“I made a list last night of 11 names of senators that I think are most likely to say no to both of these appointments, particularly Gaetz,” said McCaskill. “And keep in mind a few of these names, like Chuck Grassley, for example. Grassley’s not going to run again. He just got reelected, and he’s, you know, 90.”
“You’ve got Mitch McConnell. Mitch McConnell is not going to run again,” she continued. “You’ve got Susan Collins, who I can’t imagine voting for these people. You’ve got Lisa Murkowski. I can’t imagine Lisa voting for these people.”
He was investigated by the Department of Justice over allegations of having sex with a 17-year-old and traveling across state lines with her. The department dropped the investigation last year, but the House Ethics Committee started its own probe on Gaetz earlier this year. However, the committee’s investigation will end following Gaetz’s resignation from Congress.
Still, McCaskill noted that he might falter under required vetting.
“Anybody who thinks the FBI can’t get what the ethics committee has in the House has never been subjected to a background check,” she said. “And trust me, a background check for attorney general is not your average run-of-the-mill background check.”