Top Items:
Michael Kaplan / CBS News:
Matt Gaetz ethics report says his drug use and sex with a minor violated state laws — Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican who briefly stood to become President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be attorney general, was found by congressional ethics investigators to have paid numerous women …
Discussion:
New York Times, Reuters, WCAX-TV, The Bulwark, HuffPost, USA Today, The Hill, Washington Examiner, Politico, Mediaite, The Independent, New York Daily News, Raw Story and Alternet.org
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CNN:
House Ethics report finds evidence Matt Gaetz paid thousands for sex and drugs including paying a 17-year-old for sex in 2017 — The House Ethics Committee found evidence that former Rep. Matt Gaetz paid tens of thousands of dollars to women for sex or drugs on at least 20 occasions …
Discussion:
Axios, Townhall, The Guardian and Florida Politics
The Hill:
Gaetz sues Ethics Committee in last-minute bid to block release of report — Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) on Monday filed a lawsuit against the House Ethics Committee in a last-minute attempt to block the panel from releasing its report on the Florida Republican.
Discussion:
New York Times, Associated Press and Deadline
Olivia Beavers / Politico:
Ethics report alleges Gaetz paid 17-year-old for sex — Investigators also said the Florida Republican solicited prostitutes, used illegal drugs, took improper gifts and tried to obstruct their probe. — A yearslong House Ethics Committee investigation into former Rep. Matt Gaetz found …
Discussion:
New York Post, The Independent and Mediaite
The White House:
Statement from President Joe Biden on Federal Death Row Commutations — I've dedicated my career to reducing violent crime and ensuring a fair and effective justice system. — Today, I am commuting the sentences of 37 of the 40 individuals on federal death row to life sentences without the possibility of parole.
Discussion:
Washington Examiner and Power Line
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Associated Press:
Biden gives life in prison to 37 of 40 federal death row inmates so Trump can't have them executed — President Joe Biden announced on Monday that he is commuting the sentences of 37 of the 40 people on federal death row, converting their punishments to life imprisonment just weeks …
Sam Fossum / CNN:
Biden commutes most federal death row sentences to life in prison before Trump takes office — President Joe Biden announced Monday that he is taking 37 people off federal death row to serve out life sentences behind bars — a decision that leaves only three federal prisoners awaiting execution …
Discussion:
Law Dork, HotAir, NBC News, Digby's Hullabaloo, USA Today, NPR, Raw Story, Washington Times, The Intercept and Washington Examiner
Aishvarya Kavi / New York Times:
Biden Commutes 37 Death Sentences Ahead of Trump's Plan to Resume Federal Executions — Those affected by the president's action on Monday are still subject to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Three men will remain on federal death row.
Discussion:
The Guardian, Newsbusters, RTÉ, IJR, The Independent, NPR, Townhall, Mediaite and Fox News
The White House:
FACT SHEET: President Biden Commutes the Sentences of 37 Individuals on Death Row — Today, President Biden announced that he is commuting the sentences of 37 individuals on federal death row. Those individuals will have their sentences reclassified from execution to life without the possibility of parole.
Discussion:
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, WBTW, WTTG-TV, Twitchy, The Forward, UPI, Daily Mail, The Hill, Jewish Insider and Boston Herald
Elizabeth Pritchett / Fox News:
Biden commutes sentences of 37 federal death row inmates in final month of presidency
Biden commutes sentences of 37 federal death row inmates in final month of presidency
Discussion:
RedState and BizPac Review
ACLU:
ACLU Celebrates President Biden's Historic Federal Death Row Commutations
ACLU Celebrates President Biden's Historic Federal Death Row Commutations
Discussion:
New York Times, Townhall, Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion, Must Read Alaska and Alternet.org
Steven Nelson / New York Post:
Biden commutes death sentences of child killers and mass murderers 2 days before Christmas
Biden commutes death sentences of child killers and mass murderers 2 days before Christmas
Discussion:
The Post Millennial, The Gateway Pundit, USA Today and Frontpage Mag
Jess Bravin / Wall Street Journal:
Biden Commutes Sentences of 37 Death Row Inmates
Biden Commutes Sentences of 37 Death Row Inmates
Discussion:
Washington Post, USA Today, CBS News, Crooks and Liars and Semafor
Reuters:
Greenland is not for sale, its leader says in response to Trump — Greenland is not for sale, its elected leader said on Monday, responding to comments made by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump regarding the “ownership and control” of the vast Arctic island that has been part of Denmark for over 600 years.
