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Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk , an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail. In today’s edition, national political reporter Bridget Bowman and senior congressional reporter Scott Wong examine the House GOP's math problem after the final race call of the 2024 elections. Plus, we dive into the latest with Pete Hegseth's embattled bid to lead the Defense Department. Sign up to receive this newsletter in your inbox every weekday here. Democrats flip final House seat of the 2024 elections, narrowing Republicans’ majority By Bridget Bowman and Scott Wong The final race Washington was waiting on from last month’s election has officially been called: NBC News projected Wednesday morning that Democrat Adam Gray defeated GOP Rep. John Duarte in California’s 13th District after weeks of ballot counting. The result means Republicans will control 220 seats to Democrats’ 215 next year. That will leave Republicans with even less margin for error as they try to advance President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda, as they can lose only two votes on legislation if Democrats are united in opposition. Further complicating the math for House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is the fact that Trump has chosen two sitting GOP members for his Cabinet: Elise Stefanik of New York to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and Mike Waltz of Florida to be national security adviser. And Republicans are already going to be down a lawmaker in the new Congress. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., resigned from the House last month after Trump selected him to be the next attorney general. But Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration amid allegations of sexual misconduct. He has said he does not plan to join the next Congress even though he won re-election in November. If the Stefanik and Waltz resignations happen simultaneously, Johnson could be operating with just a one-seat majority: 217 to 215. The special general elections in Florida to replace Gaetz and Waltz won’t take place until April 1. Once Stefanik resigns from Congress, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul has 10 days to declare a special election in New York, which must occur 70 to 80 days after the proclamation, according to state law . Read more → Pete Hegseth, Trump’s embattled defense pick, vows to fight on By Scott Wong, Frank Thorp V and Rebecca Shabad Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s embattled pick for defense secretary, brushed aside suggestions Wednesday that he would drop out and said he had spoken to Trump, who he said urged him to “keep going, keep fighting.” “I spoke to the president-elect this morning. He said: ‘Keep going, keep fighting. I’m behind you all the way.’” Hegseth told CBS News in the Capitol. “Why would I back down? I’ve always been a fighter. I’m here for the fighters. This is personal and passionate for me.” But his nomination appeared to be in serious jeopardy Tuesday and Wednesday after a series of news reports raised more questions about his treatment of women and his history with alcohol. On Wednesday, Hegseth’s mother, Penelope Hegseth, defended her son on “Fox and Friends” and addressed a 2018 email she wrote amid his divorce that accused him of mistreating women for years. The New York Times published details of the email last week. Hegseth showed no signs of calling it quits, holding a flurry of meetings with lawmakers on both sides of the Capitol and engaging in a media blitz to salvage his nomination, including writing an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal titled: “I’ve Faced Fire Before. I Won’t Back Down.” In response to the allegations, Hegseth referred reporters to an interview he recorded on former Fox News host Megyn Kelly’s SiriusXM show earlier in the day, in which he said he does not have a drinking problem and denied that he raped a woman in Monterey, California, in 2017. “Absolutely not. Absolutely not,” he said when he was asked whether he raped the woman. “I’ve been honest about that encounter, starting with law enforcement. ... I may have been drinking, but I was cognizant of enough to remember every single detail. “I’m not here to say that my conduct was good,” he continued. “Being in a hotel room with someone that’s, you know, not the person you’re with is not OK. I own up to that.” Hegseth also said he is “not going to have a drink at all” if he is confirmed as defense secretary, saying he wants Trump, senators and U.S. troops to know that he can be called 24/7 and will be “fully dialed in.” NBC News reported Wednesday morning that Trump is considering replacing Hegseth amid the opposition to his nomination. Others Trump could tap to lead the Pentagon, sources familiar with the decision-making said, are Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa; Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis; Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn.; and Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., his