GOP senators need to stand up to Trump and reject Gaetz

President-elect Donald Trump is still basking in the glow of his remarkable political comeback.
And right out of the gate, he’s choosing those who’ve been most loyal to him for key positions in his administration. 
Hicks:It’s a Project 2025 world. We’re about to be living in it.
I can’t blame him for that, nor do I want to rain on his parade. Many of his picks so far have been what Washington insiders would consider unconventional, but they’ve still been largely supported by conservatives. 
But … Matt Gaetz?
In this time of political polarization, perhaps there’s no one person who inspires such bipartisan disgust. 
Trump’s announcement Wednesday that he’s nominating Gaetz, a GOP representative from Florida, for attorney general led to a collective “ewwww” from Democrats and Republicans alike. 
And for good reason, which I’ll get to shortly. 
Even though the Senate will be in GOP control come January, top Republicans have already signaled there’s no way they will sign off on Gaetz’s nomination. This would be a great time for senators to prove their willingness to stand up to Trump when he goes too far. 
Trump has been encouraging the Senate to take a “recess” so he could bypass the advice and consent process of his nominations, which can be time-consuming.
Technically, it’s constitutional for a president to use “recess appointments,” although that authority has been curbed by the U.S. Supreme Court after former President Barack Obama pushed the limits.
The Senate should not give up the important role it plays in deciding whether to confirm a president’s nominees. And let’s face it: Most politicians like the power they have and aren’t likely to toss it. 
Newly elected Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota has his work cut out for him, balancing what Trump and his members want. Yet, it’s less likely that he’ll cave to Trump’s demands than if someone like Florida Sen. Rick Scott (the Trump team’s choice) had won the position. 
Maine Sen. Susan Collins, a moderate Republican, spoke for many of her colleagues when she said she was “shocked” by Trump’s choice of Gaetz.
And she doesn’t seem interested in giving up her role in the confirmation process.
“This shows why the advice and consent process is so important, and I’m sure that there will be a lot of questions raised at his hearing,” Collins said. 
Back to Gaetz himself.
Gaetz has largely made a name for himself in the House by being obnoxious. He orchestrated the ouster of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last year, and all his attention-seeking stunt did was create havoc in the GOP.
Gaetz so far hasn’t called for a coup against House Speaker Mike Johnson, but he’s hinted at it. 
If there’s a bright spot in Trump’s choice for attorney general, it’s that Gaetz immediately resigned from the House. When talking about it Wednesday, Johnson seemed downright giddy. 
I can’t blame him. Now he doesn’t have to deal with Gaetz.
Gaetz’s resignation is calculated on his part, too. The House Ethics Committee was days away from potentially releasing a report on its investigation into Gaetz’s alleged sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, among other allegations. 
While the House couldn’t punish Gaetz now that he’s resigned, members could still publicly release the findings. 
Separately, the Justice Department last year investigated Gaetz for sex-trafficking allegations, but didn’t charge him.
Apart from all this is the simple fact that Gaetz is not a pleasant human being. Even after he led the ouster of McCarthy, Gaetz continued to mock him and act like a bully. One fellow House Republican (appropriately) called Gaetz a “little b—-” for his antics at the Republican National Convention in July.
I’ve seen speculation that Trump may be playing some kind of chess with the Gaetz pick. In doing so, the House can rid itself of him while Gaetz’s chances of getting confirmed by the Senate seem essentially nil. 
I’m not sure if that’s true. Regardless, I hope it’s the result. 
Ingrid Jacques is a columnist at USA TODAY. Contact her at [email protected] or on X, formerly Twitter: @Ingrid_Jacques