Today, President-elect Donald J. Trump announced his intention to nominate Rep. Matt Gaetz as U.S. Attorney General.

Statement of Common Cause President & CEO Virginia Kase Solomón

The nomination of Rep. Matt Gaetz to serve as Attorney General represents a serious threat to the fair and equal enforcement of the law in our nation. Gaetz is wholly unqualified for the post in addition to being an election denier and far-right extremist. This move is both shocking and alarming. Matt Gaetz’s record proves he has no place in any position within the Department of Justice, an institution dedicated to upholding the rule of law. We call on every Senator to put country before party and reject this nomination.

Rep. Gaetz has consistently worked against democracy and accountability. On January 6th, he supported efforts to overturn the 2020 election and has since continued to shield those who attempted to subvert our democratic processes. His anti-voter agenda includes pushing legislation that would strip eligible voters from the rolls, even threatening government shutdowns to enforce voter suppression.

Beyond that, his rhetoric and actions reveal a troubling history of encouraging violence against racial justice protesters and promoting dangerous white supremacist ideologies. This is not a candidate who values equality, justice, or the rights of all Americans.

The role of Attorney General is to uphold civil and voting rights protections and ensure fair justice for all. This nomination marks the first major pro-democracy struggle of Trump’s second administration. Senate Republicans must demonstrate their commitment to democracy and the rule of law by rejecting this extreme nomination.

Matt Gaetz is one of the most extreme and unsuitable choices for this role, and Senate confirmation is not assured.  We call on Senators from both parties to stand with the American people and protect our democratic institutions by ensuring Matt Gaetz never reaches this role.