“Everyone was surprised and not surprised by it at the same time,” one recruiter said in response to how lawyers were receiving the news that President-elect Donald Trump had nominated Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, for U.S. attorney general.

Former prosecutors and defense lawyers reacted with a mix of shock, shrugs and uncertainty about a DOJ agenda led by Gaetz, if he is confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Gaetz, a political firebrand, has earned a reputation as a fierce defender of Trump who does not resist his directives.