A federal judge is weighing extending the pause on President Trump's "deferred resignations" for federal workers. Weijia Jiang is following the latest developments at the White House.
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Today's Political News Compilation - Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024
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Lawmakers are concerned about background checks of Trump’s Cabinet picks as red flags surface
By ERIC TUCKER, ZEKE MILLER and MARY CLARE JALONICKUpdated 3:18 PM CST, November 20, 2024
WASHINGTON (AP) — As senators prepare to consider President-elect Donald Trump’s picks for his Cabinet, they may be doing so without a well-established staple of the confirmation process: an FBI background check.
The Trump transition team has so far not signed the requisite agreements with the White House or the Justice Department to allow the FBI to screen his personnel choices, both for the process of obtaining security clearances and meeting the Senate’s usual standards for nominations.
That means the Senate could be asked to vote on Trump’s picks without the usual rigorous background checking meant to uncover personal problems, criminal histories or other red flags that would raise questions about a nominee’s suitability for the job. There already are questions about problematic issues related to a number of the people Trump wants in his administration.
“There are very real liabilities on the security side if you don’t get this right,” said Dan Meyer, a Washington lawyer at the Tully Rinckey law firm who specializes in background checks, security clearances and federal employment law. ...
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Trump makes a statement with aggressive Cabinet picks, fast-moving transition effort
Trump's controversial Cabinet picks include former Fox News host Pete Hegseth for Defense secretary and former Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general.
www.usatoday.com
Republicans on ethics panel vote to block Gaetz report | CNN Politics
Republicans on the House Ethics Committee fell in line behind GOP leaders and voted not to release the results of their investigation into Donald Trump’s attorney general pick, Matt Gaetz, despite growing calls from the Senate GOP to make the findings public ahead of his confirmation hearing.
www.cnn.comTrump chooses former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker as NATO ambassador
President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO.
apnews.com
Democrats try to force Ethics Committee to release Gaetz report
Bipartisan House Ethics Committee were deadlocked along party lines on whether to release a report on its investigation of Matt Gaetz, Trump's attorney general pick.
Get to know Donald Trump's Cabinet: Who has the president-elect picked so far?
Donald Trump has begun selecting people to fill top administration jobs in Washington upon returning to the Oval Office in January. Trump beat Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.
Republicans on House Ethics reject for now releasing report on Matt Gaetz
The House panel expects to meet again Dec. 5 to reconsider releasing its findings.
apnews.com
Nikki Haley blasts Gabbard and RFK Jr. as Cabinet choices - Washington Examiner
Nikki Haley can't vote to confirm or reject Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees, but she had harsh words for Tulsi Gabbard and Robert Kennedy Jr.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Who has Trump picked for his Cabinet so far? Matthew Whitaker is latest nomination
After a brief stint in Trump's first administration, the president-elect wants the conservative firebrand to become the next U.S. ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
www.usatoday.com
Lindsey Graham urges GOP not to form 'lynch mob' ahead of Gaetz confirmation
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., urged his Senate GOP colleagues not to form a "lynch mob" and to give Matt Gaetz a fair shot during his confirmation hearings to be U.S. attorney general.
Senate rejects effort from Bernie Sanders to block some weapons for Israel over Gaza deaths
The Senate has rejected attempts by Sen. Bernie Sanders to block the sale of offensive weapons to Israel.
apnews.com
Ukraine fires UK-made Storm Shadow missiles at Russia for first time
The BBC understands the long-range missiles have been fired into Russian territory by Ukraine.
www.bbc.com
Analysis: Election conspiracies persist, even with different outcomes in the 2024 election
Conspiracies persist, although it is effectively impossible to steal a major election in the United States.
www.cbsnews.comBiden has become notably quiet after the 2024 election and Democrats' loss
At a delicate moment in the U.S. and for the world, President Joe Biden has been notably quiet lately. That silence may be leaving a vacuum.
apnews.com
Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin makes impassioned defense of women in combat
Austin's comments are the strongest statement from the military since Hegseth was tapped by Trump to lead the DOD.
How could the U.S. military be used for Trump's mass deportation plan?
Trump signaled this week that he would enlist the help of the U.S. military for his massive deportation operation.
www.cbsnews.com
Republican Senators weigh in on Matt Gaetz nomination
President-elect Donald Trump's choice for attorney general, Matt Gaetz, has launched an effort to personally secure his embattled nomination, meeting behind closed doors with Republican senators who have questions about the sexual misconduct and other allegations against him.
apnews.com
US Senate votes down effort to withhold weapons to Israel amid Gaza war
The push led by Senator Bernie Sanders falls short, but advocates say it shows progress for Palestinian rights movement.
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Continue reading...How Trump might get rid of the penny — and what could come next for your pocket change
President Donald Trump unveiled plans Sunday to halt production of the penny — but getting that initiative underway requires a few additional steps and possibly congressional approval.
Additionally, while Trump said he instructed the Treasury Department to stop minting them due to their high costs, supporters of the penny claim it’s wiser to evaluate changes to the nickel instead.
