With Trump set to begin another term and Republicans in control of Congress, the anti-abortion movement is positioned to make further gains at the the state and national levels.
Fox News Politics: Fetterman says he’s open to Oz
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump transition, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content.
Here’s what’s happening…
– Speaker Johnson makes clarification after statement regarding transgender House member-elect
-Top 10 states where Trump outperformed in 2024
-Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia says with Trump’s election, ‘we’ve got a friend in the White House’
‘On One Condition’
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said he would vote to confirm his former political opponent Dr. Mehmet Oz to serve as Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) administrator if Oz plans to protect the government programs.
“If Dr. Oz is about protecting and preserving Medicare and Medicaid, I’m voting for the dude,” Fetterman tweeted.
Fetterman defeated Oz, a Republican, in Pennsylvania’s 2022 U.S. Senate race…Read more
Left: Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024; Right: Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz laughs during a safer streets community discussion at Galdos Catering and Entertainment on Oct. 13, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pa. (Left: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Right: Mark Makela/Getty Images)
White House
‘THEY MAKE US STRONGER’: Biden Defense Secretary argues women, racial diversity ‘make us stronger’ as Trump admin looms…Read more
MR PRESIDENT!?: Biden skips taking questions at G-20 in Brazil, despite reporter pleading with him…Read more
MACHINE BIAS: Biden admin warns AI in schools may exhibit racial bias, anti-trans discrimination and trigger investigations…Read more
MAJOR CHANGES: Biden makes another Ukraine policy shift with approval of sending anti-personnel mines…Read more
U.S. President Joe Biden shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris, France, on Friday, June 7. (AP/Evan Vucci)
‘WOMEN’S ONLY SPACES’: Speaker Johnson announces new Capitol bathroom policy in response to controversy over trans new House member…Read more
‘CLEAR DEADLINE’: Biden admin Commerce Dept seeks to exhaust CHIPS Act funding before Biden leaves office…Read more
Trump Transition
WHISTLEBLOWER’S FREEDOM: Trump Cabinet picks increase odds Edward Snowden could see life of freedom in the US…Read more
VISA ABUSE: Trump could seek to roll back habitually ‘defrauded’ immigration program, expert says…Read more
President-elect Donald Trump arrives before the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 in Boca Chica, Texas. (AP)
WHITAKER TAPPED: Trump taps former acting AG Matthew Whitaker as NATO ambassador…Read more
THE SPRINT: Race to confirm Trump nominees kicks off in January – Chad Pergram…Read more
‘IMMEDIATE DISMISSAL’: Trump lawyers demand Bragg case be ‘immediately dismissed,’ say election ‘supersedes’ ‘political motivations’…Read more
NUCLEAR THREAT: Iran vastly increased nuclear fuel stockpile ahead of Trump return, UN agency finds…Read more
‘EXIT RAMP’: Trump’s cut to Biden’s EV tax credit, backed by Musk, may impact auto industry, experts say…Read more
HEAR HIM OUT: Lindsey Graham urges GOP not to form ‘lynch mob’ ahead of Gaetz confirmation…Read more
Capitol Hill
‘VERY PLEASED’: House passes bill to bolster geothermal energy production by increasing lease sale frequency…Read more
BATHROOM BATTLE: Nancy Mace’s effort to ban transgender Delaware Democrat from Capitol women’s restrooms gains support…Read more
STILL WAITING: 5 uncalled House races to determine size of Republican majority…Read more
MRC Free Speech America feels Speaker Mike Johnson should “direct relevant committees and committee chairmen to investigate Google for abridging people’s constitutional rights.” (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)
‘GO THE WAY OF THE DODO’: Incoming Senate Dem Elissa Slotkin torches identity politics in 2024 autopsy…Read more
Trail Dust
WATCHERS ON THE WAY: Congressional election observers deploy to Iowa for recount in uncalled House race…Read more
TOLEDO TOSSUP: Democratic Ohio Rep. Kaptur narrowly wins re-election, keeping Republican majority at 218 seats…Read more
Across America
NEVER AGAIN: DePaul University student assaulted by anti-Israel agitator seeks legal action: ‘I will never apologize’…Read more
HISTORIC REJECTION: Calif rejects minimum wage hike…Read more
‘OPEN TO MEETING’: Elon Musk wants to meet Alex Soros — and Soros says he’s open to it…Read more
HITTING HOME: Illegal with suspected Tren de Aragua ties robbed Manhattan prosecutor in her apartment building: police…Read more
This compilation shows a suspected Tren de Aragua members and the southern border, (Fox News/Border Patrol)
EX-POLL WORKER INDICTED: Ex-Georgia poll worker indicted for mailing bomb threat to polling place: FBI..Read more
AMENDMENT: Louisiana lawmakers weighing constitutional amendment that would send more juvenile offenders to adult jails…Read more
‘THIS IS THE RESULT’: Democrat mayor slams his own party after deadly hours-long stabbing spree…Read more
Get the latest updates on the Trump presidential transition, incoming Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
California school official compared ‘Save Girls Sports’ shirt to swastika, rebuked girls wearing it: lawsuit
EXCLUSIVE: Two high school cross-country runners and their families are suing a California school district, alleging their “Save Girls Sports” T-shirts were likened to a swastika.
