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Comcast is expected to announce a plan Wednesday to spin off its cable networks into a separate company, two people familiar with the matter told NBC News. Comcast had announced during its quarterly earnings call in October that it was considering spinning off its cable networks. Bravo will remain part of Comcast’s NBCUniversal because its content is heavily featured on Peacock, CNBC reported. Comcast Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts will have a voting position in the new entity, but he won't be on the board of directors, CNBC reported. Executive Vice President Adam Miller will become NBCUniversal’s chief operating officer, CNBC reported.

Persons: Mike Cavanagh, Peacock, Peacock's, Mark Lazarus, Anand Kini, Brian Roberts, Donna Langley, Matt Strauss, Cesar Conde, Adam Miller Organizations: Comcast, NBC News, MSNBC, Syfy, Golf, CNBC, Oxygen, Wall Street Journal, NBC, NBCUniversal, Bravo, Paris, NBCUniversal Entertainment, Studios, NBCUniversal Media Group, Group, Telemundo Locations: USA, NBCUniversal

CNN —President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Matthew Whitaker, who served as acting attorney general during Trump’s first term, as his pick to be US ambassador to NATO. During the campaign, Trump also indicated he would only adhere to NATO’s mutual defense commitment for countries who are contributing enough of their annual budgets to defense. He served as the former acting attorney general in Trump’s first term and temporarily led the Justice Department after Trump fired Jeff Sessions. During brief tenure at the top of DOJ, Whitaker quickly took charge of Mueller from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Before becoming the acting attorney general, Whitaker was the US attorney for the Southern District of Iowa and chief of staff to Sessions.

Persons: Donald Trump, Matthew Whitaker, Trump’s, Matt, ” Trump, “ Matt, Whitaker, –, Trump, JD Vance, ”, “, Mark Rutte, Jeff Sessions, Robert Mueller’s, Mueller, Rod Rosenstein Organizations: CNN, NATO, Patriot, NATO Allies, AMERICA, Russia, Ukraine, Trump, Justice Department, Sessions, DOJ, Democratic, Southern, Southern District of Locations: States, Ukraine, Kyiv, Russia, Paris, Europe, North America, Trump’s, Southern District, Southern District of Iowa

Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe, meanwhile, was unsuccessful in trying to set up a meeting with Trump this week. Bongino spent more than a decade in the Secret Service and individuals who worked with him praised him as a stellar agent. Engel told the committee he did not recall the conversation described by Hutchinson and said he didn’t recall Trump gesturing toward him. Ornato also told the committee he didn’t recall the story happening or telling it to Hutchinson. Ornato told Trump’s transition team he was not interested in the role of Secret Service director, a source familiar with the discussions told CNN.

Persons: Donald Trump, Podcaster Dan Bongino, Sean Curran, Ronald Rowe, Robert Engel, Trump, Rowe, Kimberly Cheatle’s, Bongino, hadn’t, Matt Gaetz, Curran, Engel, Tony Ornato, Cassidy Hutchinson, Ornato, Hutchinson Organizations: CNN, Service, Trump, Congress, Department of Homeland Security, Secret Service, Justice Department, White Locations: Pennsylvania

☆ Senate Democrats seek evidence from FBI sex-trafficking probe of Trump AG pick Matt Gaetz
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., is seen outside a meeting of the House Republican Conference in the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, January 3, 2023. The Senate Judiciary Committee asked the FBI on Wednesday for its "complete evidentiary file" of a prior investigation into the alleged sex trafficking of an underage girl by Matt Gaetz, who has been tapped as the next U.S. attorney general by President-elect Donald Trump. The Judiciary panel's request says that "the grave public allegations against Mr. Gaetz speak directly to his fitness to serve as the chief law enforcement officer for the federal government." The committee's Democratic majority, in a letter to FBI Director Chris Wray, noted that Gaetz's associate Joel Greenberg pleaded guilty in 2021 "to the sex trafficking charge for which Mr. Gaetz was also investigated." The 42-year-old Republican, who until last week represented a Florida district in the House of Representatives, has denied all wrongdoing.

