Gaetz Pulls Out
Gaetz gone: Turns out the scandals—which may have involved sex with a second 17-year-old escort—were too much for the Trump team, which withdrew once (and future) Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz’s nomination for attorney general.
“I have decided to withdraw my nomination so I can spend more time with teenage girls and, time-permitting, my family.” https://t.co/lo7a11YQM6
— Jesse Singal (@jessesingal) November 21, 2024
I had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback – and the incredible support of so many. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance…
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) November 21, 2024
Gaetz had, in preparation for the confirmation hearings and possibly serving as head of the Justice Department (lmao), resigned from his seat in the 118th Congress. But don’t get too excited: He’s back for more, come January, as he was reelected by his constituents.
Now, President-elect Donald Trump has picked former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to head up the Department of Justice, pending confirmation by the Senate. Bondi is a Trump loyalist who “oversaw the filing of voting-related lawsuits in battleground states,” per The New York Times. Trump will also “nominate three members of his criminal defense team to top roles in the Justice Department” making clear that he will, in essence, funnel his own personal legal advisers and defenders to top positions within the government. Of course, this is just kind of how administrations work—you choose people you like and trust, who are loyal to you—but Trump has, in particular, vowed a purging of deep state enemies within the DOJ, repeatedly affirming that he intends to put an end to the lawfare that’s victimized him.
Pot possibilities: It’s not clear how, exactly, the incoming Trump administration will handle pot at the federal level; though it remains federally illegal, it’s now legal for recreational use in 24 states. Matt Gaetz as head of DOJ could have been a useful pot champion, but Trump’s replacement pick for attorney general, Bondi, is decidedly no fan of weed. Still, advocates are looking toward possible movement during the next few months, prior to Donald Trump taking office.
The Safer Banking Act, which would allow much of the industry to gain access to banking services, has some slimmish odds of passing over the next few weeks, and “one potential positive for the industry is a Biden-led plan to reclassify cannabis,” reports The Wall Street Journal, theorizing about lame-duck pot possibilities:
“Marijuana is labeled a Schedule I substance alongside heroin and LSD. Because it falls into this category,
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