current pick for national security adviser. Read more → The Trumpification of Joe Biden By Chuck Todd President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son Hunter has earned plenty of criticism — and most of it, even the harsh partisan-tinged kind of criticism, has real merit. There’s no defense of the pardon beyond this one: He’s a father, and what parents wouldn’t use whatever power they had to help their children in crisis? I’m not going to pretend that, facing a similar circumstance, I wouldn’t have made the same decision — do whatever it takes to protect my child even if it means destroying my own legacy. That is what makes criticism of Biden’s decision complicated. There’s a human element to this that’s tragic on so many levels. It truly does meet the definition of “Shakespearean,” an overused description in today’s world that nevertheless is a perfect fit for this event. Now, the question is: How much damage has Biden done under the auspices of protecting his son? Presidential acts are permission slips. Once a president has done something unprecedented, it means there’s a precedent. And once one president tries something and gets away with it, I promise you, a future one will try something similar. Well, welcome to a new precedent. The president has now overturned a jury of fellow American citizens, not some kangaroo court, who convicted his son. And he cleared him of not just the charges he has faced, but also of any future charges he could face from anything he may have done over a 10-year period from 2014 (when Hunter first tried to do business in Ukraine) to now. Who knows whether Donald Trump grants pardons before he leaves office that read almost identical to the Hunter Biden pardon — but that he makes the dates to June 15, 2015 (the day he rode down the escalator), to Jan. 20, 2029, his last day in office? Whatever the chances are, they have surely gone up. More importantly, Biden has now borrowed Trump’s rhetoric to describe what he views as Hunter’s experience with the justice system. What kind of precedent will we have set if both parties accept the premise that whoever’s elected is going to politically prosecute his or her opponents? It’s part of Biden’s rationale for the pardon. And it will surely be Trump’s rationale for future pardons. What’s the general public supposed to think of the justice system now? The leading Republican in the country (Trump) and the leading Democrat in the country (Biden) have both claimed the system is unjust because of politics. Read more from Chuck → ⚖️ Related read: The judge who presided over the California tax fraud case against Hunter Biden called out the president for mischaracterizing and minimizing the charges against his son in announcing why he was pardoning him. Read more → That’s all from the Politics Desk for now. If you have feedback — likes or dislikes — email us at politicsnewsletter@nbcuni.com And if you’re a fan, please share with everyone and anyone. They can sign up here .Barstool's Jon Gruden is loud wrong about Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry's success this NFL season
Donald Trump is planning to kick all transgender members out of the US military, it has been claimed. And the unprecedented executive order could be launched on his first day back in the White House on January 20. Experts suggest there are over 15,000 active service personnel who are transgender. They would be given a special medical discharge, which would determine them unfit to serve in the US military, a source reportedly claims. Trump, 78, is also expected to go one further and issue an outright ban on transgender people joining the military - at a time when many US Army branches are struggling to hit recruitment targets. CIA fires whistleblower 'who said she was assaulted in a stairwell of the spy agency' Three Americans arrested in Venezuela for alleged plan to 'destabilize' country The incoming US president has slated what he claims are 'woke' military practices and suggested that some top brasses are often more concerned about diversity, equality and inclusion than fighting. Several sources reportedly told the Times even those with decades of service will be removed from their posts. One reportedly said: “These people will be forced out at a time when the military can’t recruit enough people. Only the Marine Corps is hitting its numbers for recruitment and some people who will be affected are in very senior positions.” Earlier this week Donald Trump Jr. accused Joe Biden of trying to start WWIII before his father can take office after the president allowed Ukraine to fire US-supplied missiles into Russia. DAILY NEWSLETTER: Sign up here to get the latest news and updates from the Mirror US straight to your inbox with our FREE newsletter. The decision is a major US policy shift and comes just two months before Donald Trump returns to the White House after winning the US election. Even before moving back into the Oval Office the president-elect has vowed to limit