominations of former Representative Matt Gaetz for Attorney General and Fox and Friends weekend host Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense. Both nominees were embroiled in serious allegations, including sexual misconduct, and possessed backgrounds that would have rendered their nominations dead on arrival in a pre-Trump political landscape.
So far, Vance’s efforts have yielded mixed results—he’s one for two. Despite claims of productive discussions from Trump’s team, the opposition to Gaetz proved insurmountable. On Thursday, Gaetz announced his withdrawal from the nomination, signaling potential limits to Trump’s influence and illustrating that Senate Republicans might not always yield to the President-elect’s insistence on endorsing seemingly unsuitable candidates. The fact that Gaetz did not even receive a hearing indicates he could be one of the first casualties among Trump’s initial picks, as Senators demonstrate that their patience with Trumpism has its limits.
The nomination of Gaetz, for the nation’s top law enforcement role, was as predictably doomed as it was endorsed by Trump. Gaetz is currently under investigation by former House colleagues over allegations involving sex, drugs, finances, and minors. In a bid to halt the ethics panel’s inquiry, he resigned just days before a report was expected. Lawmakers are still deliberating on the panel’s findings; they met on Wednesday while Gaetz was present but did not reach a conclusion, planning to reconvene in December, although the urgency may have diminished with his nomination collapse. The Department of Justice also investigated Gaetz on similar allegations but did not file charges against him. Additionally, even some Republican colleagues have questioned whether Gaetz, with his reputation as a pro-Trump provocateur and lack of experience managing a large organization, would be suitable as the nation’s chief law enforcement officer.
Yet, this defiance seems to align with Trump’s criteria for Cabinet picks in his second term. Long critical of conventional qualifications, Trump appears determined to challenge norms and assert that nothing is off-limits—at least until it is.
Consider the following:
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Pete Hegseth, who has served nearly two decades with the Army National Guard in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo Bay, has admitted to paying a woman who accused him of sexual assault, specifically rape, during a 2017 meeting of the California Federation of Republican Women in Monterey, California. A police report indicates that the accuser feared she had been drugged, as reported by The Washington Post. Hegseth has denied the accusations and has never faced criminal charges. Furthermore, there are doubts about his capability to lead the largest institution in the world, which employs 3 million military and civilian personnel. There are also concerns about tattoos some critics claim are linked to white Christian nationalism and his advocacy for pardoning service members accused of war crimes.Copyright © 2024 Casson Living .
Linda McMahon, Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Education, is facing a civil lawsuit along with her husband, Vince McMahon, alleging that their WWE organization failed to protect teenage “ring boys” from sexual abuse. These allegations, which the McMahons deny, date back to the 1970s and early 1990s. While Linda is not implicated in a separate criminal investigation involving her husband’s alleged sexual abuse and trafficking, lawmakers have raised questions about her qualifications to lead the U.S. Department of Education, which Trump has pledged to dismantle. Notably, she incorrectly claimed to possess a degree in education in 2009, whereas she only has a teaching certificate.Copyright © 2024 Casson Living .
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a political figure with a controversial history, is being considered for the role of Secretary of Health and Human Services, granting him significant authority over public health despite his long-standing skepticism of vaccine science and alignment with various conspiracy theories. Kennedy has also faced accusations of sexually assaulting a family nanny in the 1990s. In response, he stated he had no memory of the incident but later apologized via text. “I mentioned in my announcement speech that I have numerous skeletons in my closet; if they could all vote, I could run for king of the world,” Kennedy remarked over the summer. Additionally, he has reportedly engaged in an affair with a journalist.
Then there’s Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest man, featured in our latest TIME cover story. Although Musk does not have an official position in the incoming government, he remains a prominent figure in Trump’s ever-changing circle of loyalists. However, he has his own share of allegations, ranging from wrongful terminations due to hostile work environments to claims of offering a horse in exchange for an erotic massage. Numerous reports detail alleged sexual interactions between Musk and his employees.
It’s important to note that the rest of Trump’s potential Cabinet is not significantly more qualified; they simply aren’t as entangled in personal controversies. For example, former Representative Tulsi Gabbard, a veteran, has baffled intelligence experts with Trump’s interest in appointing her as his top intelligence adviser. Her past sympathetic remarks about Russia and Syria have raised red flags about her judgment, with Hillary Clinton previously accusing her of being a “Moscow puppet.” Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, who served in Trump’s initial term, labeled Gabbard a “Russian, Iranian, Syrian, Chinese sympathizer” on Wednesday.
Moreover, Dr. Mehmet Oz is being considered to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a massive agency responsible for significant entitlement programs and public health initiatives. The former television personality, who unsuccessfully ran for the Senate in 2022, lacks experience in managing a large bureaucracy like CMS and has seen his medical reputation tarnished after years of promoting products and advice deemed unsupported by scientific evidence. Nevertheless, like others on this list, he knows how to sell a product in front of a camera, as evidenced by his televised “physical” exam of Trump in 2016.
Overall, this cohort appears ill-prepared to assist Trump in maintaining a narrow governing majority in Washington. The GOP-controlled House may hinge on a few votes, while the Senate seems to offer Republicans only a slim margin for nominations. Major legislation requiring 60 votes will necessitate the support of seven lawmakers who typically align with Democrats. Sending forth nominees with accusations of sexual assault, allegations of misconduct, or extreme ideologies is unlikely to win over hesitant lawmakers—whether they are part of the President’s team or his administration.
This situation feels reminiscent of past events. In 2018, Trump successfully nominated Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, triggering a contentious battle in Washington following the #MeToo movement. The Senate ultimately confirmed him by a narrow 50-48 vote despite allegations of high school sexual assault. This conflict underscored how little progress had been made regarding the treatment of women and the consequences faced by some men for their actions.
It is worth noting that the President who championed Kavanaugh’s nomination and remained steadfast despite the controversies surrounding it is the same individual who ascended to office following the release of a tape in which he boasted about his own sexual assaults.
Now, six years later, Trump is poised to reclaim power as the first incoming President with criminal felony convictions, having been found liable for sexual abuse in a civil case and facing indictments in various matters. With him, he seeks individuals who reflect his persona: charismatic in front of the camera, dubious regarding facts, and comfortable dismissing their own questionable histories. In this context, Vance’s allies in the Capitol may fit perfectly into Trump’s vision, though they may not serve the best interests of their fellow Republicans, as evidenced by the outcome of Gaetz’s nomination, suggesting that Senators might be growing aware of this reality.
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