The Conversation -- November 16, 2024

A Most Unserious Man. Maggie Haberman & Jonathan Swan of the New York Times: "Emboldened, confident in his instincts and more contemptuous than ever of Washington expertise, Mr. Trump is staffing the most important roles in his government at breakneck speed. Advisers have been stunned at how fast he is ticking through his choices, filling the government's most important positions roughly a month sooner than he did in 2016. Much of the action has taken place under the chandelier in the tearoom at Mar-a-Lago, where Mr. Trump surveys his potential Cabinet nominees on giant video screens. He flicks through shortlists that his transition team, led by the billionaire Howard Lutnick, has drafted over the past months. If Mr. Trump shows an interest in a candidate, the presentation is designed to allow him to immediately watch videos of the potential nominee's TV appearances -- essential for any would-be Trump cabinet official." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: It is tempting to compare Trump to a casting director, except I believe most casting directors take their jobs more seriously than Trump takes his role of filling administrative jobs. As for his being "contemptuous of Washington expertise," he is contemptuous of all expertise, and he is contemptuous of elites everywhere, especially in Manhattan, where the upper crust is equally contemptuous of him.

Ian Millhiser of Vox: "Trump chose Todd Blanche, the criminal defense lawyer in his New York hush money trial..., to be deputy attorney general.... The DAG, as this position is known within the department, wields tremendous power over federal criminal prosecutions. If successfully appointed, Blanche will supervise the 93 regional US attorneys who bring the bulk of all federal prosecutions in the United States.... Meanwhile, Trump wants John Sauer, the lawyer who represented him in the Supreme Court case holding that Trump is allowed to use the powers of the president to commit crimes, to serve as solicitor general. The role oversees the Justice Department's legal strategy in the Supreme Court....

"Another one of Trump's personal criminal defense lawyers, Emil Bove, will serve as principal associate deputy attorney general, and will hold the DAG spot on an acting basis until Blanche or some other Trump nominee is confirmed or otherwise formally appointed to the job.... Bove's new role does not require Senate confirmation. So he will be able to move into this job on the first day of Trump's second presidency.... Blanche, Sauer, and Bove's conventional résumés also mean that, if they use their DOJ posts to pursue Trump's personal campaign of vengeance, they are likely to be fairly effective in doing so." ~~~

~~~ Marie: In Friday Comments, RAS argued that "Team Trump's most human failings may thwart some of their most evil plans...." As one of several ferinstances, RAS asked rhetorically, "Do you think Matt Gaetz is going to work the hours necessary to not just learn DoJ but run it in detail?" My answer to that would be, no, but the meatheads of Trump's choosing will have underlings to do their bidding. And Millhiser proves my point with specifics: both Blanche & Bove were federal prosecutors for nine years, and Sauer, who clerked for Antonin Scalia, was Missouri's attorney general. Millhiser acknowledges that "Gaetz may struggle to navigate the department's internal bureaucracy or to resist its internal culture, which seeks to insulate prosecutorial decisions from the White House.... But if Trump gets his way, his ultraloyalist attorney general will now be backed by people who know the Justice Department and the culture of elite federal lawyers quite well."

Tom Winter & Tim Stelloh of NBC News: "Federal law enforcement officials said Thursday that they stopped a Texas man from carrying out a possible terrorist attack in Houston.... Anas Said, 28, was charged last month with attempting to provide material support to the terrorist group ISIS, according to an indictment filed in U.S. District Court in Texas. Said was arrested last week at the Houston apartment complex where he is alleged to have planned the attack, said the FBI, which accused him of bragging that he would commit "a 9/11-style" attack if he had the resources."

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Michael Shear of the New York Times: "President Biden expressed concern on Friday about what he called 'dangerous and destabilizing cooperation' between North Korea and Russia, as he met with the leaders of South Korea and Japan at the global summit of Asia Pacific leaders in Peru. In a joint statement, Mr. Biden, Shigeru Ishiba, the prime minister of Japan, and President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea, said they 'strongly condemn' the cooperation between North Korea and Russia, including the decision by North Korea to send thousands of troops to Russia to help President Vladimir V. Putin in his war with Ukraine.... Flanked by Mr. Ishiba and Mr. Yoon, Mr. Biden expressed confidence in new security and economic cooperation that the three nations announced during a summit last year at Camp David.... He did not mention the possible impact of ... Donald J. Trump's return to the White House, but he noted that Friday's meeting would be his last with the group."

Tara Copp, et al., of the AP: Trump's nominee for Defense Secretary "Pete Hegseth ... was flagged as a possible 'Insider Threat' by a fellow service member due to a tattoo on his bicep that's associated with white supremacist groups. Hegseth, who has downplayed the role of military members and veterans in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack and railed against the Pentagon's subsequent efforts to address extremism in the ranks, has said he was pulled by his District of Columbia National Guard unit from guarding Joe Biden's January 2021 inauguration. He's said he was unfairly identified as an extremist due to a cross tattoo on his chest. This week, however, a fellow Guard member who was the unit's security manager and on an anti-terrorism team at the time, shared with The Associated Press an email he sent to the unit's leadership flagging a different tattoo reading 'Deus Vult' that's been used by white supremacists, concerned it was an indication of an 'Insider Threat.'" Read on.

Michael Kranish, et al., of the Washington Post: "Senior officials on ... Donald Trump's transition team on Friday weighed the future of Pete Hegseth, Trump's choice to lead the Defense Department, amid new revelations that police investigated an allegation that he sexually assaulted a woman in 2017.... Monterey[, California,] police confirmed that they investigated Hegseth over an allegation of 'alleged sexual assault' in 2017 and that the incident did not result in criminal charges. The transition team was caught by surprise by the detailed allegations and now fears more negative revelations about Hegseth, said [a] person familiar with the complaint. 'There's a lot of frustration around this,' the person said. 'He hadn't been properly vetted.'... 'No private firm vetted him, according to a person familiar with the matter...." ~~~

~~~ And here's something Patrick mentioned in a comment earlier this week:

"Hegseth has been married three times.... He married his first wife, Meredith, in his early 20s and they divorced in 2009, according to Minnesota court filings. The couple agreed that the reasons for the split were an 'irretrievable breakdown' of the marriage and Hegseth's 'infidelity,' according to a filing in their divorce case.... He married his second wife, Samantha, in 2010. Hegseth fathered a child with another woman, Jennifer Rauchet, then a Fox News producer, in August 2017, during that marriage. According to court records, Samantha Hegseth ... filed for divorce in September -- a month after the child was born. Following his second divorce, Hegseth married Rauchet." MB: As Patrick wrote, "Why, he's like the son DiJiT never had!" And that's why I'm surprised a sexual assault allegation is of any concern to Team Trump.

Michael Gold of the New York Times: "... Donald J. Trump announced on Friday that he had chosen Karoline Leavitt, who worked in his administration and served as his campaign's press secretary, to be his White House press secretary. Ms. Leavitt, 27..., will be the youngest person ever to assume the role.... Throughout the campaign, Ms. Leavitt adopted Mr. Trump's disdain for the mainstream media in frequent appearances on major television networks and conservative outlets." NPR's report is here.

