Trump’s Pony Hobbled
Gaetz Out, Biondi In (Updated)
Update –
Within about three hours of this posting yesterday, the Trump transition team announced that Pam Biondi, the former Attorney General of Florida, would be the new Attorney General nominee to replace Gaetz.
Bioni has a reputation as being a very solid Trump supporter and being “tough on crime.”
Gaetz himself called her an excellent choice.
Democrats and others not terribly pleased with the existence of Trump were ever so momentarily pleased they had derailed the pick of Gaetz but in the end only had about three hours to celebrate because Biondi will most likely be rather easily confirmed.
She appears dedicated to the reform of the Justice Department – as Gaetz was - but does not have the baggage Gaetz had.
Careful what you wish for.
Additionally, the speed of the announcement shows that the Trump team understands the importance of being bold and swift this time around by keeping the opposition on its back foot and not letting it fill any media time on its own.
Florida Congressman (former now – no matter what he is saying, I’m pretty sure there is a “no backsies” rule about his resignation a few days ago) Matt Gaetz has withdrawn his name from consideration to become the next Attorney General.
Why is that a good thing?
First, he was going to have a very very difficult time getting confirmed by the Senate, even though, in January, it will be in Republican hands. Two Republican(ish) senators – Collins from Maine and Murkowski of Alaska – has already said no rather vehemently, leaving Gaetz with very little wiggle room – this, of course, is mostly due to the reports of his own rather indiscriminate wiggly.
Second, while some outlets are calling the withdrawal Trump’s first major defeat. Gaetz –as noted previously - was pretty much a throwaway nominee. Get him, that’s great, don’t, that’s no big deal.
Gaetz was nominated to do one thing and that has already been accomplished – scare the living bejesus out of the DC establishment.
Why would they be afraid, why were Justice Department lawyers considering resigning en masse prior to even Trump’s inauguration, let alone Gaetz’s installment as AG?
Because they know too much and did too much. One high-powered but seemingly rather dimwitted DC legal gun, Mark Zaid, was advising potential clients to leave the country, get counseling, and talk to their accountant ASAMFP.
It’s funny – in the world of plain old regular criminal prosecutions, fleeing the scene and/or fleeing in general is seen as something of an admission of guilt.
Also, if the Trump resistance- which worked so well at DC brunches but not so much in the real world – was truly believed in by these fraidy cat lawyers, if they really thought Trump was Hitler, wouldn’t they want your day in court to prove that to the world? Just the discovery process would be astonishing and they could leak to your heart’s content…that is before you are headed off to jail.
Wondering about how someone could pay for that? Don’t.
The number of pro bono attorneys in DC that would come out of the woodwork would dwarf the number of people who showed up at Taylor Swift’s concerts.
So, Trump showed the world that this time he really means to drain the swamp and this time he has an actual plan to do so. Again, Gaetz was a wish and/or a distraction – the DC folks have a scalp so maybe they will be bit less difficult about the rest of the nominees.
Now that Gaetz has been shown the gate, who could be next in line? There are already a bunch of names floating about but my personal choice would be Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey…and for one simple reason: censorship.
Bailey was one of two state AGs who pushed the massive anti-censorship lawsuit once known as Missouri V. Biden (now for very obscure legal reasons known as Murthy V. Missouri.)
Even though the US Supreme Court eventually - but only temporarily - ruled that the previous findings of lowers courts that the federal government has engaged “in an intentional and dedicated program of censoring the speech of those it disagrees with and laundering the process through a number of social media companies, university “think tanks,” and “civil society” foundations,” were not worthy of granting a permanent injunction against the government from doing that due to a “lack of standing.” (thanks Amy Coney Barrett, ya’ yutz.)
For an explanation of “standing,” click here and here to read how courts over the last 20 years have been using that legally specious and ethically unconscionable argument to avoid/delay ruling on cases that may irk a government official or two.
And that’s why Bailey should get the job – over the past few years he has been standing up to the deep state and demanding answers and actually getting some. The deposition of Tiny Fauci are by themselves something to behold – his memory under oath seems to be at odds with his memory when talking to the press or issuing nonsensical pandemic edicts.
Remember – the federal government is still fighting the case…I wonder how that would change under Bailey?
For the better, I’m pretty sure.