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☆ Trump's Cabinet selection is off to a rocky start: From the Politics Desk
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( The Politics Desk | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

But it’s not even Thanksgiving, and Donald Trump is already looking for a backup top law enforcement officer after Matt Gaetz withdrew his AG bid Thursday. The last time around, Trump lost just one of his initial Cabinet picks, when Andrew Puzder withdrew as the labor secretary nominee in February 2017. ➡️ More on the Trump transitionAside from Gaetz, two of Trump’s other Cabinet picks, Hegseth and Kennedy, have also faced serious allegations of sexual impropriety, which they have both denied. 🗞️ Today’s other top stories 👀 Buckeye State battle brewing: The jockeying for JD Vance’s Ohio Senate seat has begun, and the potential candidates’ statements about Trump’s Cabinet picks are being closely watched. Read more →The jockeying for JD Vance’s Ohio Senate seat has begun, and the potential candidates’ statements about Trump’s Cabinet picks are being closely watched.

Persons: Matt Gaetz, Jonathan Allen, Henry J, Gomez, Olympia Sonnier, Jake Traylor, Julie Tsirkin Matt Gaetz’s, Donald Trump, ”, Gaetz, MAGA, Trump, Sens, Mitch McConnell of, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins of, Markwayne Mullin, John Curtis of Utah, Read, Jonathan Allen It’s, George H.W, Texas Sen, John Tower, it’s, — Trump, Bill Clinton’s, Zoë Baird, Kimba Wood, Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Barack Obama’s, Tom Daschle, Bill Richardson, Judd Gregg, Andrew Puzder, ➡️, Hegseth, Kennedy, Mehmet Oz, El Organizations: NBC, White House, Capitol, Republican, The Justice Department, Republicans, Gaetz, Pentagon, Former Fox News, Human Services, Commerce, ., Medicare, Services Locations: Florida, Washington, Trump, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Oklahoma, Texas, Obamacare

Matt Gaetz’s withdrawal Thursday as a candidate for attorney general illustrates the roadblocks President-elect Donald Trump could face as he attempts to convert his campaign of “retribution” into a governing coalition capable of working within the realities of Washington. In Gaetz, Trump would finally get the loyal attorney general he felt like he never had in his first term. But it was a tough sell from the moment Trump announced Gaetz as his choice eight days ago — in a pick that shocked much of Washington. In the end, it was the “combination of the ethics report and opposition among Senate Republicans,” that doomed Gaetz’s candidacy, a senior Senate aide told NBC News. Before Gaetz’s withdrawal Thursday, Trump allies were pushing hard on GOP senators and other ambitious Republicans to publicly support his embattled Cabinet picks.

Persons: Matt Gaetz’s, Donald Trump, ”, Gaetz, MAGA, Trump, “, Vance, ” Gaetz, Sens, Mitch McConnell of, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins of, Markwayne Mullin, John Curtis of Utah, JD Vance, ” Sen, Mike Rounds, ” Rounds, Pete Hegseth, shouldn’t, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Tulsi Gabbard, Matt, they’re Organizations: Republican, The Justice Department, Republicans, NBC News, Trump, Capitol, Gaetz, “, Senate, Fox News, Justice Department Locations: Washington, Florida, Trump, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Oklahoma, Ohio, Hawaii

The search for Vice President-elect JD Vance’s successor in the Senate is reinforcing a rift among Ohio Republicans, whose loyalties are divided between the establishment-friendly Gov. Vance has consulted with DeWine on the Senate appointment, two sources familiar with the discussions said. When asked if Trump’s Cabinet picks were a part of DeWine’s considerations, Tierney emphasized the governor’s wish that his pick be able to win the GOP primary that year. Moreno, for his part, singled out Gaetz, Gabbard, Hegseth and Kennedy this week in a statement pledging to support Trump’s Cabinet choices. “The American people delivered President Trump a mandate, and it is crucial that Senate Republicans confirm his nominees quickly,” he said.