Persons: Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump, Gaetz, Chris Wray, Joel Greenberg, Gaetz's Organizations: House Republican Conference, U.S, Capitol, FBI, Democratic, of Justice, Republican, DOJ Locations: Florida

☆ Billy Bob Thornton on His Movie & TV Roles: 'Friday Night Lights,' 'Landman'
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Jason Guerrasio | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

But for his latest role starring in the Paramount+ drama "Landman," Thornton was tasked with a new, unique challenge: playing a version of himself. On ad-libbing his famous 'Friday Night Lights' speechThornton in "Friday Night Lights." Universal Pictures2004's "Friday Night Lights" is a beloved sports movie, and a big reason for that is the locker room speech your character, Coach Gary Caines, delivers. AdvertisementIn the pilot episode of "Landman," you film a scene at the high school football stadium in Odessa, Texas, where you filmed "Friday Night Lights." I ran into extras who were the children of extras on "Friday Night Lights."

Persons: Billy Bob Thornton, Thornton, Taylor Sheridan, it's, Tommy Norris, Norris, Tommy, Angela, Ali Larter, Monty, Jon Hamm, Billy Bob, Billy McBride, there's, Billy Wilder, Kurt Russell Bill Paxton, Stanley Donen's, Dan Aykroyd, Donna, Dan, Dudley Moore, Debbie Reynolds, Sammy Cahn, Sinatra, Stanley Donen, Bill Paxton, Bill, Rick Rossovich, Jeff Fahey, Kurt Russell, Kurt, Harvey Weinstein, Matt Damon, Penélope Cruz, Oscar, It's, Weinstein, Harvey, Matt, Damon, Cruz, Henry, Thomas, Lucas Black, Jayne Mansfield's, Gary Caines, Jerry Jones, Pete Berg, Boobie Miles Organizations: Paramount, Sporting, Bel Air, Columbia, Getty, Miramax Films, Sony, Miramax, Universal, Cowboys Locations: Fargo, West Texas, Mexican, Bel, Hollywood, Austrian, Fort Worth, Hot Springs, Odessa , Texas

☆ Ethics Committee deadlocks on releasing Matt Gaetz sex, drug probe report
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The bipartisan House Ethics Committee deadlocked Wednesday on whether to release a report on its investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and other wrongdoing by former Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz. Ethics Chair Michael Guest, R-Miss., told reporters after the closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill, "There has been no agreement to release the report." She stressed that the vote in the 10-member committee, which is evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats, fell along partisan lines. In September he said he would no longer voluntarily participate in the ethics probe, while revealing that the committee had asked him whether he ever "engaged in sexual activity with any individual under 18." Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee urged the FBI earlier Wednesday to turn over all the evidence it had gathered from its investigation into Gaetz.

Persons: Sen, JD Vance, Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump's, Michael Guest, Susan Wild of, Wild, Guest's, Gaetz, Trump, Guest, Gaetz's, Dick Durbin Organizations: U.S, Capitol, Republican, Republicans, Democrats, Department of Justice, DOJ, Senate Locations: Washington ,, Susan Wild of Pennsylvania

☆ JD Vance Courts Senators With Matt Gaetz, Controversial Cabinet Pick
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Michael C. Bender | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The scene would have been impossible to predict three months ago: a motorcade of black sedans pulling up at the U.S. Senate to deliver JD Vance and Matt Gaetz on a mission to flex their new power. Mr. Vance had been a junior senator from Ohio when Donald J. Trump chose him to be his running mate over the summer. And Mr. Gaetz, a Florida congressman, inhabited the right-wing fringe, shadowed by allegations of drug use and sex with an underage girl. On Wednesday, Mr. Vance, now the vice president-elect, returned with considerably more political capital, but also significant questions about whether it was enough to persuade his erstwhile colleagues to confirm Mr. Gaetz as the nation’s top law enforcement officer. The two men, who have campaigned together before, hunkered down for much of the day in the Strom Thurmond Room in the Capitol, an ornate conference room just steps from the Senate floor, as senators streamed in individually and in pairs.