American support for Ukraine and end the war as soon as possible. In a statement posted on social media, Trump Jr. said: "The Military Industrial Complex seems to want to make sure they get World War 3 going before my father has a chance to create peace and save lives," he tweeted. "Gotta lock in those $Trillions. Life be damned!!! Imbeciles!” He was joined by Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene. She said: “On his way out of office, Joe Biden is dangerously trying to start WWIII by authorising Ukraine the use of US long-range missiles into Russia. The American people gave a mandate on November 5th against these exact America last decisions and do NOT want to fund or fight foreign wars.” Their comments echoed concerns among some officials in Washington who believe that allowing Ukrainian forces to use long-range US weapons on Russian soil could escalate the conflict beyond current borders. They warned that this could lead Russian President Vladimir Putin to respond with increased force, potentially targeting American assets or allies.Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh passed away late Thursday (December 26) evening, just a few hours after his admission to AIIMS in Delhi. The news of his death quickly resonated across the nation, prompting an outpouring of tributes to the esteemed Congress leader. Numerous celebrities from both Bollywood and the South Indian film industry expressed their condolences in the wake of his passing. Renowned actor Chiranjeevi shared a heartfelt message on his X account (formerly Twitter), while fellow actor Mammootty took a moment to reflect on Singh's legacy and contributions. RIP Dr. Manmohan Singh. Your wisdom, humility, and service to the nation will forever be remembered. pic.twitter.com/JOHBsgOPkI — Mammootty (@mammukka) December 26, 2024 Mammootty wrote, “RIP Dr. Manmohan Singh. Your wisdom, humility, and service to the nation will forever be remembered,” while sharing a picture of Manmohan Singh. Deeply anguished by the passing away of one of the greatest statesmen Our country has ever produced, highly educated, most graceful, soft spoken and humble leader Dr Manmohan Singh Ji! His visionary and game changing contributions as the Finance Minister and then his highly... pic.twitter.com/75CZwyp6en — Chiranjeevi Konidela (@KChiruTweets) December 26, 2024 Meanwhile, Chiranjeevi attached a picture of himself with the former PM of India, where he was welcoming him with a bouquet of red roses. He captioned the picture, “Deeply anguished by the passing of one of the greatest statesmen our country has ever produced—highly educated, graceful, soft-spoken, and humble leader Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji! His visionary and game-changing contributions as the Finance Minister and then his highly successful tenure as the 13th Prime Minister of India for two successive terms will remain etched in history. I feel privileged and fortunate to have served as a Member of Parliament and Minister of State for Tourism during the tenure of a stalwart like him. I fondly cherish my interactions with him and the inspiration and wisdom I received from him forever. It is a tremendous loss to our country. My deepest condolences to his family and all his numerous admirers. Rest in peace, Manmohan Ji! Om Shanti! 🙏🙏” Salman Khan mourns Bishan Singh Bedi's demise; Amitabh Bachchan, Vicky Kaushal, and others pay heartfelt condolences Kollywood star and politician Udhayanidhi Stalin also shared a deeply saddened note: “The news of the passing of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh is disturbing. He transformed the economy of the Indian Union to the point where it can be described as a before and after of Manmohan Singh's era. A scholar of the three Tamil languages, he is worthy of affection and respect. He pioneered rural economic development through many creative projects, including the Hundred Days Program. Mr. Manmohan Singh achieved a lot during his 10 years as Prime Minister. During his tenure, Tamil Nadu received many projects and made considerable development. The passing of Manmohan Singh, who correctly understood the direction of the global economy and formulated India's economic policies, is a significant loss for the country. My deepest condolences on his passing. I extend my condolences to the Congress party workers, family, and friends who are grieving his loss.” Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also shared a social media post on the former PM’s demise. Manmohan Singh, the former Prime Minister of India , has died at the age of 92 due to health issues associated with aging, as reported by AIIMS. He held the position of Prime Minister for two consecutive terms, from 2004 to 2014. Singh first ascended to the role following the Congress party's victory in the Lok Sabha elections, defeating the National Democratic Alliance led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. His leadership continued into a second term, spanning from 2009 until 2014, when he was succeeded by Narendra Modi.
