Dem Rep. Nadler steps down from top spot on Judiciary Committee, endorses Raskin
Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., has bowed out of the race for ranking member on the high profile House Judiciary Committee, according to a Dear Colleague letter he sent Wednesday. Nadler’s decision opens a pathway for Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., to take over as the top Democrat on the committee. Raskin had launched a bid to challenge Nadler. “As our country faces the return of Donald Trump, and the renewed threats to our democracy and our way of life that he represents, I am very confident that Jamie would ably lead the Judiciary Committee as we confront this growing danger,” Nadler wrote, endorsing Raskin to succeed him. HOUSE ETHICS COMMITTEE TO MEET WITH VOTE ON RELEASING GAETZ REPORT LOOMING “Although I will not be Ranking Member, I will still be an active member of the Committee, and I am eager to work alongside its new leadership in the battle to protect our most vulnerable communities and our most precious democratic ideals,” the 17-term New York Democrat added. Nadler steps aside as several younger House Democrats have ambitions to unseat older, but established, party leaders in the next Congress. DEM REP. NADLER PICTURED WITH HEAD DOWN, EYES CLOSED DURING TESTIMONY FROM OTHERS OF MIGRANT CRIME VICTIMS Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., earlier this week withdrew from the race for the top Democratic spot on the Natural Resources Committee after Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., announced his bid. A handful of lawmakers are also challenging Agriculture Committee ranking member Rep. David Scott, D-Ga., for his job, Politico reported. Nadler’s ` did not immediately respond to a request for comment. NY DEM CALLS ON ‘CEASEFIRE NOW CAMP’ TO DEMAND PEOPLE STOP TEARING DOWN ISRAELI HOSTAGE POSTERS Raskin thanked Nadler for his endorsement in a post on X. “Jerry Nadler is an extraordinary lawyer, patriot and public servant. His dogged defense of civil rights and civil liberties is a great inspiration to our people. I am honored and humbled to have his support in the battles ahead,” the Maryland Democrat wrote. His presumptive elevation to the Judiciary Committee creates an opening for the ranking member position on the House Oversight Committee. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., has voiced interest in that role, among others. “I’m having a lot of conversations with my colleagues,” Ocasio-Cortez told reporters Wednesday. “It’s incredibly important that we prepare ourselves fully for an incoming Trump administration as well as fighting for everyday working Americans.”
‘The pendulum is swinging’: Experts weigh in on historic SCOTUS transgender case amid oral arguments
The Supreme Court (SCOTUS) began hearing oral arguments for the high-profile case involving Tennessee’s ban on transgender medical procedures for minors on Wednesday, and one expert is saying the historic case shows “the pendulum is swinging.” The case, U.S. v. Skrmetti, will decide whether Tennessee’s ban on transgender medical procedures is constitutional and could impact whether states will enact more bans and allow individuals to sue medical providers. “I think you’re finding more of these people willing and certainly wanting to sue the pharmaceutical companies, as well as the doctors who prescribe medication or did the surgery,” Mat Staver, chairman of nonprofit legal group Liberty Counsel, told Fox News Digital in an interview. SUPREME COURT TO WEIGH STATE BAN ON TRANSGENDER ‘MEDICAL TREATMENTS’ FOR MINORS “So I think that the pendulum is swinging,” said Staver, whose legal group filed an amicus brief in support of Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti. “So even no matter what the Supreme Court does, I think the lawsuits will ultimately be the death mill of this kind of intervention.” As oral arguments commenced Wednesday morning, supporters and opponents of gender transition treatments gathered outside the SCOTUS building holding transgender Pride flags and “Kids’ Health Matters.” Over the course of more than two hours, the justices listened to each side present their arguments and asked questions. The court’s ruling could affect other current legal fights over transgender rights, including bathroom access and participation in scholastic sports. It could also serve as a legal template for future disputes involving the LGBTQ community and whether sexual orientation is a “protected class” that deserves the same rights that involve a person’s race and national origin. Staver said appellate courts have consistently upheld state bans on gender-affirming care for minors, though some lower court rulings have been overturned on appeal. He predicts the Supreme Court will likely follow this trend, framing the issue as one of regulating medical procedures rather than a question of constitutional protection. “I think it’s really a question of whether or not this rises to a level of constitutional protection, which I don’t think it does,” Staver said. ‘OF COURSE I SUPPORT THE PARDON OF MY SON,’ JILL BIDEN TELLS REPORTER The Biden administration joined the lawsuit by filing a petition to the Supreme Court in November 2023. The Department of Justice argued that the Tennessee law, which limits access to puberty blockers and hormone therapies for transgender minors, violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. This clause requires equal treatment of individuals in similar circumstances under the law. “It is no surprise to my mind that this is something I believe the Biden administration would love to hang its hat on as a victory for so-called transgender rights,” Heritage Foundation senior legal fellow Sarah Perry told Fox News Digital. The administration’s petition emphasized the “urgent need” for Supreme Court review, citing the impact on families who risk losing essential medical care. The DOJ also highlighted the broader implications of similar laws in other states, arguing that the bans disproportionately target transgender youth while permitting similar treatment for non-transgender minors. TRUMP TEAM DISMISSES REPORTS HE WILL