Persons: JD Vance, Matt Gaetz, Vance, Donald J, Trump, Gaetz, Strom Thurmond Organizations: U.S . Senate, Capitol Locations: Ohio, Florida

☆ Federal Inquiry Traced Matt Gaetz’s Venmo Payments to Women
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Michael S. Schmidt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Federal investigators established a trail of payments from Matt Gaetz, President-elect Donald J. Trump’s choice to be attorney general, to women including some who testified that Mr. Gaetz hired them for sex, according to a document obtained by The New York Times and a lawyer representing some of the women. The document, assembled by investigators during a three-year sex-trafficking investigation into Mr. Gaetz, is a chart that shows a web of thousands of dollars in Venmo payments between Mr. Gaetz and a group of his friends, associates and women who had drug-fueled sex parties between 2017 and 2020, according to testimony that participants are said to have given to federal and congressional investigators. At the parties, women, and a girl who was 17 at the time, were paid for sex, according to accounts of the participants’ testimony from people briefed on what they said. The document bolsters recent claims by a lawyer for two of the women who say they had sex with Mr. Gaetz for money. It shows thousands of dollars in payments Mr. Gaetz made to both of the lawyer’s clients.

Persons: Matt Gaetz, Donald J, Gaetz Organizations: The New York Times

☆ 3 urgent tasks awaiting Trump’s pick for Treasury secretary
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Tami Luhby | Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

His Cabinet picks, including the Treasury secretary, traditionally have to be confirmed by the Senate. “The Treasury secretary has historically played a significant role in advancing the administration’s tax policy priorities,” Akabas said. Next year, Trump’s Treasury secretary will act as the quarterback, executing his economic gameplan. It will also fall to Trump’s Treasury secretary to put out fires in financial markets or in the real economy like the regional bank failures that rocked Wall Street and Washington early last year. Trump’s Treasury pick will also help manage the complicated relationship between the president and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Trump, “, ”, Ed Mills, Raymond James, Janet Yellen, Shai Akabas, Steven Mnuchin, ” Akabas, Isaac Boltansky, Jerome Powell, Powell, Mills Organizations: CNN, Quarterbacking, Treasury Department, Department, Treasury, Trump, Senate, Republicans, Capitol, Wall, Washington, Committee, Federal, Fed, Trump White House Locations: Washington, filers

☆ Comcast’s cable networks spinoff raises questions about future of the TV business
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Brian Stelter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

On Wednesday morning, the media giant confirmed that it is spinning off most of its cable channels, including MSNBC and CNBC, into a separate publicly traded company. The new company doesn’t have a formal name yet — Comcast is simplycalling it “SpinCo” — a suitable label since employees’ heads are spinning with questions. Discovery, spin off their cable channels too? How might the cable bundle business model be impacted? “This is a very clear, direct statement by Comcast” that “they are exiting the cable network business,” Greenfield said.

Persons: Mike Cavanagh, NBCUniversal, Tom Rogers, Rogers, “ it’s, ”, ” Rogers, Rich Greenfield, ” Greenfield, ’ It’s, Mark Lazarus, Lazarus, “, Joe Kernen, Greenfield’s, Greenfield, Matt Stoller, Hugh Johnston, “ SpinCo Organizations: New, New York CNN, Comcast, MSNBC, CNBC, Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros, NBC Cable, Lightshed Partners, Paramount, USA Network, SYFY, Golf, Rotten, NBC, American Economic Liberties, Disney, ” Fox Corp Locations: New York

The surgeon general’s 837-page report on tobacco use found that 37.8% of gay, lesbian and bisexual U.S. adults have tried electronic cigarettes, compared with just 16.5% of their straight counterparts. He said that LGBTQ people use tobacco products at higher rates largely because of “long-standing stigma” within health care settings. Still, 36 million U.S. adults and 760,000 middle and high school students smoke tobacco products, according to the report. Since 2014, the most commonly used tobacco product among U.S. youths and young adults is e-cigarettes. “These and other noncombustible tobacco products such as nicotine pouches have the potential to undermine overall progress in preventing and reducing young people’s use of tobacco products,” the authors stated.