Jess Bidgood of the New York Times: "With his early selections for cabinet and other high-level posts..., Donald Trump is taking the bomb-throwing, hyper-macho and preternaturally online energy that infused his campaign and seeking to inject it directly into Washington's veins.... It's effectively government by bro -- and it seems that the more you've trolled the establishment, the better your chances are of being invited by the president-elect to join it. Trump's presidential campaign was a celebration of masculine kitsch." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: A reminder that when the MAGA movement boys rail against "woke," they are expressing more than their racism, xenophobia & homophobia. They are equally anti-feminist -- nay, anti-woman. Trump frequently said on the campaign trail, in a lewd manner, "I love women." That is the second Big Lie. He hates women. He loves to use women; he loves to manipulate women; he loves to berate women; he loves to abuse women. He won election on the wings of a thousand lies, but underpinning those lies was his bet that misogyny and racism would beat out decency and democracy. He won that bet, and I think we should look at Trump voters not just as dupes of the right-wing media but as hateful, vengeful pricks. ~~~

     ~~~ Update. A young woman -- a high-school student in a progressive -- Upstate New York town, notices that Trump won over the boys in her class. In an anonymous Guardian essay, she writes, "Young, well-off white boys from liberal families are being tempted by conservatism simply to protect an archaic idea of masculinity that guarantees them inherent power.... Clearly, a shift back toward traditional gender roles is resonating with them now as progression toward female empowerment threatens their already delicate self esteem.... Boys in our school as young as eight are beginning to exhibit these same misogynistic tendencies that we never remember noticing when we were their age. And the most dangerous aspect of this is how little it's talked about in mainstream media and how easily it has been overlooked in progressive communities. In fact this is an epidemic that will continue to spread rapidly until we start talking about it."

Julie Tsirkin & Rebecca Shabad of NBC News: "House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Friday that he would 'strongly request' that the House Ethics Committee not release a report detailing its investigation into former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.... There is precedent for releasing ethics reports after or on the same day that a lawmaker resigns from Congress.... Johnson returned to Washington, D.C., early Friday morning after meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday. Johnson declined to say whether he spoke to Trump about the Ethics report. The bipartisan, 10-member Ethics panel had been scheduled to meet Friday to discuss the report on Gaetz and whether to release it to the public, but a source with direct knowledge had said on Thursday that the meeting was canceled." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Maybe the reason Trump doesn't like dogs is that he finds it so much easier to train human pets to lie down & roll over. ~~~

     ~~~ Update. Meryl Kornfield, et al., of the Washington Post: "The comments marked a stunning reversal for Johnson, who just Thursday told Fox News that the speaker's role is not to get 'involved in what happens in Ethics. Lots of important reasons for that.'... Intervening at the conclusion of an investigation -- into someone seeking to be the nation's chief law enforcement officer -- has no modern precedent.... Several Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans have publicly asked for the House Ethics panel to release its report -- or at least transmit it privately to the committee -- so they can adequately prepare to question Gaetz in a confirmation hearing...." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: So the sequence is (1) Bible Mike tells Fox News Thursday morning that there are "lots of important reasons" not to get involved in House Ethics Committee decisions; (2) Mike spends Thursday night at Mar-a-Lardo; (3) Mike says at midday Friday that he would "strongly request the Ethics Committee not issue the report." The only mystery here is why Trump's team is supposedly so concerned about Pete Hegseth's alleged sexual misdeeds when obviously the boss wants to cover up Gaetz's suspected proclivities.

Daniel Payne of Politico: "Lobbyists expecting a more conventional pick to lead the government's $3 trillion health agency than Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the brash contrarian ... Donald Trump named on Thursday to take charge, are plotting how to stop the Senate from confirming him. They're also currying favor in case they can't.... Companies would prefer to let their allies in the Senate, buttressed by years of campaign contributions and revolving-door hires, sideline Kennedy before they spend political capital to fight him." ~~~

~~~ Leana Wen of the Washington Post: "The reason [Robert] Kennedy [Jr.] is uniquely unfit compared with past nominees is that his approach to scientific inquiry is as an activist, not a scientist. The clearest example of this is his repeated assertions that childhood immunizations are harmful. Kennedy is one of the most prominent promoters of disinformation that vaccines cause autism, despite dozens of rigorously conducted medical studies that have debunked the claim.... In the face of overwhelming evidence, he is unwilling to change his views. Instead, he doubles down on his advocacy and asserts opinions as facts. He is either unable to understand the scientific process that forms the basis of modern medicine or he purposefully ignores the research when conclusions don't support his preconceived notions." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: On the plus side, RFK Jr. is (allegedly!) an infamous serial/concurrent philanderer.

M. Gessen of the New York Times makes some observations and predictions about what Trump is up to, based largely on her knowledge of what Viktor Orban & Vladmir Putin have done as well as by Trump's actions during his first term. (Also linked yesterday.)

Leonie Chao-Fong of the Guardian: "Racist text messages targeting Black people across the US just hours after Donald Trump won a second presidency have now expanded to the Hispanic communities -- and homophobic versions have been aimed at LGBTQ+ people, the FBI said on Friday. Authorities say they are investigating the messages -- which now include emails -- and that they have not received reports of violent acts stemming from the hateful messages. The recipients of the messages include high school students being told that they have been 'selected for deportation or to report to a re-education camp', the FBI said in a statement. After the 5 November US presidential election saw Trump returned to the White House, Black Americans reported receiving racist text messages telling them they had been 'selected' to pick cotton and needed to report to the 'nearest plantation'.:

Kate Christobek of the New York Times: "The editor in chief of Scientific American, the oldest continuously published magazine in the United States, has resigned more than a week after she posted comments on social media that called some supporters of ... Donald J. Trump 'bigoted' and 'fascists.' On election night, Laura Helmuth, who served as editor in chief of the publication for more than four years, posted a series of expletive-laden comments on Bluesky, a social platform. In one comment, she apologized to younger voters for Generation X being full of 'fascists.' In another, she wrote, 'Solidarity to everybody whose meanest, dumbest, most bigoted high-school classmates are celebrating early results.'... Her resignation announcement, which she shared on Bluesky, did not reference her previous posts. Ms. Helmuth had previously apologized for her posts.... She attributed her comments to 'shock and confusion about the election results' and said that they did not reflect the position of Scientific American or her colleagues.... Earlier this year, Scientific American published an editorial endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: No, no. Helmuth was right. She should not have resigned. Her every public statement does not need to reflect an editorial board consensus. She is allowed to be a person; she should be allowed to tell the truth. The people she denounced are "mean, dumb & bigoted fascists." And I'm not resigning.

Nitwits' Remorse. Look Who's Sorry Now. Andrea Shalal of Reuters: "U.S. Muslim leaders who supported Republican Donald Trump to protest against the Biden administration's support for Israel's war on Gaza and attacks on Lebanon have been deeply disappointed by his cabinet picks, they tell Reuters. 'Trump won because of us and we're not happy with his secretary of state pick and others,' said Rabiul Chowdhury, a Philadelphia investor who chaired the Abandon Harris campaign in Pennsylvania and co-founded Muslims for Trump. Muslim support for Trump helped him win Michigan and may have factored into other swing state wins, strategists believe." MB: They could not possibly have seen this coming. They remind me of these voters Akhilleus pointed out in yesterday's Comments: ~~~

~~~ Candace McDuffie of the Root: "As America grapples with Trump's impending second presidential term, folks in red states are wondering if they can change their vote.... Google Trends saw a dramatic increase in searches for 'How to change my vote' as early as the morning of Election Day before the polls were closed.... Iowa, which went red, was the state that had the highest amount of people looking into changing their votes." As Akhilleus wrote, "It figures idiots too stupid to understand the stakes also think they can change their vote."