DISCHARGE TRANS IN MILITARY: ‘NO DECISIONS ON THIS ISSUE HAVE BEEN MADE’ “But I will say this is going to present a very interesting potential, about FACE [The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act] with the incoming Trump administration, they have made very clear during the campaign that they want to restrict these procedures for minors,” Perry said. “So the Department of Justice under President Trump has an opportunity to reverse course, to file a motion to dismiss, voluntarily dismiss the case, and then it presents an interesting question: what do the justices do?” she added. The case comes as transgender issues have become a hotly debated topic in the country’s culture wars. Several large medical groups, including the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Association and American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, all endorse transgender medical procedures for children. Meanwhile, more than 26 states have either restricted or passed laws banning them. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti told reporters after the arguments, “The Constitution allows the states to protect kids from unproven, life-altering procedures based on uncertain science.” A ruling is expected by July 2025. Fox News’ Shannon Bream and Bill Mears contributed to this report.
‘Secure our border’: Massive police org calls on Trump, Rand Paul to swiftly confirm Noem to DHS
First on Fox – The Fraternal Order of Police sent letters to both President-elect Trump and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., outlining their staunch support of South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as secretary of homeland security, in what insiders say is the first in what will be a long list of law enforcement endorsements. “Governor Noem has been a longtime ally of the FOP during both her tenure in the House of Representatives and as Governor of South Dakota. The South Dakota State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police endorsed Governor Noem for her re-election campaign in 2022, citing her belief in the rule of law and commitment to public safety,” Fraternal Order of Police national president Patrick Yoes wrote in a November letter to Trump, which was obtained by Fox News Digital. “Once confirmed, the FOP will work with Governor Noem to secure our border, stop the flow of fentanyl into the United States, as well as support all the critical missions of the DHS – which has more law enforcement officers than any other Federal Department – in defending our homeland and keeping the American public safe,” Yoes continued. The FOP is the largest organization of sworn law enforcement officers, boasting roughly 377,000 members across the nation, with Yoes calling on both Trump and the Senate to swiftly confirm Noem in order for police and law enforcement officers to crack down on crimes ranging from illegal immigration to deadly fentanyl pouring over the border. TRUMP SELECTS SOUTH DAKOTA GOV KRISTI NOEM TO RUN DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY The DHS oversees U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Secret Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. GOV KRISTI NOEM REFLECTS ON TRUMP WIN, SAYS DEMOCRATS ‘TRY TO PUT WOMEN IN A BOX’ In his separate letter to Paul, Yoes called on the upcoming chairman of the committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs – who will preside over Noem’s confirmation – to swiftly confirm Noem in the Senate, while arguing that under the Trump administration, DHS will be allowed “the opportunity to take bold actions towards protecting our communities.” “The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employs more law enforcement than any other Federal department, and as such we ask the Committee to expeditiously review and confirm nominees as soon as possible to ensure a seamless transition. We especially encourage the committee to hold the earliest possible hearing on Governor Kristi L. Noem to be the next Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The FOP supports her nomination, and we look forward to working with her to secure our border,” Yoes wrote. Paul has already publicly said he would “expeditiously move President Trump’s critical nominees, including Governor Kristi Noem, in time for Inauguration Day.” WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT KRISTI NOEM, THE ‘BORDER HAWK’ NOMINATED BY TRUMP TO LEAD DHS Washington, D.C., insiders told Fox News Digital that the FOP’s unwavering support of Noem is just the first in what is anticipated to be a long list of law enforcement support behind the nomination. Trump, who ran in part on a platform of ending the immigration crisis at the southern border and cracking down on the deadly drug epidemic ravaging communities across the nation, announced his nomination of Noem just days after his massive win over Vice President Kamala Harris last month. EX-TRUMP OFFICIAL PREDICTS ‘ENTIRE MINDSET CHANGE’ AT SOUTHERN BORDER, HAILS ‘FANTASTIC’ PICK TO LEAD DHS “She was the first Governor to send National Guard Soldiers to help Texas fight the Biden Border Crisis, and they were sent a total of eight times,” Trump’s announcement on Nov. 12 read. “She will work closely with ‘Border Czar’ Tom Homan to secure the Border, and will guarantee that our American Homeland is secure from our adversaries,” Trump added. Noem has served as governor of the Mount Rushmore State since 2019, and notably gained national attention and praise from conservatives during the pandemic when she bucked lockdown orders and mask mandates common in liberal states such as California and New York. Republican state leaders and others praised Trump’s pick of Noem to lead DHS, citing her tough stance on illegal immigration that has rocked the nation since 2021, including Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott dubbing her a “border hawk.” “On behalf of the more than 377,000 members of the Fraternal Order of Police, I commend you on your selection of Governor Noem to lead the DHS, and we look forward to resuming our partnership with you and your Administration,” Yoes wrote in his letters to both Trump and Paul.