Persons: general’s, ”, Kristy Marynak, ” Marynak, Scott Hadland, he’s, ” Hadland, “, KFF, Hadland, Red Kamel Organizations: Centers for Disease Control, American Lung Association, Mass, Children, Harvard Medical School, Kaiser Family Foundation, Tobacco, Red, Justice Department and Food and Drug Administration Locations: United States, San Francisco, U.S

Leppard said his clients only spoke to the Ethics Committee after receiving a subpoena and would only testify in public "with a valid legal subpoena that requires them to speak." But he said he would prefer to get that information either through the House Ethics Committee report or from the Justice Department. But, he added, that getting a copy of the House Ethics Committee report would be “the right starting point, politically balanced and complete. Wild and other Democrats on the House Ethics Committee want the report released to the public — or at least sent to Senate Judiciary members for their review. “I have not dictated anything to the Ethics Committee.

Persons: WASHINGTON —, Matt Gaetz, Gaetz, Joel Leppard, Leppard, Donald Trump, rouser, haven’t, Trump, Mckenzie Lange, Dick Durbin, he’s, ” Durbin, Michael Guest, Susan Wild, Mike Johnson, “, I’ve, ” Johnson, “ I’m, ” Leppard, Sen, Richard Blumenthal, victimize, ” “, ” Blumenthal, JD Vance, Kevin Cramer, Cramer Organizations: NBC News, USA Today Network Senate, Justice Department, NBC, Trump, Judiciary, Committee, Senate Locations: Orlando, America, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut

Trump has been “heavily working the phones” to Republican senators for their support on behalf of Gaetz, according to a transition official. Trump announced Gaetz as his pick nearly a week ago. The official said Trump’s transition knows Gaetz is the toughest confirmation they will have to fight for by far. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-ND, said he had received a phone call from Trump personally urging him to support Gaetz. This year, Trump announced his first pick to be White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles just two days after election day.

Persons: Donald Trump, Justice Department — Matt Gaetz —, Trump, JD Vance, Chris Wray's, Vance, Biden, Pete Hegseth, Gaetz, “ Trump, Sen, John Thune, Kevin Cramer, ” Cramer, Ron Klain, Susie Wiles, Ben Carson, Carson, Elon Musk, Musk, Howard Lutnick Organizations: Justice Department, FBI, Trump, State , Defense, Homeland Security, Commerce, National Intelligence and National Security, White, Urban, Treasury Department, ‘ Department, Government Locations: Mar

That file included the testimony of the woman who alleges she had sex with Gaetz when she was 17 years old in 2017, as well as the testimony of a second woman who said she witnessed the encounter, and the information is unredacted, according to the source. The file was downloaded from a secure link by a person using the name Altam Breezley, according to the source. The file includes other related documentation that’s under seal and the hacker accessed hundreds of pages, the source said. A representative for Gaetz did not immediately respond to an NBC News request for comment. A source familiar with the contents of the files accessed characterized the contents as very detailed and damaging to Gaetz.

Persons: Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump’s, John Clune, ” Gaetz, Gaetz, Donald Trump, It’s Organizations: Justice Department, NBC, New York Times Locations: Florida

A lawyer said his client was allegedly paid to have sex with Matt Gaetz at a 2017 party. A man accused of three fatal stabbings in New York City has an extensive criminal history. Gaetz, a former Republican U.S. representative from Florida, has long denied the allegations against him and has claimed he was the target of an extortion plot. A Trump transition team spokesperson called the allegations “baseless.” Gaetz resigned from Congress last week after Trump announced plans to nominate him for attorney general. The stabbings happened yesterday morning at three separate locations.

Persons: Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump’s, Gaetz, Joel Leppard, Leppard, ” Gaetz, Ramon Rivera, Rivera, it’s, Maya Huter, Jing Feng, Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Glinda, Kalhan Rosenblatt, Tony Lee, — Richie Duchon, Elizabeth Robinson Organizations: Justice Department, NBC News, NBC, Republican U.S, Trump, United Nations, Apple, Reebok, REI’s Locations: New York City, Florida —, Orlando, Florida, stabbings, New York, United

Donald Trump and Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines in August 2023. That “seemed to matter” to the committee, Leppard said, adding that committee members were concerned about illegal drug use and payments for sex. On at least two occasions, Leppard said, his clients had sex with Gaetz outside Florida. The women were not paid for sex during the trips, but Gaetz paid for their flights, lodging and entertainment, Leppard said. The two women are private people, who have no political leanings and no motivation to take down Gaetz, Leppard said.