Eileen Sullivan of the New York Times: "Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, the two Georgia poll workers defamed by Rudolph W. Giuliani after the 2020 election, received his watch collection, a ring and his vintage Mercedes-Benz on Friday. The deliveries, which Mr. Giuliani's lawyer, Joseph Cammarata, reported to the court on Friday, were a long time coming for the women, who are mother and daughter. It was also a small down payment on what the former New York City mayor owes them.... [Mr. Giuliani has missed a number of deadlines to turn over certain assets to the women.] Earlier this week, Mr. Giuliani's lawyers asked the judge for permission to withdraw as his counsel, citing ethical concerns.... Mr. Trump owes Mr. Giuliani about $2 million in unpaid legal fees. Ms. Freeman and Ms. Moss are looking to collect that as well." Oh, and get this: ~~~

~~~ "A trial set for January in New York is to determine whether Mr. Giuliani can claim his $3.5 million Palm Beach condo as his primary residence, which, under Florida law, would keep it from being seized by Ms. Freeman and Ms. Moss. In [a] letter to the court on Friday, Mr. Cammarata requested a delay for the trial so that his client could attend ... Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20."

     ~~~ Politico's report, by Erica Orden, has more detail. For instance, there's this: "On Wednesday, an attorney for Freeman and Moss told the judge that a lawyer for [a storage] facility had provided them with invoices and photographs suggesting that Giuliani had moved large amounts of property there in October, including 24 pallets of 'unknown boxes and loose furniture,' potentially in violation of a restraining notice that took effect Aug. 7. The documents also showed Giuliani owed the facility nearly $100,000 as of mid-October. Until this week, Giuliani had been represented by two other attorneys, Kenneth Caruso and David Labkowski. Hours after the filing about the storage facility, Caruso and Labkowski wrote to the court asking to withdraw as his attorneys, citing rules that allow withdrawal based on a client's behavior. Their court filing suggested their deep disagreement with Giuliani's approach to the case, his lack of cooperation and his insistence on a defense that is 'not warranted under existing law.'" In fairness to Sullivan, she links to an earlier story she wrote that covers the falling-out between Giuliani & his legal team.

Carlos Greaves in McSweeney's (Nov. 6), sees the presidential election results in Swiftian (or, more accurately, in Lucasian terms): "It might seem completely delusional to be optimistic about the Empire retaking control of the galaxy, given that Palpatine's mind has become so ravaged by the power of the Sith that he spends most of his day stumbling around screaming, 'They're eating the Ewoks!' and pretending to fellate Darth Vader's lightsaber.... The rebel alliance may be shocked at this sudden reversal of fortune, but the truth of the matter is that the Empire has always been popular.... Relax. This resurgence of the Empire will likely be a temporary blip in the course of the galaxy, much like the last time the Empire was in control. Unless, of course, you're on one of the planets that gets blown to pieces." Thanks to RAS for the link.

Victoria Bisset of the Washington Post: "A former linebacker for the Detroit Lions was arrested Thursday in Georgia for allegedly assaulting law enforcement officers during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, in one of the first Capitol riot cases brought by prosecutors since Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election. Leander Antwione Williams, who is 31 and from Savannah, Georgia, was charged with a felony offense of assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers and obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder, the U.S. attorney's office for the District of Columbia said in a statement Thursday. He is also charged with misdemeanor offenses including entering and remaining in a restricting building or grounds, and disorderly and disruptive conduct. Williams was a fifth-round pick by the Detroit Lions in the 2016 NFL draft, and was released the following year. He played under the name Antwione Williams."

He's B-a-a-ack! Dan Diamond & Rachel Roubein of the Washington Post: "Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) on Thursday announced he would lead the Senate's government oversight panel and prioritize investigations into the coronavirus pandemic, repeating his allegation that federal officials participated in a 'covid coverup' related to the possible origins of the virus. The libertarian senator has long maintained that government leaders have not been forthcoming about U.S. ties to virus research conducted in Wuhan, China, where the coronavirus outbreak was first detected in 2019. In combative congressional hearings, infectious-disease experts such as Anthony S. Fauci, the longtime National Institutes of Health official who retired from government service in 2022, have insisted to Paul and other Republicans that while NIH funded the virus research, the work could not have sparked the pandemic. Paul has rejected those explanations." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I feel so relieved knowing that two wacky conspiracy theorists -- RFK Jr. & Li'l Randy -- are looking out for my health concerns.

It Didn't Take Long for a Judge to Put Out My One Tiny Candle. Laura Wagner of the Washington Post: "A federal bankruptcy judge has paused the Onion's acquisition of Alex Jones's Infowars pending a court review of the auction process, after lawyers for Jones and the company affiliated with him complained that the satirical news site had put in a bid of $3.5 million.... Judge Christopher Lopez said Thursday that he had concerns about how the bidding process played out and ordered a hearing for next week to review how the auction was conducted."(Also linked yesterday.)

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Michigan. Matthew Chapman of the Raw Story: "An irate man testifying to Michigan lawmakers against a bill that would restrict the carrying of guns at the State Capitol shouted a racial slur at the shocked senators Thursday..... 'Let's be very clear: this is legislation that targets white people,' said [Avi] Rachlin. 'It is racial, because the people who carry in the Capitol are primarily white people who have [concealed pistol licenses], are primarily white, and this is retaliation for the only demographic that overwhelmingly voted to support Donald Trump. And that is why it is being taken out on us, because you don't like us.... If you want to address gun violence, we would be focusing on the people who bring guns into communities and shoot people, like where I live in Detroit -- where you represent, Stephanie Chang.' He said the area is 'overwhelmingly' 13- to 44-year-olds -- and hurled a racial slur to describe their ethnicity. At Rachlin's last remark, Chang, a Democrat, immediately gaveled him down and cut his mic, as senators from both parties roundly condemned him."

Texas. Kim Bellware of the Washington Post: "A Texas judge has ruled that Melissa Lucio is innocent of killing her daughter in 2007 and recommended that her death sentence be overturned, according to a filing made public Thursday. The finding by Cameron County Judge Arturo Nelson puts Lucio's fate in the hands of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, which has the final authority to overturn the conviction and sentence.... Nelson cited findings that the original prosecutors in Lucio's case withheld evidence that her 2-year-old daughter died after an accidental fall, rather than of abuse.... Nelson's ruling, which was written Oct. 16 and made public Thursday, comes months after a rare agreement between defense attorneys and the prosecutor that the office of the original district attorney who prosecuted Lucio's case withheld evidence that would have been favorable to the defense.... [In April,] Nelson made his first recommendation that the appeals court overturn Lucio's conviction and sentence. In June, the appeals court directed Nelson to first review the other claims for relief filed by Lucio's attorneys."

The Conversation -- November 15, 2024

Julie Tsirkin & Rebecca Shabad of NBC News: “House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Friday that he would 'strongly request' that the House Ethics Committee not release a report detailing its investigation into former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.... There is precedent for releasing ethics reports after or on the same day that a lawmaker resigns from Congress.... Johnson returned to Washington, D.C., early Friday morning after meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday. Johnson declined to say whether he spoke to Trump about the Ethics report. The bipartisan, 10-member Ethics panel had been scheduled to meet Friday to discuss the report on Gaetz and whether to release it to the public, but a source with direct knowledge had said on Thursday that the meeting was canceled.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Maybe the reason Trump doesn't like dogs is that he finds it so much easier to teach human pets to lie down & roll over.

It Didn't Take Long for a Judge to Put Out My One Tiny Candle. Laura Wagner of the Washington Post: “A federal bankruptcy judge has paused the Onion’s acquisition of Alex Jones’s Infowars pending a court review of the auction process, after lawyers for Jones and the company affiliated with him complained that the satirical news site had put in a bid of $3.5 million.... Judge Christopher Lopez said Thursday that he had concerns about how the bidding process played out and ordered a hearing for next week to review how the auction was conducted.”

M. Gessen of the New York Times makes some observations and predictions about what Trump is up to, based largely on her knowledge of what Viktor Orban & Vladmir Putin have done as well as by Trump's actions during his first term.

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Well, America – I hope you like measles. -- Jake Tapper of CNN ~~~

