Republicans baffled after Trump picks ‘reckless’ Gaetz for attorney general

Congressman decried as ‘person of moral turpitude’ amid questions over whether Senate will confirm nomination

Donald Trump’s decision to nominate the far-right Republican congressman Matt Gaetz as attorney general has sent shockwaves through Washington, including the president-elect’s own party.

Trump on Wednesday announced Gaetz as his pick to be the nation’s chief law enforcement officer in the justice department, a role that directs the government’s legal positions on critical issues, including abortion, civil rights, and first amendment cases.