Persons: Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump’s, Joel Leppard, Orlando . Leppard, Gaetz, ”, Leppard, Donald Trump, Al Drago, “, Trump, Alex Pfeiffer, He’s, ” Pfeiffer Organizations: Justice Department, NBC, Fair, Bloomberg, Getty, The Justice, FBI, Gaetz, Republican U.S, Trump, Committee Locations: Florida, Orlando, Iowa, Des Moines, New York City, Bahamas

☆ Rafael Nadal Davis Cup analysis: Nadal loses to Botic van de Zandschulp of Netherlands
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Matthew Futterman | Charlie Eccleshare | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +10 min

Follow live coverage of Rafael Nadal’s last Davis Cup hereMALAGA, Spain — Botic van de Zandschulp beat Rafael Nadal in the Davis Cup quarterfinals at the Palacio de Deportes José María Martín Carpena 6-4, 6-4 Tuesday. The Athletic’s Charlie Eccleshare and Matt Futterman analyze the match…How did Nadal’s serve hinder him? Nadal’s serve is driving him away from tennis more than anything else. Through the first set, Nadal landed 61 percent of his first serves and won 70 percent of those points. Despite four double faults in that set, Van de Zandschulp was serving at 76 percent and winning 90 percent of those points.

Persons: Rafael Nadal’s, Botic van, Zandschulp, Rafael Nadal, Van de Zandschulp, Carlos Alcaraz, Tallon Griekspoor, Alcaraz, Marcel Granollers, Wesley Koolhof, Charlie Eccleshare, Matt Futterman, Carlos Moya, Jorge Guerrero, Nadal, Madrid Matt Futterman, Thomas Coex, Van de Zandschulp’s, couldn’t, “ Rafa, Rafa, ”, birthed Rafael Nadal Charlie Eccleshare, Taylor Fritz, Casper Ruud, ” Van de Zandschulp Organizations: Davis, Palacio, Deportes José María, Nadal, Getty, U.S ., Malaga, Getty Images, Wimbledon, Rafa Locations: MALAGA, Spain, Netherlands, Griekspoor, AFP, Madrid, “

☆ House has ‘numerous’ photos from women who say they were paid a total of more than $10,000 by Gaetz for sex, lawyer says
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Tierney Sneed | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Two women who claim they were paid for sex by former Rep. Matt Gaetz provided House ethics investigators with “numerous” photos related to time they spent with the Florida Republican, a lawyer for the women said Tuesday, including from an alleged 2019 trip to New York. The women additionally provided the House Ethics Committee with selfies Gaetz is said to have sent them, according to their lawyer. They also testified that they sent nude photos to Gaetz, sometimes at his request, Leppard said. Leppard’s account of the testimony provides more insight into the evidence the House committee collected in its probe, which was conducted in addition to a criminal investigation by the Justice Department. “What I’m telling you is just a fraction of the evidence that’s available, of the thousands of documents” the House obtained, Leppard said.

Persons: Matt Gaetz, Gaetz, Joel Leppard, CNN’s Erin Burnett, ” Gaetz, Leppard, selfies Gaetz, Donald Trump, “ Merrick, ”, Mike Speaker Johnson, Gaetz . Leppard, CNN’s Annie Grayer Organizations: CNN, Florida Republican, Fox News, Justice Department, Gaetz Locations: New York, York

☆ Governors Awards red carpet: Barry Keoghan, Paul Mescal and Jude Law give creative twist on traditional shirt
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Leah Dolan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

But hidden within the typical red carpet fanfare at the Governors Ball in Los Angeles on Sunday night was a group of sartorial renegades, each one taking aim at the traditional button-down shirt. Leading the charge was actor Barry Keoghan, dressed in a full Dolce & Gabbana suit featuring a black cropped satin jacket. Matt Baron/BEI/ShutterstockDrew Starkey paired his red suit with a stand collar and ornate black clasp. His Shakespearean-style blouse might look more at home at a Renaissance fair than a glitzy red carpet, but its off-white shade and tie-front detail gave the Gucci tuxedo a new lease of life. Jordan Strauss/Invision/APWith social media positioning fashion as mainstream entertainment, red carpet dressing has never felt so important to an actor’s digital profile.