~~~ Of Crackpots & Crooks, Ctd. Dan Diamond, et al., of the Washington Post: “... Donald Trump on Thursday selected Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime vaccine skeptic, to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, the sprawling agency responsible for administering millions of Americans’ health insurance, approving drugs and medical supplies, regulating food, and responding to infectious-disease outbreaks.... The decision, which public health experts and many Democrats characterized as alarming and unprecedented, means that one of America’s most prominent vaccine skeptics could soon oversee an agency responsible for the safety of vaccines.” (Also linked yesterday.) Politico's story is here. ~~~

     ~~~ John Daley of Colorado Public Radio News: “Colorado Gov. Jared Polis [D] seemed to endorse ... Donald Trump’s pick for Health and Human Services Secretary in a post on X Thursday. 'I’m excited by the news that the President-Elect will appoint Robert Kennedy Jr. to Health and Human Services,' Polis said. 'He helped us defeat vaccine mandates in Colorado in 2019 and will help make America healthy again by shaking up HHS and FDA.'” MB: When RAS linked this story yesterday, I thought it was a joke or a misunderstanding. Apparently not.

Lisa Friedman & Michael Gold of the New York Times: “... Donald J. Trump has tapped Gov. Doug Burgum of North Dakota to run the Interior Department, leading the new administration’s plans to open federal lands and waters to oil and gas drilling. Governor Burgum, 68, has longstanding ties to fossil fuel companies and acted as a liaison between the Trump campaign and the oil executives who have donated heavily to it.... The governor and [his friend billionaire oilman Harold] Hamm have been working on Mr. Trump’s transition.... Mr. Trump made the announcement during a gala for the America First Policy Institute that was held Thursday evening at his Mar-a-Lago estate. Mr. Burgum was in attendance.... The governor has been a cheerleader for drilling, a posture that fits in well with Mr. Trump’s promises of unfettered access for energy companies to the oil.... Scientists have said that the United States and other major economies must stop developing new oil and gas projects to avert the most catastrophic effects of global warming.” Politico's report is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: How refreshing! A nominee who is not crazy. He's merely a danger to us and our descendants for as long as Earth may exist.

Devlin Barrett of the New York Times: “... Donald J. Trump said on Thursday that he would name Todd Blanche, a lawyer who oversaw his defense against multiple indictments, to become the No. 2 official at the Justice Department. The selection of Mr. Blanche, a former prosecutor in Manhattan, as the deputy attorney general serves as an extraordinary rebuke to the criminal cases against Mr. Trump.... More than a year ago, [Mr. Blanche] was a registered Democrat in New York and a partner at a prestigious law firm on Wall Street.... Others on Mr. Trump’s legal team are also in line to receive top assignments: Emil Bove as principal associate deputy attorney general, and D. John Sauer, who represented Mr. Trump before the Supreme Court in arguing that the former president was entitled to broad immunity, as solicitor general.”

Ben Leonard of Politico: “... Donald Trump has nominated one of his previous attorneys and former GOP House member Doug Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Collins, 58, a staunch Trump supporter and frequent Fox News guest, served in Congress representing a Georgia district from 2013 to 2021. Collins is an Air Force Reserve chaplain and served in Iraq.... Collins helped defend Trump in his first House impeachment over Ukraine aid.”

Maggie Haberman & Jonathan Swan of the New York Times: Donald Trump's “decision [to name Matt Gaetz attorney general] came together over the course of [a] roughly two-hour flight [Wednesday afternoon], according to a person briefed on what happened.... Mr. Gaetz’s name first came up on the flight up to Washington. It came up again on the flight home, after Mr. Trump found all of his various options — including a state attorney general from Missouri and two top corporate lawyers — to be lacking, according to two people briefed on the matter.”

Colby Itkowitz of the Washington Post: “As Donald Trump moves to fill his administration with polarizing figures like former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz and onetime presidential rival Robert F. Kennedy Jr., he may need Congress to heed his demand to allow him to bypass the traditional confirmation process and appoint his picks without Senate approval. [Trump] has insisted that ... the GOP-led Senate should take extended breaks that would allow him to make recess appointments.... If the Senate agreed to adjourn for the purpose of Trump filling his government without congressional input, it would be 'an absolute abdication of their constitutional power,' said Sarah Binder, a political science professor at George Washington University. 'It’s saying, “Look, we are so loyal to President Trump ... that we’re going to choose him over our rights and our responsibilities as senators,’” she said. 'It doesn’t get more stark than that.'...

“[Soon-to-be Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.)] said [while running for leader that] he was open to recess appointments if needed to get Trump’s nominees in place quickly. On Thursday, Thune expressed a preference for using 'the regular process to get these nominees through' and said his 'intention is to get these folks going and get voting.' But he also noted that there are procedures in place for using recess appointments.”

Ryan Nobles, et al., of NBC News: “Republican senators are preparing for a robust vetting of Matt Gaetz, ... Donald Trump's pick to lead the Justice Department, with a keen interest in details from a House Ethics Committee investigation into the former congressman from Florida.... The House Ethics Committee was scheduled to meet Friday, three sources familiar with the meeting told NBC News, and one of those sources said that releasing the Gaetz report was expected to be among the topics on the agenda. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: This is a fake story, allowing GOP senators to posture about their "seriousness" even as they may be planning a series of hearings that Michelle Goldberg (linked below) says would be "a popcorn-worthy carnival of scandal and backbiting."

Will Steakin of ABC News: "The woman who was at the center of a yearslong Justice Department investigation into sex trafficking allegations surrounding Rep. Matt Gaetz testified to the House Ethics Committee that the now-former Florida congressman had sex with her when she was 17 years old, sources familiar with the investigation told ABC News.... Over the course of its investigation, the House Ethics Committee conducted interviews with at least half a dozen women who allegedly attended parties where the Florida congressman was also present, and who were paid by [Joel] Greenberg, Gaetz's one-time close friend, sources told ABC News.... Some witnesses were shown Venmo payments they allegedly received from Gaetz, sources said.... One woman who said she attended a party with ... Gaetz in 2017..., told the committee that a payment from Gaetz was for sex...."

None of This Is Surprising. Katie Hawkinson of the Independent: “Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense, previously faced accusations of sexual misconduct that were investigated by police, according to a report. Trump’s newly-appointed White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles was briefed on Wednesday evening about an allegation that Hegseth engaged in sexual misconduct in Monterey, California seven years ago, according to Vanity Fair. Wiles and Trump’s lawyers spoke to Hegseth after learning about the alleged incident, Vanity Fair added. The Fox News host reportedly said the incident was consensual. 'This allegation was already investigated by the Monterey Police Department and they found no evidence for it,' Hegseth’s attorney told the outlet.”