Persons: JD Vance’s, Mike DeWine, Donald Trump, DeWine, Vance, ”, Dan Tierney, “, Trump’s, Trump, Pete Hegseth, shouldn’t, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Tulsi Gabbard, Matt Gaetz, Gaetz, Hegseth, “ We’re, Kennedy, Robert Sprague, Frank LaRose, they’ll, Dan Lusheck, Lusheck, Mike Carey, Carey, Justice Department “, ” Carey, “ I’d, Jay Edwards, ” Mehek Cooke, John Kasich’s, ” Cooke, Jane Timken, Jon Husted —, —, Tierney, Sprague, Dave Yost, Yost, Vivek Ramaswamy, Elon Musk, ” Tierney, Timken, Sen, Matt Dolan, Dolan, Bernie Moreno, Moreno, LaRose, Democratic Sen, Sherrod Brown Organizations: Ohio Republicans, Trump, NBC News, GOP, Fox News, Justice Department, “, U.S, Spectrum, Gov, Republican, Democrat, Republican National Committee, Senate, Democratic, America Locations: Ohio, Hawaii, Florida, Hegseth, Washington, DeWine

Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., on Thursday announced that he would withdraw his name from consideration to be President-elect Donald Trump's attorney general. In a post on TruthSocial, Trump praised Gaetz and said he had been doing "very well" in the confirmation process. "I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. Gaetz has vehemently denied those allegations and the investigation ended with the Justice Department electing not to charge Gaetz. The committee had been looking into the allegations against Gaetz on and off since 2021.

Persons: Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump's, Vance, Gaetz, Trump, Matt, “, ”, Joni Ernst, John Cornyn, Ernst, “ I’m, Grassley, ” Ernst, I’m, Cornyn, “ Everything’s, ” Cornyn Organizations: Trump, DOJ, Administration, Justice Department, Capitol, Sens, NBC News Locations: Washington, Gaetz, Iowa, Texas

WASHINGTON — The Senate voted overwhelmingly Wednesday night to reject three efforts led by progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders that would have blocked certain offensive weapons sales to Israel. In a speech on the Senate floor ahead of the vote, Sanders argued that the resolutions "would not affect any of the systems Israel uses to defend itself from incoming attacks," focusing instead on offensive weapons. "As I have said many, many times: Israel had the absolute right to respond to that horrific Hamas attack, as any other country would. I don’t think anybody here in the United States Senate disagrees with that," he said in his floor speech. More than 43,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s offensive into the dense enclave since the attack, according to health officials in Gaza.

Persons: WASHINGTON, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Sanders, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ed Markey, Netanyahu, Martin Heinrich, Tammy Baldwin, “, Catherine Cortez Masto, ” Sen, Jacky Rosen, ”, Joni Ernst, Bill Cassidy, Israel’s Organizations: U.S, United States, Hamas, Democrats, Biden Locations: Israel, Gaza, U.S, United States, D, Iowa

Trump’s pick for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, was accused of sexual assault. Trump himself has faced various sexual misconduct allegations, which he has denied, though he was found liable last year for sexual abuse in a civil trial over an alleged incident in the 1990s that he also denies. Now, after having won the presidency again, he’s spending early political capital to confirm appointees who have faced sexual misconduct allegations of their own. The allegations against Trump’s picksGaetz’s years of controversies have been thrust back into the spotlight now that he’s up for a Cabinet post. “It’s a very scary time for young men in America when you can be guilty of something that you may not be guilty of,” Trump told reporters.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Matt Gaetz, Pete Hegseth, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Gaetz, Hegseth, Kennedy, “, Trump, ”, Marc Short, Mike Pence’s, we’ve, Trump’s, hasn’t, Tim Parlatore, Bill Clinton’s, George H.W, Barack Obama’s, haven’t, Andy Puzder, Puzder, Patrick Shanahan, Shanahan, Ronny Jackson, Jackson, Brett Kavanaugh, Kavanaugh, ” Trump, reconsidering, JD Vance, Karoline Leavitt, Vance, MAGA, ” Leavitt Organizations: NBC News, NBC, “, Justice Department, Trump, Committee, Washington Post, Republican, You’re, Politico, Pentagon, White House, Department of Veterans Affairs, Supreme, Capitol, White Locations: groping, Florida, America, Hegseth, Washington

☆ 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

☆ Trump demands Republicans ‘kill’ bill that would protect journalists from government spying
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Brian Stelter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —In between his posts on Truth Social announcing nominees for his incoming administration, President-elect Donald Trump urged Republicans Wednesday to nix a bipartisan bill that would give journalists greater protections under federal law. Trump wrote on his favorite social network that “REPUBLICANS MUST KILL THIS BILL!”He linked to a PBS “NewsHour” interview with Jodie Ginsberg, the CEO of the Committee to Protect Journalists, who urged the Senate to pass the legislation. Known as the PRESS Act, the Protect Reporters From Exploitative State Spying Act would prevent the government from forcing journalists to reveal their sources and limit the seizure of their data without their knowledge. “It’s really important that we have that federal shield law to protect journalists at the federal level,” Ginsberg said on PBS. “Many Trump supporters from Rep. Jim Jordan to Sen. Mike Lee are champions of the PRESS Act because it would protect all journalists, including many who reach primarily conservative audiences.

