As some Senate Republicans privately and publicly express doubt that former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz has enough support to be confirmed as attorney general, President-elect Donald Trump and his allies are beginning to float workarounds if the former Florida congressman doesn’t have the votes.
Trump can only afford three defections within the Senate Republican conference to get his picks confirmed with the GOP’s 53-seat majority in the 119th Congress.
Four opposed Republican senators would be enough to sink any of his nominees, and two centrists, Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), have already expressed reservations about Gaetz, who has recently faced investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct.
The Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998
Some of Trump’s inner circle claim the incoming president could push through Gaetz’s nomination…