Pro-Trump impeachment Republican Sen Bill Cassidy targeted for ouster Freedom Caucus founding member
Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming announced a bid to unseat Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Republican who voted to convict following the House impeachment vote against former President Donald Trump in the wake of the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot. Fleming, a former U.S. congressman, was one of the founders of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, according to a press release about his Senate bid. “Senator Cassidy has failed the people of Louisiana,” Fleming said, according to the press release. “I will fight to bring real, conservative solutions to the U.S. Senate, I will not cut-and-run on these conservative principles, and I will stand and work with President Trump like I have many times before,” he declared. Fox News Digital attempted to request comment from the senator. LOUISIANA LAWMAKERS WEIGHING CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT WOULD SEND MORE JUVENILE OFFENDERS TO ADULT JAILS Fleming held posts in Trump’s prior administration. “I cannot fully express the deep sense of pride I have, having served President Trump in the West Wing of the White House as he was literally fighting for his political life against those who were attacking him and turning their backs on him,” Fleming noted, “but the opportunity to stand with him for the principles of America First is why I seek to serve the citizens of Louisiana in the United States Senate.” Trump endorsed Cassidy for re-election in 2020, before the lawmaker became one of the Senate Republicans who voted to convict after the House impeachment vote against Trump in early 2021. That Senate vote took place after Trump had already departed from office, and the number of senators who voted to convict failed to reach the threshold necessary for a conviction. CASSIDY INTRODUCES BILL TO STOP FEDERAL TAX DOLLARS FROM GOING TO HEALTHCARE FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS Trump lambasted Sen. Cassidy in posts on Truth Social earlier this year. “One of the worst Senators in the United States Senate is, without question, Bill Cassidy, A TOTAL FLAKE, Republican though he may be,” Trump declared on April 1. “Bill Cassidy is now shunned in his own State as a disloyal lightweight, and it’s a beautiful thing to watch,” Trump declared in another post. FEDERAL COURTS ARE DECLARING WAR ON AMERICAN OIL WORKERS: SEN. BILL CASSIDY Cassidy’s current U.S. Senate term ends in early 2027. Fleming previously ran unsuccessfully for Senate in 2016.
