Republican former Congressman Adam Kinzinger has weighed in on President-elect Donald Trump‘s new nominee for U.S. attorney general, asserting that even “a bag filled with peanut butter” is a better choice than previous pick Matt Gaetz.
Trump announced his selection of former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, a member of Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial, hours after Gaetz, former U.S. House representative of Florida, withdrew himself from consideration on Thursday to avoid being “a distraction” amid a “protracted Washington scuffle” over his Senate confirmation.
“For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans – Not anymore,” Trump wrote while announcing the nomination of Bondi on Truth Social. “Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again.”
Kinzinger, one of Trump’s staunchest Republican critics and a backer of Vice President Kamala Harris in this year’s presidential election, was far more reserved in his praise for Bondi during a CNN appearance on Thursday night.
Chip Somodevilla; ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP; Brian de Rivera Simon/Getty Images
“Well, I mean, [Bondi is] better than Gaetz,” Kinzinger said. “I mean, you know, a bag filled with peanut butter would be better than Gaetz. So, you know, that’s uh, it’s a low bar. … She’ll probably be approved by the Senate and go on to be attorney general.”
“Trump has a right to pick who he wants generally, unless it’s Matt Gaetz,” he added. “And I think she probably fits into that category.”
Newsweek reached out for comment to the office of Trump and a Gaetz spokesperson via email on Thursday night.
Gaetz praised Trump for his “stellar selection” of Bondi for the attorney general post hours after he withdrew, touting their history of working together while he was a Florida state lawmaker.
“Pam and I worked closely together when she was Florida’s Attorney General and I chaired Criminal Justice in the state house,” Gaetz wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “She’s a proven litigator, an inspiring leader and a champion for all Americans. She will bring the needed reforms to DOJ.”
Gaetz resigned from Congress shortly after being nominated by Trump on November 13, blocking the release of a House Ethics Committee report on an investigation of allegations including sex abuse and drug use. Several Republican senators called for the release of the report despite his resignation.
The former congressman was also the subject of a federal criminal investigation into accusations that he had sex with a 17-year-old girl. The criminal probe ended last year without any charges being filed against Gaetz. He denies all wrongdoing.
Gaetz’s political future is unclear. There has been some speculation that he could be Florida Governor Ron DeSantis‘ choice to fill the seat of Senator Marco Rubio, whom Trump nominated as U.S. secretary of state last week.