Michelle Goldberg of the New York Times: “While Trump’s choice of Gaetz to lead the Justice Department is a clear sign that his second administration will be catastrophically chaotic, vengeful and corrupt, that should never have been in doubt. Trump made no secret during his campaign ... [that a]nyone he chose as attorney general would share his interest in turning the justice system into the enforcement arm of the MAGA movement. The selection of Gaetz just rips the mask off. With it, Trump is trolling not just his defeated opponents but many of his craven establishment supporters.... Of all the people Trump was considering for A.G., Gaetz is unique mainly for how much he is hated by other Republicans.... Gaetz is not, by any normal standards, even a tiny bit qualified to be attorney general.... His chief credential is not his mastery of the law but his contempt for it.... The best we can hope for is that our new rulers will be stymied by incompetence, infighting and self-sabotage. In that respect, Gaetz may be just the man for the job.” Emphasis added.

Amanda Marcotte of Salon: “The goal [in Trump's choosing Hegseth, Gaetz & Gabbard] seems to be finding people who are uniquely unfit for these jobs, both to rile up liberals and to flush out any Republicans with remaining loyalties to the concept of responsible governance. But while being handsome and totally unqualified got Hegseth the job, it's unfair to say those are the only things he brings to the table. He also embodies the type of masculinity Trump and the MAGA movement loves: One that desperately wants to appear strong, but reveals itself to be weak and brittle given a moment's investigation. Hegseth is the ultimate in cubic zirconia manhood. Reporting suggests that Trump was especially enamored with Hegseth's skill at whining, and especially about how easily threatened he is by women, people who are different, and any demands that he learn stuff or reckon with new ideas.” (Also linked yesterday.)

Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post: “As was the case during his first term, Trump does not so much assemble a Cabinet as cast a reality show. He wants the members of his team to have a certain look, a certain backstory, a certain persona.... The Senate has a duty to reject nominees who are obviously and dangerously unfit — such as Gaetz, Gabbard, Hegseth and, of course, Kennedy. Trump is daring Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the next majority leader, to defy him. For the sake of the country, Thune needs to call Trump’s bluff.” MB: Fat chance. See Chait. ~~~

~~~ Jonathan Chait, now of the Atlantic: “Old-guard Republicans appear to be in the middle stage of a familiar Trump-era progression. It begins He’d never do it before moving on to We’ll stop him if he tries and finally settling on There was nothing we could have done anyway. As they advance through these stages, they will cede Trump more and more power, which will only vindicate their ultimate fatalism. How could they ever have stood up to somebody so strong?” Thanks to laura h. for the gift link. If it doesn't work here, her link -- posted near the end of yesterday's Comments -- does work.

Here is a gift link from laura h. to Tom Nichols' essay in the Atlantic in which he assails Tulsi Gabbard as being "stunningly unqualified" to be director of national intelligence. "Her appointment would be a threat to the security of the United States," Nichols writes. (Also linked yesterday.) In yesterday's Comments, laura also has given us links to two other, related, Atlantic articles.

Patrick Marley, et al., of the Washington Post: “Two Republican Senate candidates are refusing to concede after losing, and their allies are raising questions about how the election was conducted in a pair of swing states Donald Trump won. In Wisconsin, Eric Hovde said he was considering seeking a recount in his loss to Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin and cast doubt on election patterns that experts called ordinary. In Arizona, Kari Lake has not conceded to Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego, just as she refused to concede when she lost the 2022 race for governor. Her campaign called it 'hard to believe' that Lake lost to Gallego, but Lake appeared to acknowledge she had come up short in a video message released Wednesday night.”

Alex Griffing of Mediaite: “Former Trump White House advisor Steve Bannon told MSNBC’s Ari Melber and 'all you hosts' and producers at the network that they had better 'lawyer up' because Matt Gaetz’s Justice Department would soon be coming for them. [Bannon also named frequenty MSNBC guest Andrew Weissmann.] Bannon made the threat while gleefully addressing his War Room podcast audience on Wednesday after President-elect Donald Trump had officially nominated Rep. Gaetz (R-FL) to be his attorney general.... Bannon made headlines in December of 2023 when he and former Trump Pentagon official Kash Patel threatened MSNBC hosts with revenge in the form of 'prosecutions and accountability.'”

Isaac Stanle-Becker & Ellen Nakashima of the Washington Post: “Some prominent critics of Donald Trump, and those he has vilified as 'deep state' saboteurs, are taking seriously his vow of retribution.... Following the selection of Gaetz to lead the Justice Department, many are watching whether Kash Patel, a Trump loyalist who appended a 'deep state' list to his 2023 book..., lands a senior role at a top agency such as the FBI. People on Patel’s list and other inventories of Trump antagonists have taken precautions ranging from the dramatic to the mundane. They include determining whether they’re eligible for foreign citizenship, examining the possibility of purchasing property abroad and considering whether to move money into overseas banks.... Retribution could include criminal investigations and prosecutions but also less theatrical penalties. Retired government officials could lose their security clearances, often important to private sector work, or confront burdensome tax audits.”

Yes, yes, almost everything is terrible beyond our worst nightmares. But here comes a glimmer: ~~~

~~~ Benjamin Mullin of the New York Times: “The Onion, a satirical publication that skewers newsmakers and current events, said on Thursday that it had won a bankruptcy auction to acquire Infowars, a website founded and operated by the conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. The Onion said that the bid was sanctioned by the families of the victims of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, who in 2022 won a $1.4 billion defamation lawsuit against Mr. Jones and his company, Free Speech Systems. Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit dedicated to ending gun violence that was founded in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shooting, will advertise on a relaunched version of the site under The Onion. The publication plans to reintroduce Infowars in January as a parody of itself, mocking 'weird internet personalities' like Mr. Jones who traffic in misinformation and health supplements, Ben Collins, the chief executive of The Onion’s parent company, Global Tetrahedron, said in an interview.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Anna Merlan of Mother Jones: “On Thursday morning, Jones broadcast a flabbergasted and defiant monologue, calling the news 'insane' saying he wouldn’t go off air until someone came in and forced him out with a court order. 'They’re in the control room,' Jones said on air. 'Imperial Troops are through the glass.' 'It is a distinct honor to be here in defiance of the tyrants,' Jones declared at one point.” Apparently a team from the Onion entered the studio during the broadcast, & an Infowars producer told Jones these people were “shutting it down momentarily.” “Jones then called Steve Bannon on speakerphone, who released a string of audible profanity before Jones cut him off. Bannon implored Jones’ crew to film the supposed raid.” (Also linked yesterday.)

Andrew Jeong of the Washington Post: “An estimated 10.3 million cases of measles occurred worldwide last year, up 20 percent from 2022, primarily because of inadequate immunization coverage, the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. The disease resulted in 107,500 deaths last year, mostly killing children younger than 5, the two agencies said. Although that number was an 8 percent decrease from 2022, the reduction in fatalities was primarily because the increase in cases occurred in countries with better nutritional and health services, the WHO and CDC said. But this concerning trend can be reversed with increased vaccination, they added....