Plaintiffs Kaitlyn and Taylor, two athletes at Martin Luther King High School in ninth and eleventh grade, respectively, wore T-shirts bearing the messages “Save Girls’ Sports” and “It’s Common Sense. XX ≠ XY.”
The girls wore the shirts after a transgender athlete, who didn’t consistently attend practices or meet key varsity eligibility requirements, was placed on the varsity team, displacing Taylor from her spot, the complaint alleged.
“My initial reaction was like, I was really surprised, because it was like, why is this happening to me?” Taylor told Fox News Digital. “There’s a transgender student on the team. Why am I getting displaced when I worked so hard and gone to all of the practices, and this student has only attended a few of the practices.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Taylor and Kaitlyn, two cross-country athletes at a high school in Riverside, CA, sued the district for allegedly impeding on their First Amendment rights and Title IX violations. (Courtesy of Kaitlyn and Taylor)
Athletic department school officials allegedly forced the students to remove or conceal the shirts, claiming they created a “hostile” environment and comparing wearing these shirts to wearing a swastika in front of Jewish students.
“It was definitely hard to hear because we’re by no means trying to be hateful,” Kaitlyn told Fox News Digital. “We’re just wearing a shirt that expresses what we believe in trying to raise awareness to a situation.”
The transgender athlete, however, has been allegedly allowed to wear “trans pride” bracelets, and the school allows other forms of social messaging around campus, including a LGBTQ pride flag, the complaint noted.
“The biological male transgender athlete who displaced T.S. on the girls’ varsity team had recently transferred from another local high school after breaking that school’s all-time cross-country record for the girls’ cross-country team,” the complaint said.
TRANSGENDER WOMEN TO BE BANNED FROM CAPITOL HILL FEMALE BATHROOMS UNDER NEW HOUSE GOP PROPOSAL
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers argued that Assembly Bill 377 “ignores” a 2015 policy created by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) to govern the eligibility of transgender high school athletes in the state. (ALLISON DINNER/AFP via Getty Images)
“T.S., who had held a position on the girls’ Varsity Top 7 since August 2024 was removed from the girls’ Varsity Top 7 to make room on the girls’ Varsity Top 7 for an eleventh-grade transgender student and T.S. was relegated to the junior varsity team for one of the most important meets of the season for college recruitment,” the complaint said.
According to the girls’ Advocates for Faith and Freedom attorney, Julianne Fleischer, the lawsuit claims there were violations of their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights and their Title IX protections.
In October, according to the complaint, the district’s Title IX coordinator, Bethany Scott, informed Taylor’s mother of a formal investigation into her complaint. Scott also conveyed that Taylor would not be disadvantaged by running on the junior varsity team at a key upcoming cross-country meet, but her mother argued it would harm her chances of being noticed by college scouts. By Nov. 1, after follow-ups, the district reclassified the Title IX complaint as a confidential personnel matter, claiming it did not meet the criteria for sex-based discrimination.
Taylor and Kaitlyn are cross-country runners in RUSD. (iStock)
Typically, multiple factors, beyond race times, are considered for varsity selection on the cross-country team They complaint alleges that Taylor’s dedication and hard work were overlooked, and the school district failed to provide a clear explanation, forming the basis of the Title IX complaint, Fleisher said.
“We’re seeing more and more women and young girls speak up and challenge these policies that are allowing biological boys to join and participate in these sports,” Fleischer told Fox News Digital. “And so there’s lawsuits that are popping up all around the country. We’re hopeful that even with the incoming administration and Congress that we’re going to see real positive change to Title IX that actually upholds and safeguards the rights of women to participate in their sports and to be safe and to be able to compete amongst one another.”
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Under the Biden-Harris administration, Title IX was amended to include discrimination against gender identity and sexual orientation. The Supreme Court ruled against one of Biden’s requests in August that would have permitted biological men in women’s bathrooms, locker rooms and dorms in 10 states where there are state-level and local-level rules in place to prevent it.
On the campaign trail, President-elect Donald Trump said he would roll back Biden-Harris policies on gender treatments for minors and protect women in sports.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Riverside Unified School District and Martin Luther King High School for comment.
U.S. Vetoes U.N. Resolution Calling for Gaza Cease-Fire
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U.S. Vetoes U.N. Resolution Calling for Gaza Cease-Fire
The United States said it vetoed the United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, because it did not make the cease-fire contingent on the release of the hostages held in Gaza.
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We made clear throughout negotiations we could not support an unconditional cease-fire that failed to release the hostages. Because as this council has previously called for, a durable end to the war must come with the release of the hostages. These two urgent goals are inextricably linked. This resolution abandoned that necessity, and for that reason, the United States could not support it. Simply put, this resolution would have sent a dangerous message to Hamas. There’s no need to come back to the negotiating table. There are still seven American citizens in the hands of Hamas. We will not forget them. For our part, we will continue to pursue a diplomatic solution that brings peace, security and freedom to Palestinians in Gaza.
Recent episodes in Israel-Hamas War
Trump’s cut to Biden’s EV tax credit, backed by Musk, may impact auto industry, experts say
President-elect Trump is reportedly considering rolling back the Biden administration’s credit for electric vehicles – a move that experts say would have varying effects across the automotive industry.
President Biden implemented a tax credit of up to $7,500 to incentivize the purchase of greener vehicles. However, sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters that Trump plans to ax the tax credit as part of his sweep of Biden’s climate agenda.
While the decision remains in debate among oil and energy advocates, one group promoting public policy on behalf of the natural gas industry suggested that behind the scenes, automotive groups and consumers could feel relieved if the EV credit is eliminated.
“Losing $70,000 on an EV is not a winning business model and U.S. automakers know that,” said Tim Stewart, president of the U.S. Oil & Gas Association. Stewart said axing the EV tax credit gives members of the auto industry the opportunity to shift back to traditional production lines.
HOUSE PASSES BILL TO BOLSTER GEOTHERMAL ENERGY PRODUCTION BY INCREASING LEASE SALE FREQUENCY
Tesla cars sit in a parking lot at a dealership on June 27, 2022, in Corte Madera, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
“If I was a CEO, I would quietly be relieved to have a reason to shift production lines back to traditional models and invest in new hybrid technologies,” Stewart told Fox News Digital. “The EV tax credit was the only way to entice consumers to ‘maybe’ purchase something they really didn’t want, but told by the Biden folks they had to buy.”
“With the tax credit gone and the onerous Biden regulatory mandates lifted, the new administration is providing the exit ramp the U.S. producers were really hoping for, and U.S. consumers really want.”
However, proponents of the tax credit, such as Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm – and those advocating for the switch to EVs – say its elimination would result in the U.S. being less competitive in the industry.
“The auto industry is investing billions of dollars in EV battery and EV manufacturing in the United States. Eliminating the tax credit will hurt the U.S. auto industry and make American manufacturers less globally competitive,” said Ingrid Malmgren, senior policy director of Plug In America, a Los-Angeles based nonprofit advocating for the transition to EVs.
The elimination of the tax credit could have differing effects across the auto industry, experts say.
Elon Musk speaks during an America PAC town hall on Oct. 26, 2024, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
One of Trump’s strongest allies, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, revealed in July that he supports getting rid of the credit. “Take away the subsidies,” Musk posted to X, saying “it will only help Tesla.”
Companies that are financially sound, such as Tesla, could benefit if the playing field for electric vehicles is narrowed, while the smaller companies that rely on the tax credit for consumer affordability could face setbacks, analysts suggest.
“Tesla has such a big cost advantage in EVs,” said David Whiston, an analyst at financial services firm Morningstar Inc, according to a report from CPA Practicing Advisor. “Getting rid of that tax credit wouldn’t necessarily hurt them.”
Dan Ives, a senior equity research analyst covering the technology sector at Wedbush Securities with a focus on EVs, conducted a review of the market impact on Tesla if the EV credit is removed.
“While this is a clear negative for the EV industry at first look and would particularly hurt GM, Ford, Stellantis, and Rivian… on the flip side, we view this as a net bullish move for Tesla and Musk over time,” Ives said in a report on Tesla. “We expect Musk to have a big seat at the table as these EV discussions happen within the Trump transition team.”
Electric vehicle at a charging station. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
“In line with our thoughts over the past few weeks, Tesla has a scale and scope that is unmatched and while losing the EV tax credit could also hurt some demand on the margins in the U.S., this will enable Tesla to further fend off competition from Detroit as pricing/scale/scope is apples to oranges when compared to the rest of the auto industry once the EV tax credit disappears,” Ives added.
Ives also said that removing the credit could slow down the shift toward EVs in Detroit, specifically.
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During his campaign, Trump highlighted his intent to target Biden’s clean energy-driven initiatives, such as vowing to “cancel the electric vehicle mandate.”
Marty Baron and David Remnick explain how Trump might attack the media : NPR
Then-President Donald Trump holds up The Wall Street Journal as he speaks at the White House on April 19, 2020.
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Heading into a second term, New Yorker editor David Remnick says Donald Trump’s anger “has been never so intense as it’s been against the press.” The president-elect has referred to the news media as the “Enemy of the American people,” has threatened retribution against outlets that have covered him negatively and has suggested that that NBC, CBS and ABC should have their licenses revoked.
Marty Baron, the former executive editor of the Washington Post, says he expects the incoming administration “to go after the press in every conceivable way … [using] every tool in the toolbox — and there are a lot of tools.”
“I think [Trump’s] salivating for the opportunity to prosecute and imprison journalists for leaks of national security information — or what they would call national security information,” Baron says. “I would expect that he would deny funding to public radio … and TV. And that he will seek to exercise control over the Voice of America and its parent company, the U.S. Agency for Global Media, as he did in his previous administration, trying to turn it into a propaganda outlet.”
Remnick sees parallels between Trump’s approach to the media and that of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Both men, he says, challenge traditional notions of the truth. “The Putin regime shows us when there is no truth, everything is possible,” Remnick says. “Lying has come from White Houses for decades and decades. But Donald Trump has changed the game.”
Baron adds that Trump’s target goes beyond the press: “The objective here is to suppress free expression by anyone. … So this is just the first step. And I think people should keep that in mind.”
Interview highlights
On the Washington Post‘s announcement in the weeks before the 2024 election that it would not be endorsing either presidential candidate
Baron: I don’t think there’s any great explanation for this decision 11 days before the election [other] than that [Post owner Jeff Bezos] was yielding to pressure from Donald Trump on his other interests, which are substantially larger than The Post, particularly Amazon, which has many contracts with the federal government, particularly in terms of cloud computing, and Blue Origin, a commercial space enterprise that is essentially wholly dependent upon the federal government for its contracts. …
If this had been a decision that was made three years ago, two years ago, a year ago, maybe even six months ago, I would say fine. It’s not that important to me whether news organizations like The Post make a presidential endorsement. Of course, people can make up their own minds. They don’t need The Post to help them. But I don’t think there’s any logical explanation for this decision other than “Don’t poke the bear.” And I think this was an effort to not poke the bear. And I think it was notably unsuccessful, because nobody can reasonably argue that trust in the Washington Post today is higher than it was prior to this decision. It is substantially lower. I’ve never seen a reputation for a company so severely damaged in such a short period of time. And I think it was a regrettable and deeply wrong decision on [Bezo’s] part.
On the pressure media outlets are facing
Remnick: If you look at the waning influence of what’s called the mainstream press, and if you look at statistics about trust in the press and the ecology of the press, the combination of economic pressures combined with Trump’s pressures has been of immense concern to all of us who were involved in this activity. … These pressures are immense. And Trump knows it. And he knows how it’s affected his political fortunes in the most positive way.
Baron: When [Trump] talks about his triumphs during his first term, he’s cited the undermining confidence in the mainstream press — he’s called it one of his greatest successes. … It’s not the only reason the confidence in the press has declined. There are a variety of reasons. … But the big factors have been market fragmentation and the fact that people can find any site that affirms their preexisting point of view and any conspiracy theory, no matter how crazy it is, they can find somebody who says that’s true.
On the media’s responsibility in losing the trust of the people
Baron: I don’t think that we’ve accurately and adequately reflected the concerns of a lot of Americans in this country. I’ve often been asked whether we had failures in our coverage of Donald Trump in 2015 and 2016. And I say that the greatest failure came well before that in that we did not anticipate that this country could produce a candidate like Donald Trump. We did not understand the level of grievance and anger toward the so-called elites, including and maybe especially the press — although if you look at the salaries of most journalists, they don’t qualify as elite. And so I think we didn’t really do a good enough job of getting out in the country and really understanding the concerns of ordinary Americans. …
I’m concerned that a portion of the journalistic community, if you can call it that, have engaged in what I would consider to be advocacy and activism of a sort. That’s not true of everybody by any means, not even true of the majority of the journalists. But there’s a segment out there that believes in that. And I think that that has hurt us. And we should aim to be an independent arbiter of the facts, try to put them in context in an effort to get at the truth over time. And we should be more focused on the kinds of questions we want to ask and trying to get answers to those questions than thinking that we have the answers to those questions before we embark on reporting. Otherwise, the so-called reporting is merely an exercise in confirmation bias.
On how the collapse of local news contributed to polarized media
Remnick: There are all kinds of news deserts all over the country that have been created by this new news ecology, so that small newspapers and medium-sized newspapers have either shriveled to the point of disappearance or they’ve closed their doors completely. Newsrooms across the river here in New Jersey, for example, that used to have a couple hundred people in them have a couple dozen, at best. They’re hanging on by their fingernails. If that had been replaced by websites with equally aggressive, or even better, news gatherers, of reporters and editors, that would be one thing, but they haven’t.
Baron: Many people in communities, they’ve never even seen a reporter. They’ve never met a reporter. Their impressions of what journalists are is formed by arguments that they see on cable news, partisan arguments, what they see on cable news. And that is really unfortunate, because that is not the way that most journalists carry themselves.
On the American public not being able to agree on facts
Baron: The sad reality today is that we as a society do not share a common set of facts. But it’s actually a lot worse than that. We cannot even agree on what a fact is on how to determine a fact, because all of the elements that we have used in the past to determine what a fact is have been devalued, dismissed, denigrated, denied. All of that things like education, expertise, actual experience, and above all, evidence. …
So the idea here is to obliterate the idea that there is some truth, independent truth that can be determined by independent arbiters of truth, whether it be not just journalists, but the courts as well, or anybody else, and that the only truth, at least in Trump’s mind, is the one that comes out of his own mouth.
On what traditional media can learn from social media influencers
Baron: We have to be better communicators. We have to recognize that the way that people are receiving information today is radically different from the way that we received information when we were growing up and the way we maybe prefer to receive information today. So we have a lot to learn from influencers, actually, in terms of how to do that. Our authority is not just being questioned today, but our authenticity is being questioned today. And these influencers are coming across as much more authentic and therefore people think they’re more authoritative.
Monique Nazareth and Thea Chaloner produced and edited this interview for broadcast. Bridget Bentz, Molly Seavy-Nesper and Meghan Sullivan adapted it for the web.
‘James Bond’ actor Daniel Craig says the price of fame can be ‘terrible’
“James Bond” actor Daniel Craig is criticizing the price of fame.
Craig, 56, opened up about the pitfalls of being in the spotlight and how it may impact famous individuals.
“Celebrity kills you. Really, it’s a terrible, terrible thing that can happen, and I think you’ve got to really fight against all of the things that it throws in your face, because it’s so easy to be tempted,” Craig shared with The New York Times.
DANIEL CRAIG ROLLS HIS EYES WHEN ASKED IF THERE COULD BE A GAY JAMES BOND ONE DAY
Hollywood actor Daniel Craig, 56, explained why being a “celebrity kills you.” (Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images)
His comments come after singer Chappell Roan was outspoken about her struggles with “stalking and harassment” during her rise to super stardom.
“Celebrity kills you. Really, it’s a terrible, terrible thing that can happen and I think you’ve got to really fight against all of the things that it throws in your face, because it’s so easy to be tempted.”
Last month, the “Good Luck Babe!” singer called out a “disrespectful” photographer at a Los Angeles movie premiere.
She previously had a heated exchange at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards after a photographer yelled “shut the f— up” to the singer.
Chappell Roan called out a “disrespectful” photographer at a Los Angeles movie premiere. (Getty Images)
VMA WINNER CHAPPELL ROAN YELLS AT PHOTOGRAPHER ON RED CARPET TO ‘SHUT THE F— UP’
The “Pink Pony Club” singer’s viral red carpet moments come after she previously accused some fans of stalking, harassment and “predatory behavior” in scathing social media posts.
Meanwhile, as Craig recognized Roan’s pushback, he credited how she’s handled fame.
“I really admire the guts to say those things,” he said.
As Craig gears up for his next role in the film “Queer,” he added the pressure he felt between becoming a “brand” rather than being recognized as an actor.
“No Time to Die” and “Queer” actor Daniel Craig appeared at the Venice Film Festival. (Pascal Le Segretain / Staff)
“Am I a brand? You have to do social media, and I can’t do that. I even regret emails I send.”
The veteran actor continued to explain that if the role in “Queer” had been offered to him a decade ago, he would’ve chosen his role in James Bond first.
DANIEL CRAIG OPENS UP ABOUT ICONIC LAST PERFORMANCE AS JAMES BOND: ‘IT’S TIME TO FINISH’
“I wouldn’t have done it,” he remarked. “I was so wrapped up in Bond and what that was, I would have been terrified of doing something like this. Especially early on with Bond, I was like, ‘This is enough. Stay in my lane.’”
The “Knives Out” star went on to give a glimpse into his next role.
“I know lots of tough men in this world who are vulnerable,” Craig added. “And I like to portray that in movies. That truth is interesting to me.”
Craig finished his final film as James Bond in 2021 with the film “No Time To Die.”
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In September, the actor rolled his eyes when a reporter asked him, “Do you think there could be a gay James Bond?”
Craig smiled and dismissed the question, adding, “I mean, really.”
“Queer” director Luca Guadagnino then chimed in, saying, “Guys, let’s be adults in the room for a second.”
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Craig admitted that he “can’t” do social media, saying that sometimes he struggles with emails. (Karwai Tang/WireImage)
“Thank you,” Craig added.
Craig finished his final film as James Bond in 2021 with the film “No Time To Die.”
He stars in Guadagnino’s new film “Queer” about a drug-addicted gay man who falls in love with another man in Mexico during the 1950s.
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Fox News Digital’s Gabriel Hays contributed to this report.
Gaetz meets with Senate Republicans as House ethics panel considers releasing report : NPR
Former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), left, is meeting with senators on Capitol Hill Wednesday to discuss his nomination to be Attorney General under President-Elect Donald Trump. He is being escorted by Vice President-elect JD Vance.
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Former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, President-elect Trump’s nominee for Attorney General, began meeting with Senate Republicans on Wednesday, while across the Capitol members of the House ethics panel are slated to consider releasing a report on allegations Gaetz had sex with a minor.
Republicans in the Senate are treading cautiously about the choice to tap Gaetz as the nation’s top law enforcement official as the discussions about the handling of the House ethics probe continue.
As a congressman, Gaetz faced a probe by the panel about participating in sex parties, using illegal drugs, paying women for sex, including one who was 17 at the time. But the loyal Trump defender and longtime conservative firebrand resigned his seat before the panel voted on their report, and insists he did nothing wrong.
Texas Sen. John Cornyn, a senior member of the panel, told reporters he wanted to see the full record about Gaetz, and expected details of the ethics report would come out in some form.
Pressure to release the report has grown
Dick Durbin, the current chair of the panel, and other Democrats on the Judiciary committee sent a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray asking for the complete evidentiary file of DOJ’s probe of Gaetz, arguing the Senate has a duty to review all materials as it considers the nomination.
“The grave public allegations against Mr. Gaetz speak directly to his fitness to serve as the chief law enforcement officer for the federal government,” the Democrats wrote. “The unanswered questions regarding Mr. Gaetz’s alleged conduct are particularly significant given that his associate, Joel Greenberg, pleaded guilty to the sex trafficking charge for which Mr. Gaetz was also investigated.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., warned that releasing the report violated the practice of the panel not publicly revealing any information about probes of lawmakers were no long members of the House, saying it would open “Pandora’s box.”
But House Ethics Chairman Michael Guest told NPR about the speaker, “He will not be influencing the decision of the committee. We will reach an independent decision as a committee when we meet.”
The two parties have equal representation on the panel with five Democrats and five Republicans and a majority vote would be required to release the report.
Rep. Susan Wild, the top Democrat on the panel, told reporters that she supports releasing the committee’s work.
“It should certainly be released to the Senate, and I think it should be released to the public, as we have done with many other investigative reports in the past,” she said.
Attorney for women reveals their ethics testimony
Joel Leppard, an attorney who represents two women who testified before the House Ethics Committee told NPR that his clients were among a group of four or five young women in the Orlando area who knew Gaetz and met up with him in 2017 and 2018. He said they told the panel they attended sex and drug parties with Gaetz, who was then a sitting member of the House.
One of Leppard’s clients told the committee that she witnessed Gaetz having sex with a minor at a party in July of 2017. The woman also detailed how Gaetz paid them —with Venmo and Paypal, with notations and dates for each occassion.
Trump, asked on Tuesday if he was reconsidering Gaetz’s nomination, gave a firm “no.” Several Republican Senators argue Trump won the election and deserves to install the people he wants in top Cabinet positions.
NPR’s Claudia Grisales and Ryan Lucas contributed to this report
Susan Smith cries while making case for freedom 30 years after killing her kids
Thirty years after South Carolina killer mom Susan Smith was put behind bars for drowning her two toddler sons, she appeared on a jailhouse court feed for her first parole hearing on Wednesday morning, preparing for her freedom.
Smith appeared emotional and crying on the feed.
“I know that what I did was horrible…I’m sorry that I put them through that…I wish I could take that back, I really do…I was just scared,” she said. “I didn’t know how to tell the people that loved them that they would never see them again…I’m sorry, I know that’s not enough…just words, but they come from my heart.”
South Carolina killer mom Susan Smith appeared emotional and crying on a jailhouse court feed for her first parole hearing on Wednesday morning
Her attorney, Tommie Thomas, told the parole board that the suicide of Smith’s father “set the stage for some serious mental health issues,” listing “postpartum depression” as an example. “I could see the pain on her face…I think that she is truly remorseful for what happened…and that she would do anything in the world to bring these children back.”
He added that if Smith is granted parole, she would be living with her brother.
The 53-year-old’s ex-husband, David Smith, arrived at the parole hearing to face the woman who killed his children, wearing a pin showing his two toddler sons.
“I believe the jury intended for her to serve a full life sentence,” Tommy Pope, the prosecutor who helped convict Smith in her case, told Fox News Digital. “They wanted her to spend her life and remorse for Michael and Alex and what she had done, and she has time focused on herself having sex with guards, etc.”
Pope also attended Wednesday’s parole hearing, and he asked the board to deny Smith’s parole.
Pope, along with a former director of the South Carolina Department of Corrections and one of Smith’s former lovers spoke out in Fox Nation’s latest special on the case and Smith’s time in prison, “Susan Smith, The Killer Mom: 30 Years Later.”
WATCH “SUSAN SMITH, THE KILLER MOM: 30 YEARS LATER” ON FOX NATION
Legal identity photograph of Susan Smith. She was convicted on July 22, 1995 of murdering her two sons, 3-year-old Michael Daniel Smith, born October 10, 1991, and 14-month-old Alexander Tyler Smith, born August 5, 1993. Susan Smith when she was first arrested in 1994. (Photo by Brooks Kraft LLC/Sygma via Getty Images)
Susan Smith strapped her sons, 3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alexander Smith, into the back seat of her car and let it roll down a ramp into John D. Long Lake in Union, South Carolina. (Tommy Pope)
The father of her slain sons and her ex-husband recently told Fox Carolina that he’s “hoping with all [his] heart that she doesn’t get out.”
“She’s always wanted the spotlight in some manner… she always wanted attention, and she always tried to manipulate people, and I don’t think she’s going to change,” David Smith told the outlet, adding that he still misses his two boys. “I wish I could’ve stopped it.”
“The South Carolina State House has a better chance of getting hit with a meteor tonight than Susan Smith will have at getting parole tomorrow,” Attorney Eric Bland, who has represented victims of Alex Murdaugh, another notorious South Carolina murder case, told Fox News Digital on Tuesday.
“She never showed real contrition for murdering her children.”
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Bland said Susan Smith contacted her ex-husband at one point over the last several months, asking him if he’d be willing not to oppose her parole and to speak to other family members and see if they too would be willing not to oppose.
“He was livid, like, ‘Are you out of your mind?’,” Bland added, noting that up until she reached out to her former husband, she might have had a chance of getting parole. “She’s delusional… It’s his children, you know, and he lost them. I mean, the wound is still as raw as I’m sure it was on the first day that they were murdered.”
Before the parole, Bland believed David Smith would object to his ex-wife’s parole when he attended her hearing on Wednesday.
“He’s going to testify as to how his life was altered because of this,” Bland said. “He’s never healed… It’s on his mind every single minute of every single day.”
Susan Smith prosecutor Tommy Pope during the 1995 trial (Tommy Pope)
Smith has not been able to find a single character witness to testify on her behalf, The NY Post reported.
“Under normal circumstances… it’s been 30 years… and oftentimes, victims’ families themselves say, ‘Look, has she served enough?’ You know, we’re a very Christian state, so people believe in forgiveness,” Bland said. “Nobody I’ve spoken to… has ever had any sympathy for her whatsoever.”
Here is a timeline, detailing the events leading up to, during and after Smith’s horrific crime all the way through her decades in prison:
Oct. 25, 1994
Susan Smith strapped her sons, 3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alexander Smith, into the back seat of her car and let it roll down a ramp into John D. Long Lake in Union, South Carolina.
Smith, 22 at the time, watched as it took six minutes for water to fill the car, drown her boys and sink the car to the bottom of the lake.
She ran to a house near John D. Long Lake, falsely telling the homeowners that a “Black man” had stolen her car with her two sons inside. The homeowners called 911.
Oct. 26-Nov. 2, 1994
For nine days, the young faces of Michael and Alexander Smith spread across national headlines, while authorities searched for the man Susan said kidnapped the boys. Susan and David Smith pleaded on national television for the return of their children.
Pope watched the news unfold at the time and received updates from SLED on the case.
“The whole story sounded highly unlikely,” Pope said in the Fox Nation special, “Never are you hearing a carjacker taking children normally.”
Nov. 3, 1994
After failing a polygraph test, Susan Smith retracted her lie about the kidnapping and confessed to killing her two sons. She was charged with two counts of murder.