Iowa sues Biden administration to verify status of 2,000 registered voters who may be noncitizens
Iowa is suing the Biden administration over its alleged refusal to provide access to the citizenship status information of more than 2,000 registered voters whose status was questioned ahead of the 2024 election. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and Secretary of State Paul Pate filed the lawsuit on Tuesday, which claims U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) “would not hand over” its “list of noncitizens illegally registered to vote in Iowa.” Federal authorities’ “failure meant that the State had to rely on the best — imperfect — data it had available to ensure that no Iowan’s vote was canceled by an illegal, noncitizen vote,” Pate and Bird said in a joint statement. Along with USCIS, the lawsuit names the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas as defendants. IOWA REP. MARIANNETTE MILLER-MEEKS BEATS DEM CHALLENGER IN STATE’S 1ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Fox News Digital reached out to DHS for comment but did not immediately hear back. The complaint details how state election officials checked voter rolls against a list of people who identified themselves as noncitizens with the state’s Department of Transportation. The vast majority of the 2,176 names had subsequently registered to vote or voted, meaning that some of those people could have become naturalized citizens in the lapsed time. Pate told county elections officials during the state’s early voting to challenge the ballots cast by any of the individuals named on the list and have them cast a provisional ballot instead. Pro-voting groups sued Pate over the move, though days later a judge ruled against them and allowed those named on Pate’s list to cast provisional ballots. MISSOURI LAW REQUIRING PHOTO ID TO VOTE REMAINS INTACT: ‘HUGE WIN FOR ELECTION SECURITY’ At least 500 of the identified individuals proved their citizenship status and had their votes counted, the Des Moines Register reported, citing preliminary information collected from 97 of the state’s 99 counties. Another 74 ballots were rejected, according to the Register, mostly because those people did not return to prove their citizenship status. Most of the people on Pate’s list did not vote in the 2024 election, according to the Register’s data from county auditors. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Former Dem congressman who lost by 109 votes in 2020 confirmed to lifetime judicial seat
Anthony J. Brindisi, a former Democratic member of Congress who serves on the New York State Court of Claims in Utica, will serve as a judge in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York. The Democratic-led U.S. Senate voted 50-49 in favor of Brindisi, who was tapped by President Joe Biden in July. He will succeed the nation’s oldest active district court judge, 87-year-old David Hurd. Brandisi is the first former member of Congress to join the federal bench in over two decades, overcoming Republican opposition to positions he took on legislation supporting immigrants and LGBTQ rights. He was the target of various lines of questioning in which he attempted to frame himself as a jurist rather than a politician. FETTERMAN SAYS DEMS SHOULDN’T ‘FREAK OUT’ OVER EVERYTHING TRUMP DOES: ‘IT’S GOING TO BE 4 YEARS’ “On the bench, are you a politician or a judge?” Tennessee Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn asked him during a hearing last month. “I’m a judge, senator,” Brindisi responded. Brandisi, 46, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018. He served one term. After losing his seat to Republican challenger Claudia Tenney in the 2020 election, he returned to his former law firm, Utica-based Brindisi, Murad & Brindisi Pearlman, before becoming a state court judge starting in 2022. TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT TASK FORCE HOLDS FINAL HEARING; SECRET SERVICE DIRECTOR TO TESTIFY President-elect Trump accused Democrats of attempting to “stack the Courts” with radical appointees and urged Republicans to “Show Up and Hold the Line.” “No more Judges confirmed before Inauguration Day!” Trump posted on Truth Social. The last time a former member of Congress joined the bench was in 2002, when the Senate confirmed now-Senior U.S. District Judge Bill Martini in New Jersey after he earlier served as a Republican member of the House. Brindisi said the role of a judge was different from his past lawmaking work and that he wanted parties to feel he was a “fair and impartial judge,” Reuters reports. FOX News’ Hayley Chi-Sing, Chris Pandolfo, Jake Gibosn, Kelly Phares, Julia Johnson and Reuters contributed to this report.
Hunter Biden pardon will be ‘dark mark’ on Biden legacy: historian
President Biden’s decision to go back on his word and pardon his son will be a permanent stain on his legacy, a presidential historian said Thursday. Douglas Brinkley, a professor at Rice University argued to USA Today that there is “nothing positive” about Biden’s decision. The pardon has already drawn criticism from Republicans and even Biden’s allies in Congress. “The problem that President Biden has legacy-wise is he said he wouldn’t pardon his son,” Brinkley said. “He gave his word, crossed his heart, and then, alas, he ended up doing it. It will strike some people as unfair and other people will say it’s a father doing what he had to.” He added that the pardon will only serve to be a “dark mark” on Biden’s term moving forward. PRESIDENT BIDEN’S PARDON OF SON HUNTER A POLITICAL GIFT FOR TRUMP GOING FORWARD Brinkley also noted the trouble Hunter has caused for his father’s presidency since gaining office. Investigations into the first son have resounded through Congress and the media, providing a counterpoint to then-ongoing criminal investigations into President-elect Trump. SPECIAL COUNSEL, IRS WHISTLEBLOWERS SAY DON’T BUY BIDEN’S ‘SPIN’ ABOUT HUNTER BIDEN LEGAL SAGA “Hunter Biden’s been an albatross around his father’s neck for the entire presidency,” Brinkley said. Brinkley goes on to argue that Trump’s victory in November may have been the deciding factor, with Biden fearing that the incoming administration would target his son with more investigations. Nevertheless, the move won him no allies. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, typically a staunch ally of the president, said he was “disappointed” in the decision and that he “cannot support it.” Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., who chairs the Congressional Democratic Caucus, also said he was “disappointed” in the decision Wednesday. He went on to note that Biden had gone back on his word. Biden had vowed multiple times that he would not intervene in his son’s case, first in June when his son was convicted on three felony firearm charges, and then in September after Hunter pleaded guilty to federal charges of tax evasion. “I am not going to do anything,” Biden said this summer. “I will abide by the jury’s decision.”