Persons: Donald Trump, nix, Trump, Jodie Ginsberg, Sen, Tom Cotton, Trump’s, Joe Biden’s, ” Ginsberg, John Oliver, Dell Cameron, Trevor Timm, ”, ” Timm, Jim Jordan, Mike Lee Organizations: New, New York CNN, Social, Republicans, PBS, Protect Journalists, Senate, Freedom, Press, Republican, The New York Times, HBO, WIRED, Democratic, Press Foundation, CNN, Trump, Rep Locations: New York

☆ 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

☆ Matt Gaetz withdraws from attorney general consideration
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

AdvertisementMatt Gaetz announced Thursday his withdrawal from consideration to be US attorney general. He said his confirmation was "unfairly becoming a distraction" to Trump's team. Matt Gaetz has withdrawn himself from consideration to be President-Elect Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general of the United States, the former Florida congressman announced on Thursday afternoon. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance… — Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) November 21, 2024"I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General," Trump wrote on Truth Social. Meanwhile, Gaetz had taken the extraordinary step of resigning from the House after his nomination was announced, ostensibly to allow Florida Gov.

Persons: Matt Gaetz, Trump, Donald Trump's, Gaetz, Vance, Sen, JD Vance, Ohio, Vance …, Matt, Ron DeSantis Organizations: Trump, Administration, Florida Republican, Senate, Justice, Gaetz, Florida Gov Locations: United States, Florida

☆ Trump AG pick Matt Gaetz says he's withdrawing
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Matt Gaetz said Thursday he is withdrawing his name from consideration as President-elect Donald Trump's pick for U.S. attorney general, ending the controversial bid that put prior allegations of sexual misconduct in the spotlight. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback - and the incredible support of so many," Gaetz said in a statement posted on his X account. "There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I'll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General," he said. The Department of Justice's investigation into whether Gatez sex-trafficked a minor girl ended last year without charges being filed. The House committee, which is evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats, on Wednesday deadlocked on a vote to release a report on its probe of Gaetz.

Persons: Matt Gaetz, Kevin McCarthy, Donald Trump's, Gaetz, Vance, CNN's Paula Reid, Susan Wild of, reconvene, Trump, Karoline Leavitt, Leavitt Organizations: U.S, Trump, Republican, The, Republicans, Democrats, Gaetz, Truth, Administration, Department of Justice, CNBC, Yildirim Locations: Washington ,, Florida, Washington, Susan Wild of Pennsylvania

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

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ Vance debuts new role as Trump’s point person on Capitol Hill
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Alayna Treene | Steve Contorno | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Congressional Republicans acknowledge that Vance hasn’t necessarily developed longstanding relationships on Capitol Hill during his abbreviated time in Washington. His coattails turned a 49-51 senate to a 53-47 senate,” Vance wrote on X on Wednesday. The three developed a bond that predates the campaign and has carried into the early days of Trump’s transition. But when you look at the effectiveness of JD in the campaign, there’s no better surrogate for President Trump’s agenda,” the adviser said. “In JD’s view, his role of VP is to take on any issue that President Trump would like him to take on,” the person close to Vance told CNN.

Persons: JD Vance, Donald Trump’s, Vance, Matt Gaetz, he’ll, Pete Hegseth, Vance hasn’t, ”, North Dakota Sen, Kevin Cramer, Trump, “, Donald Trump, ” Cramer, ” Vance, “ Donald J, coattails, Joe Biden’s, Grace Chong, Steve Bannon’s, Chong, ” Trump, Tom Homan, ’, Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump Jr, —, Trump’s MAGA, Kamala Harris ’, JD, James Braid, “ Vance, you’ll, ” CNN’s Ted Barrett Organizations: CNN, Capitol, Trump’s Cabinet, Florida Rep, Fox News, Department of Defense, Senate, White, GOP, Cabinet, Trump, FBI, Republican, Democratic, Mar, Elon, JD, Central America —, “, White House Locations: Ohio, Washington, North Dakota, Central, Trump

☆ 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

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

☆ 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

☆ 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 —

☆ 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

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