During the finale of the 11th season of Last Week Tonight, John Oliver humorously commented that Matt Gaetz, the Florida Republican put forward by President-elect Donald J. Trump to be the next Attorney General, was voted “Most likely to not be allowed within 500 feet of here” by his high school peers, despite an ongoing House ethics investigation into his alleged sexual misconduct.
However, this pales in comparison to the genuine disdain Gaetz has stirred among his Republican peers in Congress, as Oliver wryly observed: “That selection was so radical even conservatives were left scratching their heads.”
Last Week Tonight then showcased some Republican reactions to Gaetz’s nomination, including comments from former Fox News host Geraldo Rivera, who stated on News Nation: “When I found out Matt Gaetz was chosen for attorney general, I nearly lost my lunch.”
New York Congressman Mike Lawler also expressed to CNN last week: “I’m fairly certain I referred to him as a clown and a fraud.”
John Bolton, former National Security Adviser to Trump, remarked during an NBC Meet The Press interview that Gaetz “might be the worst nomination for a cabinet role in the history of America.”
“Well, it could?” Oliver suggested in response to Bolton’s clip. “But brace yourselves. Because the worst [blank] in American history will be this administration’s modus operandi moving forward. So prepare for the most disastrous Easter egg roll in history. The Easter Bunny will be aflame.”
Brett Hartl, the director of governmental affairs for the Center for Biological Diversity, quipped to Politico: “Fortunately, all our environmental regulations are older than 18, so Rep. Gaetz likely won’t take much interest in them.” Oliver applauded Hartl’s comment, deeming it “a sharp remark, and also profoundly grim,” especially in light of the ongoing House investigation into claims that Gaetz had “engaged in sexual misconduct and used illegal drugs. That report was expected to be published this week, but was effectively quashed when he unexpectedly resigned to assume the role of the nation’s chief law enforcement officer.”
Oliver pointed out that some details from the investigation have already surfaced, including testimony from one witness who claimed to have had sex with Gaetz when she was 17, and another who asserted she witnessed the event. The former Florida representative has refused to acknowledge any of the allegations.
Yet, as Oliver also highlighted, certain U.S. Senators are still hesitant to disclose their voting intentions regarding Gaetz’s confirmation, including the perennially “shocked” and “worried” Susan Collins (R-Maine), John Cornyn (R-Tex.), Lindsey Graham (R-Ga.), and John Kennedy (R-La.). In contrast, Gaetz’s colleagues in the House are more outspoken, with Lawler and Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) reacting to a question about Gaetz’s qualifications with: “Are you kidding me, that you just asked that? No!”
“Which is undeniably the right reaction to the notion that this individual might become attorney general,” Oliver responded. “A man my lawyers insist I cannot refer to as Jeffrey Epstein even if he vacationed on notoriously less desirable beaches, so I won’t.”
