Political Wire

SubscribeSign in
  • Front Page
  • Trending News
  • Polling Dashboard
  • Trial Balloon
  • Membership
    • Subscribe
    • Sign In
  • Sign In
  • Contact Us
Theme
Text size

Past Nominees Have Been Undone by Far Less

November 20, 2024 · 2:06 pm ET · Leave a Comment

New York Times: “The legal and ethical issues surrounding some of President-elect Donald Trump’s selections for top administration jobs, not to mention their history of eyebrow-raising public statements, are far more profound than the kinds of revelations that have killed nominations in the Senate in the past.”

“What once passed as disqualifying for a presidential nominee seems downright benign in comparison to allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use by his attorney general pick detailed in a secret congressional report, a sexual assault accusation followed by a paid settlement for his choice to head the Pentagon and an acknowledged former heroin addiction by the would-be health secretary.”

“It was not so long ago that nominees for high-level jobs and even some of the more obscure ones had to be above reproach, to the point where a relatively minor tax issue could derail them. But times are evidently changing when it comes to nominations at the dawn of the second Trump administration.”

Trump Transition

← PreviousTrump Taps Russ Vought as Budget ChiefNext →North Carolina Republicans Push to Consolidate Power

Latest on Political Wire

  • Oct 6Trump to Tie Birth and Marriage Rates to Transit Funding
  • Oct 6As Trump Voters Sour, Vance Is Changing His Tune
  • Oct 6Ex-CIA Officer Admits to Far Larger $145 Million Scam

Front page →

Political Wire is reader-supported. Join for ad-free reading, member posts and new features →

Taegan Goddard

Taegan Goddard

Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire -- which for more than two decades has been one of the nation's most influential political news sites.

More about Taegan Goddard →

Your Account

Members

For the full experience, sign in.

Become a Member

  • Join Political Wire
  • Gift a Membership

Members Only

  • Another Brutal Warning Sign for Republicans
  • Who’s Running Ken Paxton’s Campaign?
  • The Battleground Is Getting Much Bigger
  • One Chart That Explains the Midterm Elections
  • Weekly News Quiz

Word of the Day Political Dictionary

False Flag

A “false flag” describes covert operations designed to deceive by creating the appearance that activities are being carried out by groups or nations other than those who actually planned and executed them.

Read the definition →

Yesterday’s Word of the Day: Straw Man

Show me a random term

Think You Know Politics?

  • The Way It Was →
  • Yea or Nay? →
  • Split Decision →
  • Pollster →

Copyright © 2026 · Goddard Media LLC

Political Wire® is a registered trademark of Goddard Media LLC

Also from Goddard Media: Political Dictionary · Political Job Hunt · Electoral Vote Map

Privacy PolicyCorrections PolicyContact