Sen. Rick Scott readies for second term with forceful defense of Trump's cabinet picks

Rick Scott weighs in on Trump's cabinet picks

As Rick Scott prepares to begin his second term in the Senate and 15th year serving Floridians. He's weighing in on President Trump's most controversial cabinet appointments and the process of how they'll be confirmed.

TAMPA, Fla. - As Senator Rick Scott prepares to begin his second term in the Senate and 15th year serving Floridians, he weighed in on President-elect Trump's most controversial cabinet appointments and the confirmation process during a one-on-one interview with FOX 13 News.

"I'm supportive of the Trump nominees," he said. "I think they are change agents. And I think they'll do their job."

And that includes Attorney General nominee Matt Gaetz, who was investigated by his own party in Congress for hiring prostitutes and who witnesses say had sex with an underage teen.

"I'm not going to respond to innuendo," Scott said. "He was in the Florida House the entire time I was governor. And here's what I saw. Smart, hardworking state rep. He led my tax cut package in 2017."

The Justice Department previously investigated Gaetz but didn't bring charges.

"The president deserves somebody at DOJ that's going to go in and say what you guys have been doing is wrong," Scott said. "This lawsuit against Donald Trump needs to stop."

The president's choices may face tough confirmation battles, given that several of them, including Pentagon nominee Pete Hegseth and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, have had their credentials questioned.

However, Scott says Trump should turn to the seldom-used tactic of recess appointments, a constitutional provision when travel was much more difficult, as a stopgap to keep the government running.

He insists a strong executive is important because he claims Democrats want to gum things up for their own sake.

"There's going to be obstruction," said Scott. "I think the only way if we're going to allow the president to do his job and to make sure that he gets his nominees in place, we can run his administration is through recess appointments."

And he wants the president to have an ally even closer than him in Washington.

To replace Secretary of State nominee Senator Marco Rubio, the governor will likely consider the lieutenant governor, the attorney general, and his chief of staff. According to sources, he is also expected to consider nominating Lara Trump, who helped lead the National Republican Party that helped her father-in-law win a second term.

"I think Lara Trump brings a different background. She's been successful," said Scott. "I actually met her before I ever met Eric Trump. I met Donald Trump years ago, but she was working at E! Network, and she was a very successful reporter for E! Networks."

Scott pointed out that Gaetz's nomination will go through the judiciary committee, which will cast its votes and recommend Gaetz to the full Senate.

On Nov. 20, Vice President-elect Vance visited with senators to drum up support for Gaetz's confirmation despite the congressional investigation into him.

STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: