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☆ Elon Musk says he's had little to do with Trump's cabinet picks — he just likes 'spending time' with the man
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

But the Tesla and SpaceX CEO said he's had little input on Trump's Cabinet picks. Elon Musk says he's had little input on President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet picks. He was a major contributor to Trump's campaign, spending just under $119 million on his pro-Trump political action committee, America PAC. Musk, according to multiple media reports, has joined Trump's calls with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Lutnick, Musk wrote in an X post on November 16, "will actually enact change," compared to another candidate, hedge fund CEO Scott Bessent.

Persons: Elon Musk, Donald Trump, he's, Musk, Donald Trump's, Haven't, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, cott, ott Organizations: SpaceX, Cabinet, New York Post, Trump's, UFC, Trump, Madison Locations: Lago, Palm Beach , Florida, usk

By the end of the day, Trump had announced a new pick for attorney general: Pam Bondi, the former attorney general of Florida. One by one, the senator wanted to know who had told Gaetz “yes” they were with him. After being asked for comment for CNN’s story, Gaetz announced his withdrawal as Trump’s nominee for attorney general. “I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. Some lawmakers have already asked the parliamentarian to weigh in and clear up the confusion, one source told CNN.

Persons: JD Vance, Matt Gaetz, they’d, Vance, “, Donald Trump, Trump, Gaetz, Gaetz —, he’d, Department —, ” Gaetz, Pam Bondi, Gaetz’s, Republican Sen, Kevin Cramer of North, ” Cramer, wouldn’t, ’, Trump’s, Gaetz couldn’t, Matt, ” Trump, Karoline Leavitt, Pete Hegseth, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Kevin McCarthy, Kentucky Sen, Mitch McConnell, Maine Sen, Susan Collins, Oklahoma Sen, Markwayne Mullin, Dakota Sen, Mike Rounds, “ I’m, Rounds, ” Sen, Roger Wicker, Cynthia Lummis, Florida Sen, Rick Scott, ”, Will Gaetz, preemptively, Michael Guest, , CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Organizations: CNN, Capitol, Senate, Trump, Department, DOJ, Republican, GOP, Republicans, Justice Department, Administration, “, Department of Justice, Fox News, Defense Department, Department of Health, Human Services, Hill, Oklahoma, Mississippi Republican, Wyoming Republican, Democrats Locations: Florida, Washington, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, Gaetz, Kentucky, Maine, Dakota, Mississippi, Wyoming

☆ Opinion | Gaetz’s Withdrawal Means the Senate Passed Its First Test
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Michelle Cottle | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Florida Man Matt Gaetz was announced as Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general on a Wednesday. Eight days later, his complete unfitness for the job had become so undeniable and insurmountable that he withdrew from consideration. Trump’s decision to put him forward was an early, gross test for the president-elect’s entire Senate team. And while the Senate has been trending Trumpier as well, the transformation is not yet complete. With Gaetz, the MAGA king was watching to see if there was a line that his Senate subjects would not yet cross.

Persons: Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump’s, Gaetzgate, Trump, MAGA Organizations: Florida, Senate, Republican, Republican House

☆ Kenya drops over $2.5 billion of Adani deals after U.S. indictment
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Gautam Adani, billionaire and chairman of Adani Group, during an event at the Port of Haifa in Haifa, Israel, on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Under the proposed deal worth nearly $2 billion, the Adani Group was to add a second runway at the Jomo Kenyatta international airport and upgrade the passenger terminal in exchange for a 30-year lease. Representatives from Adani Group did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Adani Group denied the allegations and said in a statement that it would seek "all possible legal recourse". Senior government officials, including Ruto, had repeatedly defended the deals despite allegations made in 2023 by U.S. short-seller Hindenburg Research - denied by the Adani Group - of improper governance practices at the company.

Persons: Gautam Adani, William Ruto, Ruto, Opiyo Wandayi, George Kamau Organizations: Adani, Port, Kenyan, Jomo Kenyatta, Adani Group, Hindenburg Research, Energy Locations: Port of Haifa, Haifa, Israel, United States, Kenyan

☆ Gaetz Withdrew From Attorney General Consideration
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Matthew Cullen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Matt Gaetz, the former Florida congressman who Donald Trump tapped last week as his choice for attorney general, announced today that he would withdraw from consideration. Gaetz has faced a torrent of scrutiny over allegations of sex trafficking and drug use, which he has denied. After meetings on Capitol Hill yesterday, Gaetz told people close to him that at least four Republican senators opposed his nomination — enough to block his confirmation. The storm surrounding Gaetz, personally disliked by lawmakers in both parties, has drawn some attention away from Trump’s other contested picks. The office of the city attorney of Monterey, Calif., released a redacted police file yesterday containing the accusation of a woman who said that Hegseth raped her in 2017.

Persons: Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump, Gaetz, Susan Collins of, Pete Hegseth, Hegseth Organizations: Capitol Locations: Florida, Susan Collins of Maine, Monterey , Calif

☆ Opinion | Release the House Ethics Report on Gaetz
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Update: These letters were published online before Matt Gaetz said he was withdrawing from consideration as attorney general. To the Editor:Re “House Republicans Block Release of Ethics Report on Gaetz” (news article, Nov. 21):Let’s just call it what it is — a Republican cover-up. The witness testimony and evidence produced by the House Ethics Committee at taxpayer expense must be presented to the U.S. Senate so the senators can carry out their constitutional responsibilities in a fair and complete way. And should the House cover-up succeed, voters must hold their representatives accountable. Richard DickinsonRichmond Hill, Ga.To the Editor:If the roles were reversed and a Democrat selected for a cabinet position had an ethics report that the Democrats moved to block, Republicans would mount an attack, leak the report anyway and say, “The American people deserve to know!”

Persons: Matt Gaetz, Richard Dickinson Richmond Organizations: “, House, U.S . Senate Locations: Richard Dickinson Richmond Hill

A group of more than a dozen Republican lawmakers is urging a collegiate athletic conference to ban transgender women from competition after reports of a trans student competing on the s women’s volleyball team of a participating university. “Under these guidelines, it is only fair that biological males play men’s sports and biological females play women’s sports.”“Clearly, the Mountain West Conference has dropped the ball,” it continues. In September, SJSU volleyball player Brooke Slusser joined a lawsuit filed by more than a dozen women athletes against the NCAA, which oversees collegiate athletics, about trans athletes’ participation in school sports. The lawsuit argues that the NCAA violated the Title IX rights of cisgender female athletes by allowing transgender women to compete against them. Just last week, Slusser and 10 other former and current athletes in the Mountain West Conference filed a separate lawsuit against the conference and three SJSU staffers, accusing them of violating players’ Title IX rights.

Persons: Utah’s Sen, Mitt Romney, Sen, Mike Lee, John Curtis, Blake Moore, Burgess Owens, Celeste Maloy, Idaho’s Sen, Mike Crapo, James Risch, Russ Fulcher, Mike Simpson, Wyoming’s Sen, John Barrasso, Cynthia Lummis, Harriet Hageman, SJSU, Brooke Slusser, Lia Thomas, University of Nevada and Southern Utah University —, Michelle Smith McDonald, ” Organizations: Republican, Mountain West Conference, NCAA Division, Rep, San, NBC, NCAA, University of Pennsylvania, — Utah State University, University of Wyoming, Boise State University, University of Nevada and Southern Utah University Locations: San José State

The House Ethics Committee weighs releasing their report on Matt Gaetz. And Susan Smith, who made headlines for killing her sons 30 years ago, is up for parole. The Ethics Committee has jurisdiction only over sitting members of Congress, Johnson argues. But there is precedent for the Ethics Committee to publish reports after a member of Congress has resigned. Susan Smith up for parole 30 years after killing her sonsSusan Smith leaves court after a hearing in Union, S.C., in 1995.

Persons: Matt Gaetz, Susan Smith, Donald Trump, Gaetz, Susan Wild, Joel Leppard, Mike Johnson, Trump, Johnson, Read, Mike Cavanaugh, ”, Vladimir Putin, Brooks Kraft, Smith’s, Michael, Alex, Smith, Rafael Nadal, Jay Leno, Barbara Gauntt, Chokwe Antar Lumumba, Lumumba, — Bracey Harris Organizations: Comcast, Justice Department, Republicans, Democrats, Gaetz, MSNBC, Syfy, Golf, CNBC, Oxygen, NBC News, NBC, Bravo, United, Brooks, Brooks Kraft LLC, Getty, South, Davis, Mississippi State Capitol, Clarion, Ledger, Residents Locations: Florida, USA, U.S, Kyiv, United States, Ukrainian, Russian, Ukraine, Union, South Carolina, Northern California, Pacific, California, Jackson

WASHINGTON — Members of the House Ethics Committee will meet behind closed doors Wednesday afternoon to discuss whether to publicly release a report detailing their sweeping investigation into former Rep. Matt Gaetz, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general. Several Republicans and Democrats in the Senate have said they want to review the House report before a Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing for Gaetz next year. She argued that there is precedent for the Ethics Committee to publish reports after members of Congress have resigned. If the committee declines to make the Gaetz report public, any House member can try to force a vote to release it. In September 1996, House Democrats tried to force the Ethics Committee to release a report from an outside counsel about its investigation of then-Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga.

Persons: Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump’s, Gaetz, Mike Johnson, Trump, “ I’ve, ” Johnson, “ Matt Gaetz, —, Michael Guest, Susan Wild, Joel Leppard, Leppard, ”, JD Vance, Pete Hegseth, Bill Boner, Boner, Boner’s, Buz Lukens, Newt Gingrich Organizations: WASHINGTON, Republicans, Democrats, Justice Department, NBC News, Trump, Capitol, Cabinet, Senate, Congress, “, Committee Locations: Florida, Nashville, Ohio

☆ Former Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai begins to testify in his national security trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Ap-Live-Blog-Byline-Image.Png | The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

HONG KONG — Former Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai began testifying Wednesday in his landmark national security trial that is widely seen as a measure of press freedom and judicial independence in the Chinese territory. He is fighting charges of colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security and conspiring with others to issue seditious publications. Lai, 76, faces up to life in prison if convicted under a national security law imposed by Beijing. But critics say that promise has become threadbare under the rubric of maintaining national security. It added that judges remain independent and partial when handling national security cases.

Persons: Jimmy Lai, Lai, Roman Catholic Cardinal Joseph Zen, Anthony Wallace, Mike Pence, Mike Pompeo, William Wong, Wong, Kongers, “, ”, Donald Trump, Xi Jinping, Hong, John Lee, Lai ., Keir Starmer, Xi, Chris Tang, Sebastien Lai, Doughty, Chambers, Jodie Ginsber Organizations: Roman Catholic, Catholic, Apple Daily, Getty, British, Authorities, Prosecutors, Beijing “, U.S, American, United Nations, Capitol, Protect Journalists, Hong Locations: HONG KONG, Hong Kong, Beijing, AFP, United States, U.S, Lai . British, British, Brazil, Hong, Britain, Washington

☆ Democrats Split as Senate Rejects Bills to Block Weapons Transfers to Israel
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Karoun Demirjian | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Senate on Wednesday resoundingly rejected a series of three resolutions to block weapons transfers to Israel, but the move to curtail American support for the war in Gaza drew substantial support from Democrats, reflecting growing consternation in the party over the conflict. Seventeen Senate Democrats and two independents backed at least one of the measures, a display of deepening divisions over Israel’s conduct after 13 months of war and the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians. The measures were offered by Senator Bernie Sanders, independent of Vermont, who has been a vocal critic of Israel’s tactics in the war. He has also been a frequent critic of the Biden administration for continuing to support Israel militarily despite ample evidence of human rights violations in Gaza. In the days since the election, he has also argued that the administration’s Israel policy is partially to blame for the Democrats’ election losses.

Persons: resoundingly, Bernie Sanders, Biden, Israel, Sanders, ” Locations: Israel, Gaza, Vermont, “, United States, Israel —

☆ 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

☆ Absences by Trump’s Senate pals help Democrats confirm Biden judges
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Tierney Sneed | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Trump earlier this month had urged Senate Republicans not to allow any judicial confirmations in the final weeks of the Biden administration while the upper chamber was under Democratic control. Since then, other judicial nominees have been able to clear pivotal votes because not enough Republicans were present to block them. Two of the missing Republicans, Sens. Several of the missing Republicans – which also included Sen. Marco Rubio, Trump’s pick for secretary of state – were back in the chamber Wednesday. Even if no other Biden-appointed judge is confirmed, Trump will start his second term with a number of openings that is fewer than half of that previous number.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, Donald Trump’s, Trump, JD Vance, Embry Kidd, Sen, Joe Manchin, Vance, Bill Hagerty of, –, Democratic Sen, John Fetterman, Biden, Carrie Severino –, ” Vance, Grace Chong, Steve Bannon’s, Christopher Wray, Fetterman, Sarah Russell, Kamala Harris, Hagerty, Ted Cruz, Hagerty’s, Republicans –, Marco Rubio, Trump’s, Mike Braun, Cruz, Rebecca Pennell, Amir Ali, doesn’t, Ali, Kyrsten Sinema, Montana GOP Sen, Steve Daines, Embry, Aileen Cannon, Jack Smith’s, Barack Obama’s, Alyana Treene, Kristen Holmes, Betsy Klein, Devan Cole Organizations: CNN, GOP, Conservative, Republicans, Ohio Republican, Circuit, Mar, Democratic, Trump, Crisis Network, FBI, House, Republican, Sens, SpaceX, Indiana, US, Court, of, Montana GOP, Senate Locations: Ohio, Trump’s Florida, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Hawaii, Ted Cruz of Texas, Texas, Eastern, of Washington, Montana

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

Fresh from a devastating loss to Donald Trump, Vice President Kamala Harris may now head to Capitol Hill to defy him in what could be her last major act in office. As the president of the Senate, Harris wields the constitutional power to provide a tie-breaking vote. “We are going to use the lame duck to confirm judges. GOP senators can slow the process down, but Democrats need a simple majority to overcome any obstruction and confirm judges. The senior administration official declined to discuss whether Biden has talked to Harris or Schumer about lame-duck confirmations.

Persons: Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, Trump, Harris, —, Chuck Schumer, Biden, ”, “, Sen, Elizabeth Warren, Warren, Schumer, ” Schumer, irking Trump, ” Trump, ” Sen, Mazie Hirono, they’re, That’s, “ I’m, “ Hope she’s Organizations: Capitol, House, Senate, D.C, Biden, NBC News, Radical, Republican Senators, Trump, Republicans, Democrats, Appeals, White, Democratic, Dems Locations: Hawaii, California

☆ Trump names Dr. Mehmet Oz to head Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Kate Sullivan | Alayna Treene | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —President-elect Donald Trump has picked Dr. Mehmet Oz to serve as the administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Oz, a cardiothoracic surgeon and television personality, ran unsuccessfully for Senate in 2022 in Pennsylvania with Trump’s backing. In 2018, Trump appointed Oz to the Presidential Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, reappointing him to the position in 2020. Oz rose to fame as a frequent guest of Oprah Winfrey, eventually launching his own syndicated daytime TV talk show in 2009. Through “The Dr. Oz Show,” which won several daytime Emmy awards and reached millions of viewers, Oz became one of the most well-known doctors in the country.

Persons: Donald Trump, Mehmet Oz, Oz, ” Trump, Sen, John Fetterman, Trump, Oprah Winfrey, CNN’s KFile, ” Oz, Oliver Darcy Organizations: CNN, Centers, Medicare, Services, Senate, Democratic, Presidential Council, Sports, GOP, Seattle Times, Columbia University Locations: America, Pennsylvania, Covid

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 urges Senate GOP to block Biden's last judicial nominees
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday pushed his fellow Republicans in the Senate to stop Democrats from confirming any more of President Joe Biden's judicial nominees. The Senate has confirmed 216 of Biden's nominees to the federal judiciary. Biden has put forward 261 total judicial nominees, the White House said in a Nov. 8 press release announcing his 56th round of hopefuls. Incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told ABC News he would continue to bog down the nomination process. "I was on the Senate floor until almost midnight last night voting to confirm President Biden's judicial nominees," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., wrote on X.

Persons: Donald Trump, Joe Biden's, Trump, Judge Embry Kidd, Biden, Chuck Schumer, Schumer, John Thune, Sen, Thune, Patty Murray, We'll, Murray, Kamala Harris, Susan Collins of, Lisa Murkowski Organizations: America, Policy, Tuesday, Senate, Radical, Republican, U.S ., Appeals, ABC News, Democrat, ABC, Republicans, GOP Locations: Palm Beach , Florida, U.S, Susan Collins of Maine, Alaska

☆ Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy want to 'delete' parts of the US government. It won't be easy.
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Alice Tecotzky | John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementElon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are set to co-lead the DOGE in President-elect Trump's second term. In their roles as co-leaders of the forthcoming Department of Government Efficiency, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have vowed to "delete" government agencies, much like a line of code. "Or does it mean that a different federal agency will assume the responsibilities of collecting income taxes?" Allison Robbert-Pool/Getty Images"The president can't 'delete' departments — or even almost all of government's subunits. Kettl said that any effort to delete the functions of a department is "an even bigger battle" than trying to delete a department itself.

Persons: Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, Trump's, Ron DeSantis, Kevin Kosar, DOGE's, Ramaswamy, Donald Trump, Mordecai Lee, aren't, haven't, Kosar, Allison Robbert, Donald Kettl, Elaine Kamarck, Bill Clinton, Kamarck, Kettl, Lee, they've, nix, it's Organizations: Republicans, of Government Efficiency, Elon, Florida Gov, American Enterprise Institute, Fox News, Internal Revenue Service, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, Department of Education, University of Wisconsin -, Trump, Republican, University of Maryland, Brookings Institute, of Education, Farmers, of Agriculture, USDA, Conservative Locations: Florida, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

☆ Visa and Mastercard execs grilled by senators on 'duopoly,' high swipe fees
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Ece Yildirim | In Ecedyildirim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Interchange fees, also known as swipe fees, are paid from a merchant's bank account to the cardholder's bank, whenever a customer uses a credit card in a retail purchase. "In 2023 alone, Visa and Mastercard charged merchants more than $100 billion in credit card fees, mostly in the form of interchange fees," Durbin told the committee. Visa and Mastercard, however, stand by their swipe fees. But the current high credit card swipe fees for retailers translate to higher prices for consumers, the National Retail Federation told the committee in a letter ahead of the hearing. "Last year, the average American spent $1,100 in swipe fees, more than they spent on pets, coffee or alcohol."

Persons: Bill Sheedy, Linda Kirkpatrick, Democratic Illinois Sen, Dick Durbin, Durbin, Republican Kansas Sen, Roger Marshall, Ryan McInerney, Sheedy, Americas Linda Kirkpatrick, Dodd, Frank, Roger Alford, General Merrick Garland Organizations: Visa, Americas, Mastercard, Committee, Democratic Illinois, Republican Kansas, Credit, National Retail Federation, Notre Dame University Locations: Washington ,

☆ 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

WASHINGTON — Congress faces a Dec. 20 deadline to fund the government and avert a shutdown, and Speaker Mike Johnson says House Republicans will probably push the fight into early 2025 rather than reach a full-year funding deal this year. And then then we should be actually working on the next year’s appropriations.”But even if they push the fight to early 2025, Republicans won’t have full control over spending decisions. Government funding legislation is subject to the 60-vote threshold in the Senate, which top Republicans have promised to preserve. That means they’ll have to reach a deal with Democrats, who currently control the Senate and want to pass full-year funding this year, not in 2025. “The bottom line is we’ve got to control spending and not allow there to be a runaway spending bill in December,” he said.

Persons: Mike Johnson, “, We’re, ” Johnson, Donald Trump’s, you’d, Donald J, Trump, Robert Aderholt, there’s, it’ll, ” Aderholt, Trump’s, ” Sen, John Boozman, ” Boozman, Republicans won’t, Patty Murray, Susan Collins, We’ve, I’ve, ”, Pete Aguilar, “ Mike Johnson, Chip Roy, Boozman Organizations: WASHINGTON, “ Fox, Democrats, ”, Committee, Republicans, NBC, GOP, CRs Locations: WASHINGTON —, Maine, Texas

WASHINGTON — The House Ethics Committee plans to meet Wednesday to discuss its report into former GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, a source familiar with the meeting confirmed on Monday. But the committee lost jurisdiction over Gaetz when he resigned from the House on Thursday and has not released any public report on its probe. On Friday, an attorney said that his client testified privately before the Ethics Committee that she personally witnessed Gaetz have sex with a minor. The House Ethics panel had been scheduled to discuss the report at its regular Friday meeting but it was postponed after Gaetz resigned. Appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., said senators should "absolutely" have access to the House report.

Persons: WASHINGTON, Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump’s, Gaetz, Mike Johnson, Bill Boner, Buz Lukens, ” Johnson, Sen, Markwayne Mullin, Mullin, Trump's Organizations: GOP, CNN, Trump, Madison Locations: Ohio, “ State, Washington, Mar, Florida

☆ House Ethics panel to meet on Trump attorney general pick Matt Gaetz report Wednesday
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-18 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

The House Ethics Committee will meet Wednesday to discuss its report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who has been tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to be the next attorney general, NBC News reported Monday. Several key Republican senators want the report on Gaetz released to the Senate for their consideration on whether to confirm him for the AG post, if and when Trump formally nominates him. The Ethics Committee had been investigating Gaetz for alleged sexual misconduct and potential illegal drug use, and other actions. The panel had been scheduled to meet last Friday on the report but postponed that session. Gaetz, who represented a Florida congressional district, resigned abruptly from the House last week after Trump said he would nominate him for AG.

Persons: Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump, Gaetz, Trump Organizations: NBC News, Senate, Trump, AG Locations: Florida

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