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For almost two years, J.D. Vance’s role in Congress went largely unnoticed. As a freshman Senator from Ohio, the Republican—who has transitioned from a finance career to a bestselling author and prominent Trump supporter—often flew under the radar. However, this week marked a turning point as Vance found himself in the spotlight, moving through the Senate corridors on Wednesday to convince his colleagues to set aside their significant concerns about one of Trump’s contentious Cabinet nominees. He returned on Thursday to champion a different nominee facing similar challenges.
Vance’s urgent mission was to rescue the nominations of former Representative Matt Gaetz for Attorney General and weekend host of Fox and Friends, Pete Hegseth, for Secretary of Defense. Both nominees faced serious allegations, including sexual misconduct, and had backgrounds that would have led to their nominations being dismissed outright in a pre-Trump political environment.
So far, Vance’s endeavors have produced mixed outcomes—he’s succeeded with one but failed with the other. Despite Trump’s team claiming productive discussions, the opposition to Gaetz proved too strong to overcome. On Thursday, Gaetz announced his decision to withdraw from the nomination, highlighting potential limitations to Trump’s sway and suggesting that Senate Republicans may not always comply with the President-elect’s push for seemingly unfit candidates. The absence of a hearing for Gaetz illustrates that he might be among the first to fall victim to Trump’s initial choices, as Senators appear to be signaling their diminishing tolerance for Trumpism.
Gaetz’s nomination for the nation’s top law enforcement position was predictably doomed, even with Trump’s endorsement.
Gaetz is currently under investigation by former House colleagues over serious allegations related to sex, drugs, finances, and minors. In an attempt to halt the ethics panel’s investigation, he resigned just days before a report was due. Lawmakers are still weighing the panel’s conclusions; they convened on Wednesday while Gaetz was present but did not reach a decision, planning to meet again in December, although the urgency may have waned following his nomination’s collapse. The Department of Justice also looked into similar allegations against Gaetz but chose not to press charges. Additionally, even some Republican colleagues have expressed doubts about Gaetz’s suitability for the chief law enforcement officer role, given his reputation as a pro-Trump firebrand and his lack of experience managing large organizations.
Yet, this defiance appears to align with Trump’s criteria for Cabinet selections in his second term. Historically critical of conventional qualifications, Trump seems intent on breaking norms and asserting that anything goes—at least until it doesn’t.
Consider the following:
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Pete Hegseth, who has served nearly twenty years with the Army National Guard across Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo Bay, has been accused of paying a woman who alleged he sexually assaulted her during a 2017 meeting of the California Federation of Republican Women in Monterey. A police report indicates that the accuser feared she had been drugged, as reported by The Washington Post. Hegseth has denied these allegations and has never faced criminal charges. Furthermore, questions arise about his capability to lead the largest institution worldwide, which employs 3 million military and civilian personnel. Critics also point to tattoos that some link to white Christian nationalism, along with his advocacy for pardoning military personnel accused of war crimes.
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Copyright © 2024 Casson Living.
Linda McMahon, Trump’s pick for Secretary of Education, is entangled in a civil lawsuit with her husband, Vince McMahon, alleging that their WWE organization failed to safeguard 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 concerning her husband’s alleged sexual misconduct and trafficking, lawmakers have questioned her qualifications to lead the U.S. Department of Education, which Trump has vowed to dismantle. Notably, she inaccurately claimed to have a degree in education in 2009, when she only possesses a teaching certificate.
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Copyright © 2024 Casson Living.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a political figure with a controversial background, is under consideration for the role of Secretary of Health and Human Services, granting him substantial authority over public health despite his well-documented skepticism of vaccine science and ties to various conspiracy theories. Kennedy has also faced allegations of sexually assaulting a family nanny in the 1990s. He responded by stating he had no recollection of the incident but later issued a text apology. “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,” he remarked over the summer. Additionally, he has reportedly had an affair with a journalist.
Then there’s Elon Musk, the wealthiest individual globally, featured in our latest TIME cover story. Although Musk doesn’t hold an official role in the incoming government, he remains a significant player in Trump’s shifting circle of loyalists. However, he is not without his own allegations, including wrongful terminations due to hostile work environments and claims of offering a horse in exchange for an erotic massage. Numerous reports detail alleged sexual interactions between Musk and his employees.
It’s essential to recognize that the rest of Trump’s potential Cabinet doesn’t boast significantly higher qualifications; they merely lack the same level of personal controversies. For instance, former Representative Tulsi Gabbard, a veteran, has left intelligence experts confused regarding Trump’s interest in appointing her as his chief intelligence adviser. Her past sympathetic comments about Russia and Syria have raised concerns about her judgment, with Hillary Clinton previously accusing her of being a “Moscow puppet.” Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, who served during Trump’s initial term, recently labeled Gabbard a “Russian, Iranian, Syrian, Chinese sympathizer.”
Additionally, Dr. Mehmet Oz is under consideration to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a massive agency responsible for significant entitlement programs and public health initiatives. The former television personality, who ran unsuccessfully 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 excels at selling a product on camera, as demonstrated by his televised “physical” exam of Trump in 2016.
Overall, this group seems ill-equipped to assist Trump in sustaining a narrow governing majority in Washington. The GOP-controlled House may hinge on a few crucial votes, while the Senate offers Republicans only a slim margin for nominations. Major legislation requiring 60 votes will necessitate the support of seven lawmakers who typically align with Democrats. Advancing nominees with accusations of sexual assault, misconduct allegations, or extreme ideologies is unlikely to win over cautious lawmakers—whether they are part of the President’s team or his administration.
This scenario feels reminiscent of previous events. In 2018, Trump successfully nominated Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, sparking a contentious battle in Washington following the #MeToo movement. The Senate ultimately confirmed him by a narrow 50-48 vote, despite allegations of sexual assault from his high school days. This conflict highlighted how little progress had been made regarding the treatment of women and the consequences faced by some men for their actions.
It’s important to remember that the President who championed Kavanaugh’s nomination and remained steadfast amid controversies is the same individual who rose to power following the release of a tape in which he bragged about his own sexual assaults.
Now, six years later, Trump stands ready 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 this backdrop, he seeks candidates who reflect his persona: charismatic in front of the camera, skeptical of facts, and comfortable dismissing their own questionable pasts. In this context, Vance’s allies in Congress might fit seamlessly into Trump’s vision, though they may not serve the best interests of their fellow Republicans, as demonstrated by the fallout from Gaetz’s nomination, indicating that Senators are beginning to recognize this reality.
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