“In 2019, a deadly outbreak hit Samoa.... Health officials have blamed inadequate vaccine coverage. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary nominee widely known for his anti-vaccine views, questioned whether problems with the measles vaccine caused the Samoan outbreak, rather than insufficient vaccine coverage. Kennedy’s own family members have said he is spreading dangerous misinformation about vaccine doses.” MB: Gene Robinson (linked above) wrote, “If his conspiracy-theory distrust of vaccines ever becomes policy, children will die.” Yes, they will.

~~~~~~~~~~

Patrick Kingsley & Ronen Bergman of the New York Times: “On the morning that Hamas raided Israel last year, a top Israeli general called his prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to tell him that hundreds of militants appeared to be preparing to invade. Now, aides to the prime minister are under investigation for altering details about that call in the official record of Mr. Netanyahu’s activities that day, according to four officials.... The investigation is seen as deeply sensitive in Israel, where the question of what Mr. Netanyahu knew in advance of Hamas’s invasion, and when he was told, could prove crucial to his political future.... While Mr. Netanyahu himself is not a subject of a police inquiry, officials in his office are under investigation for trying to bolster his reputation throughout Israel’s war with Hamas by leaking classified military documents, altering official transcripts of his conversations and intimidating people who controlled access to those records.” (Also linked yesterday.) 

The Conversation -- November 14, 2024

Crackpots & Crooks, Ctd. Dan Diamond, et al., of the Washington Post: "... Donald Trump on Thursday selected Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime vaccine skeptic, to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, the sprawling agency responsible for administering millions of Americans' health insurance, approving drugs and medical supplies, regulating food, and responding to infectious-disease outbreaks.... The decision, which public health experts and many Democrats characterized as alarming and unprecedented, means that one of America's most prominent vaccine skeptics could soon oversee an agency responsible for the safety of vaccines."

Yes, almost everything is terrible beyond our worst nightmares. But comes a glimmer: ~~~

~~~ Benjamin Mullin of the New York Times: "The Onion, a satirical publication that skewers newsmakers and current events, said on Thursday that it had won a bankruptcy auction to acquire Infowars, a website founded and operated by the conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. The Onion said that the bid was sanctioned by the families of the victims of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, who in 2022 won a $1.4 billion defamation lawsuit against Mr. Jones and his company, Free Speech Systems. Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit dedicated to ending gun violence that was founded in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shooting, will advertise on a relaunched version of the site under The Onion. The publication plans to reintroduce Infowars in January as a parody of itself, mocking 'weird internet personalities' like Mr. Jones who traffic in misinformation and health supplements, Ben Collins, the chief executive of The Onion's parent company, Global Tetrahedron, said in an interview." ~~~

     ~~~ Anna Merlan of Mother Jones: "On Thursday morning, Jones broadcast a flabbergasted and defiant monologue, calling the news 'insane' saying he wouldn't go off air until someone came in and forced him out with a court order. 'They're in the control room,' Jones said on air. 'Imperial Troops are through the glass.' 'It is a distinct honor to be here in defiance of the tyrants,' Jones declared at one point." Apparently a team from the Onion entered the studio during the broadcast, & an Infowars producer told Jones these people were "shutting it down momentarily." "Jones then called Steve Bannon on speakerphone, who released a string of audible profanity before Jones cut him off. Bannon implored Jones' crew to film the supposed raid."

Amanda Marcotte of Salon: “The goal [in choosing Hegseth, Gaetz & Gabbard] seems to be finding people who are uniquely unfit for these jobs, both to rile up liberals and to flush out any Republicans with remaining loyalties to the concept of responsible governance. But while being handsome and totally unqualified got Hegseth the job, it's unfair to say those are the only things he brings to the table. He also embodies the type of masculinity Trump and the MAGA movement loves: One that desperately wants to appear strong, but reveals itself to be weak and brittle given a moment's investigation. Hegseth is the ultimate in cubic zirconia manhood. Reporting suggests that Trump was especially enamored with Hegseth's skill at whining, and especially about how easily threatened he is by women, people who are different, and any demands that he learn stuff or reckon with new ideas."

Patrick Kingsley & Ronen Bergman of the New York Times: "On the morning that Hamas raided Israel last year, a top Israeli general called his prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to tell him that hundreds of militants appeared to be preparing to invade. Now, aides to the prime minister are under investigation for altering details about that call in the official record of Mr. Netanyahu's activities that day, according to four officials.... The investigation is seen as deeply sensitive in Israel, where the question of what Mr. Netanyahu knew in advance of Hamas's invasion, and when he was told, could prove crucial to his political future.... While Mr. Netanyahu himself is not a subject of a police inquiry, officials in his office are under investigation for trying to bolster his reputation throughout Israel's war with Hamas by leaking classified military documents, altering official transcripts of his conversations and intimidating people who controlled access to those records."