Persons: Governors Ball, Barry Keoghan, Kamala Harris, yore, Nicholas Hoult, Matt Baron, BEI, Shutterstock Drew Starkey, Jude Law, Saint Laurent, Drew Starkey, Daniel Craig, Luca Guadagnino’s, ”, Alessandro Michele, Paul Mescal’s, Gucci, Paul Mescal, Jordan Strauss, Robert Wun, Timothée Chalamet, Ball Organizations: CNN, Governors, sartorial renegades, Gabbana Locations: Los Angeles, Rome, London

☆ Bitcoin edges higher as tensions mount between Ukraine and Russia
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Both stocks benefit from the trading of other, non-bitcoin assets across the crypto market. Bitcoin moved higher Tuesday even as other risk assets sold off amid rising geopolitical tensions between Ukraine and Russia. That drove bitcoin to fresh records and sent smaller crypto assets soaring. Like gold, crypto assets are seen by many investors as a "non-confiscatable," long-term hedge against geopolitical uncertainty. Citigroup, for example, in a note Monday reiterated the bank's view that bitcoin doesn't exhibit store-of-value properties.

Persons: Robinhood, cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, Vladimir Putin, Joe Biden, bitcoin, Matt Sigel, Sigel Organizations: Metrics, Investors, U.S, U.S ., Citigroup Locations: Coinbase, Ukraine, Russia, U.S

☆ Trump's picks are giving Big Tech plenty of reasons to be nervous
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementDonald Trump has selected several Big Tech critics for top roles in his second administration. A number of his picks have been harsh critics of the Big Tech industry. Tom Williams/CQ Roll CallTrump's pick for attorney general, former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, has for years criticized Big Tech companies. Anna MoneymakerVice President-elect JD Vance cut his teeth in venture capital, and has long been a proponent for breaking up Big Tech. AdvertisementVance said that his experience in Silicon Valley taught him to be weary of Big Tech.

Persons: Donald Trump, Matt Gaetz, JD Vance, Elon Musk, Brendan Carr, Trump's, Trump, Brendan Carr Trump, Tom Williams, Carr, Elon, Musk's, Matt Gaetz Trump, Gaetz, Lina Khan, Jonathan Kanter, Elon Musk Elon, Marc Piasecki, Musk, donald, Biden, Tim Cook, X, Anna Moneymaker, Vance, we're Organizations: Big Tech, Trump, GOP, Google, Apple, Microsoft, Federal Communications Commission, Inc, Getty, Heritage, FCC, TikTok, United, Florida Rep, Federal Trade, Elon, Government, of Government, SpaceX, OpenAI, Bloomberg News Locations: Starlink, Florida, Silicon Valley, Trump

☆ ‘Morning Joe’ meeting with Trump was driven by fears of retribution from incoming administration, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Brian Stelter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —“Morning Joe” co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski announced Monday, in dramatic fashion, that they went to Mar-a-Lago last week for a fence-mending meeting with President-elect Donald Trump. According to two sources with direct knowledge of the matter, Scarborough and Brzezinski were credibly concerned that they could face governmental and legal harassment from the incoming Trump administration. For that reason, there are a wide range of feelings about the “Morning Joe” meeting, according to half a dozen employees who spoke on condition of anonymity. Shortly after the Mar-a-Lago meeting was publicized, lawyer and MSNBC host Katie Phang posted on social media, “Normalizing Trump is a bad idea. On Monday afternoon, Scarborough posted a link on X to a Fox News story about his meeting with Trump.

Persons: Joe ”, Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, Donald Trump, Scarborough, Brzezinski, Trump, Elon Musk, Matt Gaetz, Gaetz, “, Katie Phang, Chuck Rocha, Joe, Mika, Jeff Jarvis, ”, White, Steve Bannon, Bannon, Andrew Weissmann, Ari Melber, they’re, Fox, ” Scarborough, Jeff Bezos’s, board’s, Kamala Harris, Bezos Organizations: New, New York CNN, Mar, Lago, MSNBC, CNN, Scarborough, Trump, Democratic, ” Veteran, Fox, Washington Post Locations: New York, Scarborough, America, ”

