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President-elect Donald Trump’s controversial nominees, Kash Patel, Pete Hegseth, and Tulsi Gabbard, were all on Capitol Hill on Monday as they worked to win over senators to get confirmed.
Patel has been nominated to serve as Trump’s FBI director, Hegseth as secretary of defense, and Gabbard as director of national intelligence.
This comes as Trump’s pledge to pardon people prosecuted for their part in the Capitol riot of January 6, 2021, on his “first day” back in the White House – made during his Meet the Press interview with Kristen Welker on NBC on Sunday – has already inspired the first defendant to request a delay to their upcoming trial, hopeful of winning a reprieve.
Trump promised to act “quickly” on the matter but did offer the caveat that his administration would review “independent cases” rather than issue a blanket clemency order.
Meanwhile, ex-Republican representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger have hit back at the president-elect for suggesting during the same interview that they should be jailed for participating in the House panel that investigated the attempted insurrection.
Cheney called his comments “a continuation of his assault on the rule of law and the foundations of our republic.”
Giuliani will get time to find an attorney so he can avoid a threat of prison time after defamed election workers call to hold him in contempt
The judge overseeing Giuliani’s defamation case in Washington DC has agreed to give him yet another extension of time to respond to a motion to hold him in contempt.
Giuliani blew an initial deadline, then explained to the court that he couldn’t find an attorney to represent him. He has been representing himself. The judge turned him down, noting that he didn’t even file his request correctly. Giuliani tried again, and the judge is now agreeing to give him another chance — as long as he agrees to stop making false claims about the election workers that he is court-ordered from speaking out against after defaming them.
He has until January 2 to file a response. The defamed election workers who want to hold him in contempt have until January 7. A hearing on the contempt motion will be moved to January 10, given that Giuliani “needs this time in order to ‘find an attorney,’” according to Judge Beryl Howell, and “given the potential scope and severity” what contempt for Giuliani could mean — including “compensatory and coercive fines, as well as imprisonment.”
“Any further extension requests so he can obtain counsel will be viewed with continuing skepticism, since defendant is apparently able to obtain the assistance of counsel in this matter,” the judge added.
Previously:
Key senator issues supportive statement after meeting Hegseth
Iowa Senator Joni Ernst issued a supportive statement after her meeting Monday with defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth:
Iowa Senator Grassley calls on FBI Director Christopher Wray to resign
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley has called on FBI Director Christopher Wray to resign.
“Your and Deputy Director Abbate’s failure to take control of the FBI has hindered my work and others’ work throughout multiple Congresses on matters that needed timely information, and has prevented the truth on some issues from ever reaching the American people,” Grassley wrote in a 11-page letter. “You’ve also shown a continuing double standard and failure to carry through on promises. For the good of the country, it’s time for you and your deputy to move on to the next chapter in your lives.”
Trump’s surgeon general pick accidentally set off handgun that killed her father
Dr Janette Nesheiwat was a teenager when she accidentally knocked a loaded gun over, which fired upon impact and fatally shot her father in the head.
The incident occurred in February 1990 at her family’s home in Umatilla, Florida, according to a report by the New York Times.
Graig Graziosi reports.
Hegseth says he had ‘very good meeting’ with key senator
Trump’s pick for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, told CNN on Monday that he had a “very good” meeting with Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, who has appeared skeptical of the former Fox & Friends host.
But the 44-year-old didn’t say if the senator would back him.
“It was a very good meeting with the senator,” Hegseth told CNN. “I’ve known her for 10 years. The more we talk the more we’re reminded, as two combat veterans, how dedicated we are to defense. She has been dedicated to making the Pentagon work for warfighters for a long time …. I appreciate her commitment to the process and we look forward to working together.”
Gabbard meets with Iowa senator who has appeared skeptical of Hegseth
Why is Biden letting Trump take the spotlight already? Insiders are divided
Donald Trump won’t be sworn in for his second term as president for more than a month, yet by some measures one could infer that Joe Biden has largely given up acting as America’s head of state.
When world leaders gathered in Paris over the weekend to celebrate the reopening of the iconic Notre Dame cathedral, the sitting American president was nowhere to be found. Instead, only his wife, First Lady Jill Biden, was there to represent the US government. Joe Biden remained in Washington, apparently due to an unspecified scheduling conflict.
Andrew Feinberg has more.
Trump’s claim that Democrats are ‘fighting hard’ to keep the Electoral College sparks confusion
President-elect Donald Trump took to his Truth Social platform on Sunday night and declared that Democrats were “fighting hard” to make all future presidential elections based “exclusively” on the Electoral College.
The curious late-night post prompted many to wonder if the incoming president was trolling liberals after finally winning the popular vote on his third try. At the same time, some progressives hoped that Trump’s assertion could lead conservatives to be “radicalized” against the notion of relying on states’ electoral votes to determine presidential elections.
Justin Baragona reports.
Trump calls on China to help end ‘madness’ between Russia and Ukraine: ‘World is waiting’
Donald Trump called on China to help broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine as the incoming US president revealed he had communicated with Xi Jinping.
The conflict had caused enormous losses to both Russia and Ukraine, Mr Trump said, and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky “would like to make a deal” to end the “madness”.
Mr Zelensky was yet to respond to the claim.
Shweta Sharma has more.