Here is a gift link from laura h. to Tom Nichols' essay in the Atlantic in which he assails Tulsi Gabbard as being "stunningly unqualified" to be director of national intelligence. "Her appointment would be a threat to the security of the United States," Nichols writes. In today's Comments, laura also has give us links to two other, related, Atlantic articles.

~~~~~~~~~~

We are living in a dystopian nation.

Matt Viser & Isaac Arnsdorf of the Washington Post: "President Joe Biden and ... Donald Trump met face-to-face on Wednesday morning in the Oval Office, an extraordinary moment for two men who have repeatedly expressed public disdain for one another as they go through one of the most unusual transfers of power in American history.... For Biden, the meeting meant welcoming and legitimizing a man he has condemned as an authoritarian and an existential threat to American democracy." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Michael Shear of the New York Times: "Politics always involves a measure of performance. And on that score, few moments rival the one on Wednesday morning at the White House, when President Biden and ... Donald J. Trump pretended in public to like and respect each other -- for a total of 29 seconds.... It was a remarkable half minute, followed by a closed-door meeting of the two men, along with their chiefs of staff, that lasted almost two hours.... Following the meeting, Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, said the discussion between the two men had been 'cordial,' 'gracious' and 'substantive.' She said a number of topics had been discussed, including national security and domestic policy. She said Mr. Trump had come with a detailed set of questions for Mr. Biden.... [Mr. Trump later told the New York Post] that 'we got to know each other again' while discussing issues like the war in Ukraine. 'I wanted -- I asked for his views and he gave them to me,' Mr. Trump said, according to The Post. 'Also, we talked very much about the Middle East, likewise. I wanted to know his views on where we are and what he thinks. And he gave them to me, he was very gracious.'"

Everything Bad You Imagined Could Happen Is Beginning to Happen.

All the Best People:

⭐No, This is Not the Onion. This Is Real. Glenn Thrush & Devlin Barrett of the New York Times: "... Donald J. Trump on Wednesday named Representative Matt Gaetz, the firebrand Republican from Florida, as his nominee for attorney general, a provocative move to install a compliant ally at the helm of the Justice Department as he seeks retribution against those who prosecuted him. The pick reflected Mr. Trump's determination to choose as the nation's top law enforcement official a fierce defender who would not resist his directives or question his claims.... If Mr. Gaetz is confirmed by the Senate -- no sure thing given the widespread bipartisan animosity toward him -- his ascension to a powerful cabinet post would represent a remarkable turnabout that mirrors Mr. Trump's own whipsaw political comeback. Mr. Gaetz, 42, was the focus of a three-year federal sex-trafficking investigation that ended in 2023 when the Justice Department under President Biden declined to bring charges. He was the subject of a House Ethics Committee inquiry into his conduct until he resigned from his seat late Wednesday, effectively ending the investigation." an ABC News story is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: No, fellas, this is "what reflects" a short, fat middle finger to the nation, a declaration of lawlessness. ~~~

     ~~~ Olivia Beavers & Jordain Carney of Politico look at the ramifications of Gaetz's resignation from the House: why he suddenly quit, whether or not Gov. Ron DeSantis can name a replacement before January 3, etc. ~~~

     ~~~ Marc Caputo of the Bulwark: "As Trump began formulating the type of individual he wanted atop the DOJ, he was drawn ... to the idea that Gaetz would help him investigate the investigators. 'The hunters have become the hunted,' a Gaetz confidant said. 'This is not your grandfather's party. This is MAGA.'... Sources ... say that Gaetz was among the Trump advisers who advocated for him to pressure those vying to be Senate majority leader into agreeing to allow recess appointments for Trump's picks.... 'Gaetz is a tough son of a bitch. He's my son of a bitch,' Trump recently told a confidant." ~~~

I don't think it's a serious nomination for the attorney general. -- Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) ~~~

     ~~~ Robert Draper, et al., of the New York Times: "The House Ethics Committee, which has been investigating allegations that Representative Matt Gaetz engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, was prepared to vote to release a highly critical report about Mr. Gaetz on Friday, according to a Republican official familiar with the matter. The release would have come two days after ... Donald J. Trump selected Mr. Gaetz to be attorney general. Mr. Gaetz, a Florida Republican, abruptly resigned from his House seat late Wednesday, effectively ending the ethics investigation that has hung over his head for years. Mr. Gaetz, the official said, had repeatedly offered combative replies to questions posed by the committee, effectively delaying the fact-finding process for months. The publication of the committee's findings was additionally delayed, the official said, because of a House rule that forbids releasing a negative report close to an election.... Now, with Mr. Gaetz's departure from Congress, the committee no longer has jurisdiction to investigate him. It was not immediately clear whether it would still release its findings." ~~~

     ~~~ Ryan Reilly, et al., of NBC News: "... Donald Trump's choice of Matt Gaetz ... to be the next attorney general of the United States sent shock waves through the Justice Department on Wednesday. 'OMG,' a current senior Justice Department official said. A second department official called the selection 'truly stunning,' and a third labeled it 'insane.'... 'What the f--- is happening?!' asked a senior Justice Department official.... Said another former senior Justice Department official: 'He is the least qualified person ever nominated for a position in the Department of Justice.'... Within ... Justice Department headquarters .... on Wednesday, the mood was somber, as some employees sat and processed what impact Gaetz might have on the institution, which has operated under a set of post-Watergate norms designed to prevent political bias from affecting criminal investigations....

"On the night of Jan. 6, after the mob had been cleared from the building, Gaetz spread the conspiracy theory on the House floor that the attack had actually been orchestrated by the left-leaning group antifa. In the years after the attack, he spread conspiracy theories about Ray Epps, a Trump supporter and Jan. 6 defendant who was falsely portrayed as a government agent, as well as about the pipe bombs that were left outside the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee on the eve of the attack."

Karoon Demirjian of the New York Times: "Senate Republicans reacted with alarm and dismay to ... Donald J. Trump's decision to nominate Representative Matt Gaetz, Republican of Florida, for attorney general, and several said they were skeptical that he would be able to secure enough votes for confirmation. 'He's got his work really cut out for him,' Senator Joni Ernst, Republican of Iowa, said, chuckling as she spoke.... 'I was shocked by the announcement -- that shows why the advice and consent process is so important,' said Senator Susan Collins, a Maine Republican.... 'I'm sure that there will be a lot of questions raised at his hearing.'... Mr. Gaetz, who was just re-elected to a fifth term, remains under ethics investigation for his conduct, which includes allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use; sharing inappropriate images or videos on the House floor; misusing state identification records; converting campaign funds to personal use; and accepting impermissible gifts under House rules. Mr. Gaetz has denied the allegations as political payback and said they are built on lies." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Yes, Susan Collins has amped up her usual "concern" to "shock." However, as Marc Caputo of the Bulwark notes in the piece linked above: "But in the Trump era, immediate shock and awe often has a way of morphing into awkwardly-rationalized acceptance by Republicans."

Demanding Senate Republicans back Gaetz as attorney general and Hegseth as Defense Secretary is the 2024 version of forcing Sean Spicer to say it was the largest inauguration crowd ever. These aren't just appointments. They're loyalty tests. The absurdity is the point. -- Ezra Klein of the New York Times, in a tweet ~~~

     ~~~ Ian Millhiser of Vox: "Gaetz is a reckless pick, even by Trump standards.... Gaetz would have enormous authority over who is prosecuted, who is allowed to get away with committing federal crimes, and who might be targeted for politically motivated prosecutions in an authoritarian administration. Trump has repeatedly promised 'retribution' against his Democratic rivals. And his fellow Republicans on the Supreme Court ruled last July that he can order the Justice Department to bring politically motivated prosecutions without consequence." ~~~

     ~~~ Andrew Solender, et al., of Axios: "Republican reaction to even Trump's most controversial nominations has been muted so far, but placing the scandal-prone right-winger in the nation's highest law enforcement role is a step too far for many.... Trump's announcement was met with audible gasps by House Republicans during a conference meeting on Wednesday afternoon, multiple sources in the room told Axios. One House Republican in the meeting described the conference's response as 'stunned and disgusted.'... 'We wanted him out of the House ... this isn't what we were thinking,' quipped one House Republican.... 'Gaetz has a better shot at having dinner with Queen Elizabeth II than being confirmed by the senate,' said Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio), referring to the British monarch who died in 2022." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I see some contributors picked up on Gaetz's appointment last night when I was watching something on PBS & pretending all was right with the world. See the comments at the end of yesterday's thread.

Kelsey Walsh of ABC News: "Tulsi Gabbard -- a military veteran and honorary co-chair of ... Donald Trump's transition team -- has been chosen by Trump to be his director of national intelligence. Gabbard left the Democratic Party in 2022 after representing Hawaii in Congress for eight years and running for the party's 2020 presidential nomination. She was seen as an unusual ally with the Trump campaign, emerging as an adviser during his prep for his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, who Gabbard had debated in 2020 Democratic primaries." MB: What with the tight House majority, Marjorie Taylor Greene was not available. ~~~

     ~~~ Dan De Luce of NBC News: "... Donald Trump's pick for director of national intelligence, former Democratic lawmaker Tulsi Gabbard, has been accused of amplifying Russian propaganda and would come to the job having never worked in the intelligence world or served on a congressional intelligence committee. Gabbard ... has long criticized U.S. foreign policy as imperial and heavy-handed. She also has sharply criticized Trump in the past over his approach to the Middle East during his first presidential term, portraying him as dangerous.... In her public statements, Gabbard has often been at odds with the U.S. intelligence community's assessments.... Outraged lawmakers accused Gabbard two years ago of echoing Russian propaganda after Gabbard posted a video on social media asserting 'the undeniable fact' of purported bio labs funded by the U.S. across Ukraine. Ukraine's government, the U.S. government, news organizations and independent researchers have all said there is no evidence for the claim, which originated from Moscow. Then-Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., said Gabbard had embraced 'actual Russian propaganda' and called it 'traitorous.' Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said Gabbard was 'parroting fake Russian propaganda.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Isaac Arnsdorf & Josh Dawsey of the Washington Post: "Trump's decision to choose Gabbard, Gaetz and Hegseth stunned senators and some of his own advisers, setting up multiple uphill confirmation battles that will test the incoming president's political clout in the Senate, where his party is expected to hold 53 seats.... The president-elect conveyed his expectation for unchallenged command by insisting the next Senate majority leader agree to fast-track his nominees through recess appointments, which would allow his picks to bypass the usual Senate hearings and vote -- a path that might await Gaetz." ~~~

     ~~~ Matthew Chapman of the Raw Story: "Anti-Trump conservative and former Naval War College professor Tom Nichols urged the Senate to reject Donald Trump's pick of former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence in a scathing article for The Atlantic. Gabbard ... has no qualification for the role, he warned -- and has radical anti-American views that would completely undermine the intelligence community. 'Gabbard is stunningly unqualified for almost any Cabinet post ... but especially for ODNI,' wrote Nichols. 'She has no qualifications as an intelligence professional -- literally none.... She has no significant experience directing or managing much of anything.'"

Matt Shuham of the Huffington Post: "The Fox News host who ... Donald Trump just announced would be his nominee for secretary of defense was not allowed to work security at President Joe Biden's 2021 inauguration, supposedly because of a tattoo that military higher-ups believed might have been an extremist symbol. According to Pete Hegseth, the 'Fox & Friends Weekend' host and potential future defense secretary, the tattoo was a large Jerusalem cross on his chest. The Jerusalem cross originated with the Christian Crusades nearly a millennium ago. These days, it can be a simple marker of Christian beliefs ― or, in some settings, a symbol for the conquest and domination of Muslims or non-white minorities." Hegseth was a member of a National Guard unit in Washington, D.C. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Curious? Here are shots of Hegseth's naked torso. Scroll down the page a bit.

Catie Edmondson of the New York Times: "... Donald J. Trump addressed jubilant House Republicans on Wednesday morning, delivering triumphant remarks centered around his own electoral victory and drawing laughter when he hinted that they could pave the way for him to serve a third term in office.... 'I suspect I won't be running again unless you say, "He's so good we've got to figure something else out."' (The Constitution limits presidents to two terms, though Mr. Trump has mused before about circumventing that restriction.)" MB: Trump is not "drawing my laughter." If he isn't comatose in January 2029, he will not voluntarily leave the White House. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: In the selection of Gaetz as attorney general, you see a new & stunning example of why Trump is not "drawing my laughter."

Rhian Lubin of the Independent: "Melania Trump is likely to spend most of her time away from the White House as first lady -- but she is still 'a constant voice' in her husband's ear. Instead, Melania will spend most of her time between New York City, where 18-year-old Barron is studying at NYU, and Palm Beach, Florida, sources familiar with her plans told CNN.... On Wednesday she snubbed tea with Jill Biden while the president-elect and President Joe Biden met in the Oval Office to discuss the transition schedule." (The CNN story is firewalled.) MB: So I guess this means she'll be farming out the Christmas-decorating chores. What a shame. (Also linked yesterday.)

Alanna Richer of the AP: "Special counsel Jack Smith asked a court Wednesday to pause prosecutors' appeal seeking to revive the classified documents case against ... Donald Trump in light of the Republican's presidential victory.... Prosecutors asked the 11th Circuit in a court filing Wednesday to pause the appeal to 'afford the Government time to assess this unprecedented circumstance and determine the appropriate course going forward consistent with Department of Justice policy.' Smith's team said it would 'inform the Court of the result of its deliberations' no later than Dec. 2.'" ~~~