KILLER MOM SUSAN SMITH DISCIPLINED BEHIND BARS WEEKS BEFORE PAROLE HEARING
3 unident. law enforcement officials, 1 clad in scuba gear, talking lakeside as they comb the water’s bottom for the car of Susan Smith, who admitted to drowning her sons Michael & Alex in her car in John D. Long Lake. (Photo by Thomas S. England/Getty Images)
Nov. 6, 1994
Hundreds attended the funeral of Michael and Alexander Smith.
July 17, 1995
Susan Smith’s trial began less than a year after she drowned her sons. While prosecutors argued her motive for killing the boys was that a man she was seeing at the time didn’t want children, Smith’s defense said she was suicidal and originally planned to drown with her sons before somehow pulling herself out of it.
“I was very emotionally distraught. I didn’t want to live anymore! I felt like things could never get any worse,” Smith wrote in her confession letter, obtained by Fox News Digital. “I felt I couldn’t be a good mom anymore but I didn’t want my children to grow up without a mom. I felt I had to end our lives to protect us all from any grief or harm.”
“I wanted to end my life so bad and was in my car ready to go down that ramp into the water and I did go part way, but I stopped. I went again and stopped…I dropped to the lowest when I allowed my children to go down that ramp into the water without me. I took off running and screaming ‘Oh God! Oh God, NO!’ What have I done?”
July 22, 1995
Susan Smith was convicted in the murder of her two sons, Michael and Alexander.
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Susan Smith was convicted on July 22, 1995 of murdering her two sons, 3-year-old Michael Daniel Smith and 14-month-old Alexander Tyler Smith. Initially, Smith claimed that a Black man carjacked her with the two boys still inside her vehicle. But her story unraveled, and the woman admitted that she let her vehicle roll into a lake with the boys strapped inside. (Getty Images)
July 28, 1995
Though prosecutors argued that Susan Smith should receive the death penalty, she was ultimately sentenced to life in prison.
Susan Smith told a suitor over the phone that she would be a “good stepmom” and could “see [herself] around kids” in a recorded phone call. Grief-stricken David Smith, the inmate’s former husband, is pictured weeping amidst a crowd of mourners as he leaves funeral for his kids Michael and Alex. (Thomas S. England/Getty Images)
July, 1995-March, 2015
Smith received 10 disciplinary sanctions, including one for having sex with a prison guard and others for repeated drug use.
Aug. 26, 2024 and Oct. 3, 2024
Smith was charged on Aug. 26 and subsequently convicted on Oct. 3 for communicating with a victim/and or witness after speaking to a documentary filmmaker. South Carolina Department of Corrections inmates are not allowed to do interviews on the telephone or in person, according to SCDC policy, but they may write letters. Smith lost her telephone, tablet and canteen privileges for 90 days.
Susan Smith, pictured in a recent mugshot at left and at 22-year-old in 1994 at right, has been incarcerated in South Carolina for nearly 30 years for the murder of her two sons. (South Carolina Department of Corrections)
In her talks with the filmmaker, Smith discussed her crime in depth and the events leading up to and after it, including details like “what was in the trunk of the car when it went into the water and her plans to jump from a bridge while holding the boys, but one woke up,” the incident report says.
Nov. 4, 2024
On Nov. 4, Susan Smith had spent 30 years behind bars, making her eligible for parole.
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Nov. 20, 2024
Smith will appear on a jailhouse court feed for her first parole hearing on Nov. 20.
It is not expected that the parole board will announce its decision during Wednesday’s hearing. The board will instead release its decision via website announcement at a later time.
Fox News’ Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.
Trump picks Matthew Whitaker for ambassador to NATO : NPR
Matthew Whitaker, Trump’s pick as ambassador to NATO, speaks during a Trump rally at Montana State University on Aug. 9, in Bozeman, Mt.
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President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday tapped Matthew Whitaker as his ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
“Matt is a strong warrior and loyal Patriot, who will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended,” Trump said in a statement. “Matt will strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability – He will put AMERICA FIRST.”
Trump has long criticized defense spending by other NATO member countries, arguing that the U.S. was shouldering an oversize burden for allies with smaller contributions. His pick for ambassador is likely to take on that stance, sparking some consternation across the Atlantic Ocean from the United States’ European allies.
After Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in 2014, NATO countries pledged to move toward spending 2% of their gross domestic product on defense by 2024. According to data released in July 2024, 23 of the 31 member countries are estimated to have hit that target, with the U.S. contributing 3.38% of its GDP.
Whitaker has a relationship with Trump going back to his first term in office, when he worked at the Justice Department, initially as chief of staff to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and then briefly as acting attorney general after Sessions was pushed out in 2018.
He also served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa during the George W. Bush administration. Whitaker has deep roots in Iowa; he grew up there and played football at the University of Iowa.
During Trump’s first administration, Whitaker was critical of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into possible ties between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russia.