☆ Global stocks drop amid heightened US-Russia tensions
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Markets experienced volatility Tuesday as investors weigh mounting tensions between Russia and the United States. The turbulence comes after Moscow changed its nuclear doctrine following the Biden administration giving Ukraine permission to use longer-range weapons inside targets in Russia. The attack comes just two days after the Biden administration gave Kyiv the green light to use the longer-range American weapons against targets inside Russia. On Sunday, President Joe Biden authorized Ukraine to use the longer-range missiles inside Russia, ending a monthslong prohibition aimed to avoid drastically escalating the conflict. “In our view, the underlying trends for the equity market remain positive, but this news provides an excuse for the market to give back some of its rally,” said Keith Lerner, chief market strategist at Truist Advisory Services.

Persons: Dow, Biden, ”, Hogan, Joe Biden, Keith Lerner Organizations: CNN —, Nasdaq, Riley Wealth Management, Treasury, Russia’s Defense, Advisory Locations: Russia, United States, Moscow, Ukraine, “, Bryansk

And Gaetz himself has been making calls to GOP senators and visiting his own loyalists in the House GOP. The pressure is all building ahead of a planned Wednesday meeting of the House ethics panel, which is expected to discuss the fate of the report. But privately, Republicans on the panel are signaling that they could bury the report as Gaetz and Trump are making direct appeals. In a call last week to GOP Sen. Josh Hawley, Gaetz urged him “to give him a shot,” Hawley told CNN. Meanwhile, nearly 100 House Democrats are calling on the House Ethics Committee to “immediately” release the report.

Persons: Matt Gaetz, J.D, Vance, Donald Trump’s, Gaetz, GOP Sen, Chuck Grassley, we’ve, ” Grassley, “ You’ve, …, Sen, John Kennedy, Pete Hegseth, Elise Stefanik, Doug Collins, Trump, Lindsey Graham, Judiciary —, Josh Hawley, “, ” Hawley, Hawley, Mike Simpson, ” Simpson, ”, Simpson, Kevin McCarthy, “ Matt, Rogers, Gaetz wouldn’t, Tim Burchett, he’s, Glenn Ivey, Ivey Organizations: CNN, GOP, Capitol Hill, Republican, Trump, Louisiana Republican, Fox News, Department of Defense, United Nations, Veterans Affairs, Judiciary, House, Caucus, Missouri Republican, Republicans, Armed, Democrats, Capitol, Florida congressman, ” Democratic, Maryland Locations: Trump, Louisiana, United, Gaetz, Florida

☆ Trump escalates test of strength over Gaetz pick
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Video Ad Feedback Lawyer describes client's testimony in House Ethics Committee investigation of Gaetz 03:04 - Source: CNNThe Ethics Committee report has quickly become the first big crisis of the nascent second Trump administration. A small handful of Republican senators would be needed to defect in order to block Gaetz’s nomination when the party controls the Senate majority next year. GOP senators could pay a price for a prolonged confirmation fightIf Trump sticks with his pick, Republican senators feeling the MAGA movement’s pressure could be forced to defend Gaetz for weeks. Maine Sen. Susan Collins told CNN’s Raju that it would be “helpful” to see the House Ethics report. “Whether we get the ethics report or not, the facts are going to come out one way or the other,” Cornyn said.

Persons: Donald Trump, Matt Gaetz, Joel Leppard, CNN’s Erin Burnett, Gaetz, Mike Johnson, Trump, Dakota Sen, Kevin Cramer, ” Cramer, CNN’s Manu Raju, MAGA, Cramer, Pete Hegseth, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Florida Republican –, Capitol Hill, it’s, Washington Trump, Bill Clinton, Zoë Baird, Kimba Wood, Maine Sen, Susan Collins, CNN’s Raju, Texas Sen, John Cornyn, ” Cornyn, “, Johnson, Susan Wild of, won’t, —, ” CNN’s Kristen Holmes, Axios, Kennedy, Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, It’s Organizations: CNN, Florida Republican, Justice Department, Trump, Gaetz, Fox News, Human Services Department, GOP, Capitol, FBI, Democrat, —, National Intelligence, Senate, Republican, North Dakota Republican Locations: Dakota, Washington, Texas, Susan Wild of Pennsylvania

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