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Lisa Friedman / New York Times:
Trump Picks Callista Gingrich for Ambassador to Switzerland
Trump Picks Callista Gingrich for Ambassador to Switzerland
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Mediaite and The Hill
Rebecca Falconer / Axios:
Trump suggests he wants to buy Greenland
Trump suggests he wants to buy Greenland
Discussion:
The Hill, HuffPost, RedState, Fortune, The Independent, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Drezner's World and New York Post
Michael D. Shear / New York Times:
Trump Previews Second Term in Sprawling Speech to Conservative Conference
Trump Previews Second Term in Sprawling Speech to Conservative Conference
Discussion:
CNN, BizPac Review, Associated Press, Fox News and The Guardian
Steve Benen / MSNBC:
By stepping on rakes, Trump ruins his own ‘honeymoon’ phase — The president-elect had one demand for the bill to prevent a government shutdown. He didn't get it. The result made him look weak at an inopportune time. — It's not uncommon for a president-elect to enjoy a “honeymoon” …
Discussion:
Raw Story and Alternet.org
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Rachael Bade / Politico:
Trump's big Mike Johnson decision — A messy Capitol Hill endgame has the president-elect pondering a change in House leadership. — After the House passed a shutdown-averting spending bill Friday, a very relieved Speaker Mike Johnson proclaimed to reporters that President-elect Donald Trump was “certainly happy about this outcome.”
Discussion:
Alternet.org and Raw Story
Stephen Collinson / CNN:
Trump bristles at Musk's rocketing profile as Democrats play on the president-elect's vanity — Whether Elon Musk is the real “president,” merely the “prime minister” or just Donald Trump's multibillionaire enforcer, he's carving out an unprecedented role that could raise conflicts of interest for the new administration.
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Al Jazeera, BizPac Review, Axios, Raw Story, HuffPost, Politico, Twitchy and Mediaite
Axios:
Congress' age debate reignites over member living in retirement home … - “Since early September, my health challenges have progressed making frequent travel to Washington both difficult and unpredictable.” — Granger's son Brandon told the Dallas Morning News that she has been “having some dementia issues late in the year.”
Discussion:
Reason, Fox News, The Daily Caller, Townhall, New York Magazine, The Hill, Mediaite, Rolling Stone and Daily Mail
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Kelby Vera / HuffPost:
Texas Rep. Kay Granger Found At Senior Living Facility After Missing Months Of Crucial Votes
Amethyst Martinez / The Daily Beast:
AOC Shuts Down Pregnancy Rumors After Being Approached by GOP Colleague — NO BABY ON BOARD — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is clearing up the pregnancy rumors after a Republican member asked her whether she was expecting on the House floor this week. In an Instagram story video …
Rebecca Robbins / New York Times:
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Wants to Ban Drug Ads on TV. It Wouldn't Be Easy. — Attempts to restrict pharmaceutical advertisements have failed many times over the years, often on First Amendment grounds. — Since the late 1990s, drug companies have spent tens of billions of dollars on television ads …
Washington Post:
Trump picks billionaire financier for deputy defense secretary — The choice of Stephen Feinberg of Cerberus Capital Management comes as Pete Hegseth continues to face questions in the confirmation process for the top Pentagon post.
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Zach LaChance / Washington Examiner:
Trump finalizes Defense Department with slate of picks
Trump finalizes Defense Department with slate of picks
Discussion:
Forbes, Townhall, New York Times, Fox News, Jewish Insider and The American Conservative