Senate DOGE leader Ernst to take on government telework abuse at first meeting with Musk, Ramaswamy
EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Joni Ernst is rolling out a proposal for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) that would reduce government employee telework and sell empty government office space. Ernst, R-Iowa, is the chair of the Senate DOGE Caucus and has been working with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy since President-elect Trump tapped them to lead the new agency. Musk and Ramaswamy will visit Capitol Hill Thursday to meet with Republican lawmakers to discuss ways to reduce government waste. MUSK, RAMASWAMY TO DISCUSS DOGE PLANS WITH GOP LAWMAKERS Ernst will roll out her new proposal and a 60-page report during her first Senate DOGE Caucus meeting Thursday morning, which Musk and Ramaswamy are expected to attend. House Speaker Mike Johnson will then hold an event with Musk and Ramaswamy Thursday afternoon for all Republican legislators in the House and Senate, which Ernst will attend. Ernst has been investigating telework abuse for two years and based her recommendations to DOGE on her findings. First, Ernst proposes the federal government relocate Washington’s workforce across the country. Ernst suggested legislation that would relocate the headquarters of non-security-related government departments and agencies outside Washington to areas with “existing expertise for carrying out the mission and goals of each.” MUSK AND RAMASWAMY LAY OUT DOGE VISION IN WSJ OP-ED: 5 TAKEAWAYS She also proposed legislation to relocate at least 30% of the employees from Washington, D.C., headquarters of non-security-related government departments and agencies to field offices in communities across the country. Ernst also suggested that the White House and executive branch agencies consider relocating some staff, without any congressional directive. Next, Ernst is proposing Congress set a goal for all federal government agencies to achieve a 60% daily occupancy at their headquarters, while noting that, currently, not a single agency sees even half capacity occupancy. “There are thousands of other government buildings around the country sitting totally vacant and unused,” the report states. “Much of this is leased space. “There is a simple answer,” the report continues. “Use it or lose it!” Ernst proposed that the General Services Administration auction “vacant, unneeded, and underutilized buildings and property without unnecessary strings and conditions.” She said agencies should “immediately cancel or allow to expire the $15 million worth of underutilized leased office space and property.” “Not a single headquarters of a major agency or department in the nation’s capital is even half full,” Ernst’s report said. “Government buildings average an occupancy rate of 12%.” According to the report, maintaining and leasing government office buildings costs approximately $8 billion every year, with another $7.7 billion spent on the energy to keep them up and running. Ernst said the government owns 7,697 vacant buildings and another 2,265 that are partially empty. She proposed that Congress pass a bipartisan bill, the Federal Assets Sale and Transfer Act (FASTA) Reform Act to extend the Public Buildings Reform Board’s mission identifying unused properties for the government to sell. She also proposed Congress pass legislation that requires the “reduction and consolidation of unused space to ensure all buildings achieve a utilization rate of 60 percent or more.” Meanwhile, Ernst is proposing that performance determine whether a federal employee may work from home. Ernst proposed that Congress pass nearly half a dozen bills that would “make telework transparent and accountable.” COMER TO CREATE DOGE SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRED BY MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE TO WORK WITH ELON MUSK, VIVEK RAMASWAMY Ernst also noted that federal employees have been “padding their paychecks” by claiming to be working in areas with higher pay rates, while actually living elsewhere. “My audits are finding as many as 23-68% of teleworking employees for some agencies are boosting their salaries by receiving incorrect locality pay,” she said. “Some employees live more than 2,000 miles away from their office, and one ‘temporary’ teleworker collected higher locality pay for nearly a decade.” Ernst will introduce her proposal to Musk and Ramaswamy during Thursday’s meeting, after the two said they are largely focused on how DOGE could assist in identifying waste and regulations that could be eliminated through the executive branch. Republicans will control the White House and both chambers of the legislature when President-elect Trump returns to office in January.