"For far too long, the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday. "This is so wasteful! I have...
Continue reading...Additionally, while Trump said he instructed the Treasury Department to stop minting them due to their high costs, supporters of the penny claim it’s wiser to evaluate changes to the nickel instead.
"For far too long, the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday. "This is so wasteful! I have...
NY Democrats blink as controversial state election bill affecting Rep. Stefanik seat declared dead: reports
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect reporting that New York Democrats have decided not to move ahead with the legislation.
A controversial New York state election bill will no longer come to fruition, as multiple reports said the bill was put on hold at the behest of Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Sources separately told the New York Post and City & State New York that Hochul asked the Democrat-majority legislature not to take any action on the legislation – which would give the governor more power to decide when special elections can be held...
Continue reading...A controversial New York state election bill will no longer come to fruition, as multiple reports said the bill was put on hold at the behest of Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Sources separately told the New York Post and City & State New York that Hochul asked the Democrat-majority legislature not to take any action on the legislation – which would give the governor more power to decide when special elections can be held...
Prosecutors told to drop NYC mayor corruption case
Eric Adams is facing charges of bribery, conspiracy and campaign finance violations.
Continue reading...Macron shares his deepfakes for AI summit attention
The French president posted a montage of parodies featuring himself to promote an AI Summit in Paris.
Continue reading...What's at stake for consumers as Trump officials target the CFPB
The Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau risk leaving Americans’ nearly $18 trillion in consumer debt with less supervision or regulation, NBC News reported.
One CFPB staffer said Monday that every meeting and work item on their calendar, including reviewing investigative actions, had been deleted.
“I think at some point, the machinery is going to start to jam up,” said the employee, who asked to speak anonymously out of fear of reprisal. “What is the industry going to do on its own?”
As of Monday...
Continue reading...One CFPB staffer said Monday that every meeting and work item on their calendar, including reviewing investigative actions, had been deleted.
“I think at some point, the machinery is going to start to jam up,” said the employee, who asked to speak anonymously out of fear of reprisal. “What is the industry going to do on its own?”
As of Monday...
DOJ orders corruption charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams be dismissed
The Department of Justice has ordered the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams to be dismissed, a department official told NBC News.
Acting Attorney General Emil Bove ordered the U.S. Attorney of the Southern District of New York to dismiss all charges against the mayor, according to a DOJ official.
The dismissal is without prejudice. The DOJ official added that the charges would be reviewed when a U.S. Attorney appointed by President Donald Trump is confirmed.
The order does not necessarily mean that the case has been dismissed...
Continue reading...Acting Attorney General Emil Bove ordered the U.S. Attorney of the Southern District of New York to dismiss all charges against the mayor, according to a DOJ official.
The dismissal is without prejudice. The DOJ official added that the charges would be reviewed when a U.S. Attorney appointed by President Donald Trump is confirmed.
The order does not necessarily mean that the case has been dismissed...
‘Back to plastic': Trump pushes for plastic straws as he declares paper ones ‘don't work'
President Donald Trump is moving to reverse a federal push away from plastic straws, declaring that paper straws “don’t work.”
Trump signed an executive order Monday, saying: “It’s a ridiculous situation. We’re going back to plastic straws”
The move by Trump — who has long railed against paper straws, and whose 2019 reelection campaign sold Trump-branded reusable plastic straws for $15 per pack of 10 — targets a Biden administration policy to phase out federal purchases of single-use plastics, including straws, from food service operations, events...
Continue reading...Trump signed an executive order Monday, saying: “It’s a ridiculous situation. We’re going back to plastic straws”
The move by Trump — who has long railed against paper straws, and whose 2019 reelection campaign sold Trump-branded reusable plastic straws for $15 per pack of 10 — targets a Biden administration policy to phase out federal purchases of single-use plastics, including straws, from food service operations, events...
President Trump pardons former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been issued a pardon by President Donald Trump, nearly five years after his sentence was commuted.
Blagojevich, convicted of trying to sell the Senate seat of then-President-elect Barack Obama, had his 14-year prison sentence commuted by Trump in Feb. 2020, but now the president has gone a step further and granted the former governor a full pardon.
The news comes as Trump reportedly weighs the idea of appointing Blagojevich the United States’ ambassador to Serbia, according to multiple outlets, including...
Continue reading...Blagojevich, convicted of trying to sell the Senate seat of then-President-elect Barack Obama, had his 14-year prison sentence commuted by Trump in Feb. 2020, but now the president has gone a step further and granted the former governor a full pardon.
The news comes as Trump reportedly weighs the idea of appointing Blagojevich the United States’ ambassador to Serbia, according to multiple outlets, including...
Justice Department moves to drop case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams
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Continue reading...As Musk cuts federal spending, his own firms have received billions in contracts
As Elon Musk has led an effort to slash government spending, his own companies have, over the last few years, received billions of dollars in government contracts.
Continue reading...Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's pick to oversee US spy agencies, advances to Senate confirmation vote
Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump’s pick to be director of national intelligence, is another step closer to Senate confirmation
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