TORONTO — Hannah Miller scored a power-play goal with 1:38 remaining in the game, lifting the Toronto Sceptres to a 3-1 victory over the Boston Fleet in the Professional Women's Hockey League season opener on Saturday. With Boston standout Hilary Knight in the penalty box for a vicious boarding penalty on Sceptres defender Renata Fast, Miller made good on her rebound attempt on a Daryl Watts shot with a half-open net. Fast recovered for an assist on the winner before 8,089 fans at Coca-Cola Coliseum. The Fleet (0-1-0) challenged the goal, but video review deemed Miller's shot was good. Sarah Nurse got Toronto (1-0-0) on the board with a short-handed tally 11:50 into the first period and Emma Maltais added an empty-net strike to seal the score at 3-1 with 12 seconds left on the game clock. Boston's Hilary Knight opened the scoring at the 3:00 mark of the opening frame, sending a slap shot past Toronto goalie Kristin Campbell, who registered 18 stops on the night. Toronto outshot Boston 41-19. Boston goalie Aerin Frankel, a big reason why her team advanced to the Walter Cup final last spring, was outstanding with 38 saves. Frankel made a significant glove-hand stop on Toronto defender Jocelyne Larocque with 6:36 remaining in the third period. Larocque was alone when a rebound caromed to her in front. But the puck was rolling, and she could only lift her shot straight into Frankel's glove. Nurse's goal tested the league's new jailbreak rule that sees a minor penalty — in this case, Izzy Daniel's tripping infraction — wiped out when a team scores a short-handed goal. . Takeaways Sceptres: Billie Jean King MVP Natalie Spooner missed the season opener. The PWHL scoring champion underwent left knee surgery last June after getting injured in Game 3 of Toronto's first-round series against Minnesota. Fleet: Defender Emma Greco of Burlington, Ont., played her first game for Boston. She was part of the Walter Cup-winning Minnesota team that defeated Boston in a three-game series last spring. Greco is one of five Ontario-born players on the Fleet roster. Key moment With the game tied 1-1, the Sceptres failed to score during a 59-second 5-on-3 advantage midway through the second period. Boston blocked five shots during the span. Key stat Last year, Toronto enjoyed an 11-game win streak en route to its regular-season championship, including three wins against Boston. Up next Toronto visits Ottawa on Tuesday. Boston will play its home opener on Wednesday, a rematch with the Walter Cup-champion Minnesota. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 30, 2024. Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press
WASHINGTON D.C., DC — Republican senators pushed back on Sunday against criticism from Democrats that Tulsi Gabbard , Donald Trump's pick to lead U.S. intelligence services , is “compromised” by her comments supportive of Russia and secret meetings , as a congresswoman, with Syria’s president, a close ally of the Kremlin and Iran. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat and veteran of combat missions in Iraq, said she had concerns about Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's choice to be director of national intelligence . “I think she’s compromised," Duckworth said on CNN’s “State of the Union," citing Gabbard's 2017 trip to Syria, where she held talks with Syrian President Bashar Assad. Gabbard was a Democratic House member from Hawaii at the time. “The U.S. intelligence community has identified her as having troubling relationships with America’s foes. And so my worry is that she couldn’t pass a background check,” Duckworth said. Gabbard, who said last month she is joining the Republican Party, has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades. She was deployed to Iraq and Kuwait and, according to the Hawaii National Guard, received a Combat Medical Badge in 2005 for “participation in combat operations under enemy hostile fire in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III." Duckworth's comments drew immediate backlash from Republicans. “For her to say ridiculous and outright dangerous words like that is wrong," Sen. Markwayne Mullin, a Republican from Oklahoma, said on CNN, challenging Duckworth to retract her words. “That’s the most dangerous thing she could say — is that a United States lieutenant colonel in the United States Army is compromised and is an asset of Russia.” In recent days, other Democrats have accused Gabbard without evidence of being a “Russian asset.” Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, has claimed, without offering details, that Gabbard is in Russian President Vladimir “Putin’s pocket.” Mullin and others say the criticism from Democrats is rooted in the fact that Gabbard left their party and has become a Trump ally. Democrats say they worry that Gabbard's selection as national intelligence chief endangers ties with allies and gives Russia a win. Rep. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat just elected to the Senate, said he would not describe Gabbard as a Russian asset, but said she had “very questionable judgment.” “The problem is if our foreign allies don’t trust the head of our intelligence agencies, they’ll stop sharing information with us,” Schiff said on NBC's “Meet the Press.” Gabbard in 2022 endorsed one of Russia’s justifications for invading Ukraine : the existence of dozens of U.S.-funded biolabs working on some of the world’s nastiest pathogens. The labs are part of an international effort to control outbreaks and stop bioweapons, but Moscow claimed Ukraine was using them to create deadly bioweapons. Gabbard said she just voiced concerns about protecting the labs. Gabbard also has suggested that Russia had legitimate security concerns in deciding to invade Ukraine, given its desire to join NATO. Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri said he thought it was “totally ridiculous” that Gabbard was being cast as a Russian asset for having different political views. “It’s insulting. It’s a slur, quite frankly. There’s no evidence that she’s a asset of another country,” he said on NBC. Sen. James Lankford, another Oklahoma Republican, acknowledged having “lots of questions” for Gabbard as the Senate considers her nomination to lead the intelligence services. Lankford said on NBC that he wants to ask Gabbard about her meeting with Assad and some of her past comments about Russia. “We want to know what the purpose was and what the direction for that was. As a member of Congress, we want to get a chance to talk about past comments that she’s made and get them into full context,” Lankford said.