Trump assassination attempt task force holds final hearing; Secret Service director to testify
The House task force on the two assassination attempts of President-elect Trump will gather for its final hearing Thursday ahead of the release of its highly anticipated report. U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Director Ronald Rowe will testify before lawmakers. Task force members will then huddle behind closed doors to consider their final report. Chairman Mike Kelly, R-Pa., said the hearing was about restoring confidence in federal law enforcement. “What we’re working on more than anything else is the public has to know what happened that day because there’s still a lot of confusion about it,” Kelly told Fox News Digital Wednesday. TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT TASK FORCE SAYS ATF ‘FAILED TO PRODUCE’ REQUESTED MATERIALS “When we look at Secret Service, that’s always the elite of the elite. So, I think what we’re trying to do is establish the situation where … we can restore that confidence.” Trump held a rally in Kelly’s district July 13, when a 20-year-old gunman opened fire on the event from just outside its security perimeter, injuring Trump and others. One rally attendee was killed. Later in September, USSS agents opened fire on a 58-year-old man who had a rifle aimed at Trump’s Palm Beach, Florida, golf course where the president-elect was out for the day. TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT: SECRET SERVICE FAILURES MAY WARRANT DISCIPLINE, AGENCY REPORT SAYS The incidents prompted heavy scrutiny of the USSS and its security practices and led to the ouster of USSS Director Kimberly Cheatle. And while Kelly admitted he “would have rather had” Cheatle testify before his task force, he praised Rowe’s handling of the situation since succeeding her. “From the very start, he said, ‘Look, it was entirely our fault. This is the worst state the Secret Service has ever had,’” he said. SECRET SERVICE KNEW AIRSPACE PROTECTION WOULD END WITH FORMER PRESIDENT ONSTAGE Kelly said he anticipated the final report being released around Dec. 13, the task force’s “due date” for producing the results of its investigation. The panel released an interim report in late October detailing “a lack of planning and coordination between the Secret Service and its law enforcement partners before the rally.” USSS personnel at the event “did not give clear guidance” to state and local authorities about how to manage security outside their hard perimeter, nor was there a central meeting between USSS and the law enforcement agencies supporting them the morning of the rally, according to findings presented as key failures in the 51-page report.
House Ethics Committee to meet with vote on releasing Gaetz report looming
The House Ethics Committee is expected to meet Thursday after the panel failed to come to an agreement last month on whether to release its report about former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. The report could still be made public, however, even if history repeats itself. Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., moved to force a vote on releasing the report via a measure known as a “privileged resolution” Tuesday. Designating a resolution “privileged” gives House leaders two legislative days to consider it, putting that deadline on Thursday. The House Ethics Committee has been conducting a years-long investigation into accusations against Gaetz that involve sex with a minor and illicit drug use. HACKER OBTAINS HOUSE ETHICS TESTIMONY ON MATT GAETZ AS TRUMP MAKES CALLS FOR AG NOMINEE Gaetz has consistently denied any wrongdoing, and a parallel federal investigation into the Florida congressman ended without him being charged. The House Ethics Committee’s investigation came to an abrupt halt last month after he resigned from Congress, hours after President-elect Trump tapped him to be his attorney general. Gaetz dropped out of consideration amid quiet but steady GOP opposition, but the committee lost jurisdiction over the probe when Gaetz left the House of Representatives. His resignation came just before the committee was expected to meet to consider releasing the report. That meeting wound up taking place roughly a week later and ended on a tense note. GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP’S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR? Chairman Michael Guest, R-Miss., told reporters there was no agreement on releasing the report, while the remainder of the normally secretive committee said little to journalists crowded outside the meeting room. His comments prompted Rep. Susan Wild, D-Pa., the top Democrat on the committee, to return and criticize Guest for discussing the meeting at all. “We just concluded a two-hour meeting of the ethics committee, and it was not my intention to make any comment. I walked out of this committee without making one and walked back to my office,” Wild began. “We had agreed that we were not going to discuss what had transpired at the meeting. But it has come to my attention that the chairman has since betrayed the process by disclosing our deliberations within moments after walking out of the committee, and he has implied that there was an agreement of the committee not to disclose the report.” She called it “untrue to the extent that that suggests that the committee was in agreement or that we had a consensus on that.” But with Gaetz now out of the running for attorney general, there is likely not as much pressure on Republicans to consent to releasing the report. A significant number of GOP lawmakers who suggested they would be open to it argued it was in the public’s best interest to see the report if Gaetz were to lead the Department of Justice, a factor no longer in play.