Biden pardons two turkeys before Thanksgiving -- his last as president
BOB RUBIN: Celebrities Do Not Have The Political Star Power They Thought They DidSpecial counsel moves to dismiss election interference and classified documents cases against Trump WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors moved Monday to dismiss the criminal charges against President-elect Donald Trump that accused him of plotting to overturn the 2020 election and to abandon the classified documents case against him, citing longst Alanna Durkin Richer And Eric Tucker, The Associated Press Nov 25, 2024 11:18 AM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message FILE - Special counsel Jack Smith speaks to the media about an indictment of former President Donald Trump, Aug. 1, 2023, at an office of the Department of Justice in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors moved Monday to dismiss the criminal charges against President-elect Donald Trump that accused him of plotting to overturn the 2020 election and to abandon the classified documents case against him, citing longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. The decision by special counsel Jack Smith, who had fiercely sought to hold Trump criminally accountable for his efforts to subvert the 2020 election, represented the end of the federal effort against the former president following his election victory this month despite the election-related cases and multiple other unrelated criminal charges against him and is headed back to the White House. The decision, revealed in court filings, also amounts to a predictable but nonetheless stunning conclusion to criminal cases that had been seen as the most perilous of the multiple legal threats Trump has faced. It reflects the practical consequences of Trump’s victory, ensuring he enters office free from scrutiny over his hoarding of top secret documents and his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. Smith’s team emphasized that the move to abandon the prosecutions, in federal courts in Washington and Florida, was not a reflection of their view on the merits of the cases but rather a reflection of their commitment to longstanding department policy. “That prohibition is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government’s proof, or the merits of the prosecution, which the Government stands fully behind,” the prosecutors wrote in Monday’s court filing in the election interference case. The decision was expected after Smith's team began assessing how to wind down both the 2020 election interference case and the separate classified documents case in the wake of Trump's victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. The Justice Department believes Trump can no longer be tried in accordance with longstanding policy that says sitting presidents cannot be prosecuted. Trump has cast both cases as politically motivated, and had vowed to fire Smith as soon as he takes office in January. The 2020 election case brought last year was once seen as one of the most serious legal threats facing the Republican as he vied to reclaim the White House. But it quickly stalled amid legal fighting over Trump’s sweeping claims of immunity from prosecution for acts he took while in the White House. The U.S. Supreme Court in July ruled for the first time that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution, and sent the case back to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan to determine which allegations in the indictment, if any, could proceed to trial. The case was just beginning to pick up steam again in the trial court in the weeks leading up to this year’s election. Smith’s team in October filed a lengthy brief laying out new evidence they planned to use against him at trial, accusing him of using “resorting to crimes” in an increasingly desperate effort to overturn the will of voters after he lost to Biden. ___ Associated Press writer Colleen Long contributed to this story. Alanna Durkin Richer And Eric Tucker, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More World News Special counsel moves to dismiss election interference case against President-elect Donald Trump Nov 25, 2024 10:28 AM UK authorities charge a man in last week's bomb hoax at the US Embassy Nov 25, 2024 8:33 AM UK authorities charge a man in last week's bomb hoax at the US Embassy Nov 25, 2024 8:27 AM Featured FlyerSupreme Court seems likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on treatments for transgender minors
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