~~~ Devlin Barrett & Glenn Thrush of the New York Times: "Jack Smith, the special counsel who pursued two federal prosecutions of Donald J. Trump, plans to finish his work and resign along with other members of his team before Mr. Trump takes office in January, people familiar with his plans said. Mr. Smith's goal, they said, is to not leave any significant part of his work for others to complete and to get ahead of the president-elect's promise to fire him within 'two seconds' of being sworn in.... Department regulations call for him to file a report summarizing his investigation and decisions -- a document that may stand as the final accounting from a prosecutor who filed extensive charges against a former president but never got his cases to trial." An NBC News story is here. (Also linked yesterday.)

Jeff Stein, et al., of the Washington Post: "... Donald Trump's aides are readying unconventional strategies to implement at least some recommendations from a new government spending commission with or without congressional approval, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.... Although changes to government spending typically require an act of Congress, Trump aides are exploring plans to challenge a 1974 budget law in a way that would give the White House the power to unilaterally adopt the Musk[-Ramaswamy] commission's proposals, one of the people said. It is unclear if Trump will ask Congress to approve changes to the budget law or first appeal to the courts to do so.... Ramaswamy, a former pharmaceutical executive who has said he would 'stop funding agencies that waste money' and don't operate on meritocratic principles, has publicly called on Congress to repeal the law and has suggested workarounds if it is not repealed." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: "Readying unconventional strategies" is a turn of phrase the journalists use here to whitewash reality: "planning to flout the law."

The AP has caught up with the Hill's prediction: ~~~

⭐~~~ Stephen Groves & Lisa Mascaro of the AP: "Republicans have won enough seats to control the U.S. House, completing the party's sweep into power and securing their hold on U.S. government alongside ... Donald Trump. A House Republican victory in Arizona, alongside a win in slow-counting California earlier Wednesday, gave the GOP the 218 House victories that make up the majority. Republicans earlier gained control of the Senate from Democrats. With hard-fought yet thin majorities, Republican leaders are envisioning a mandate to upend the federal government and swiftly implement Trump's vision for the country.... When he returns to the White House, Trump will be working with a Republican Party that has been completely transformed by his 'Make America Great Again' movement and a Supreme Court dominated by conservative justices, including three that he appointed." Ditto the NBC News projection, which is here. ~~~

~~~ No Price for Failure. Annie Karni of the New York Times: "For almost two years, House Republicans have barely been able to overcome their own intraparty feuding to keep the government functioning. But despite it all, they emerged on Wednesday night, when The Associated Press declared that Republicans had effectively won control of the House, with a wafer-thin majority almost identical to the one they have now. The apparent success of their battle to keep control of the House of Representatives suggests that they paid little political price for the chaos and dysfunction they presided over, a period when Congress struggled to carry out even the basics of governing. And it suggests that members of both parties overestimated how much voters would judge them by their job performance."

Annie Karni of the New York Times: "When ... Donald J. Trump met with House Republicans on Wednesday morning, he suggested he might need their help to try to circumvent the Constitution and run for a third term in the future.... Representative Dan Goldman of New York [D] plans on Thursday to introduce a resolution clarifying that the Constitution's two-term limit for presidents applies even if the terms are not consecutive. It asserts that the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, which states that a person who has been elected president twice cannot run again, 'applies to two terms in the aggregate' and leaves no loophole.... There is little chance that Speaker Mike Johnson, Republican of Louisiana, would bring such a resolution to the floor for a vote."

Alice Herman of the Guardian: "A bill that would have allowed the government to strip tax-exempt status from any non-profit it deemed to be supporting 'terrorism' was narrowly blocked in the House of Representatives on Tuesday evening. The bill was widely feared as a tool that Donald Trump could use to punish dissent, and critics argued the measure could have disproportionately targeted groups that criticize Israel and support Palestinian causes -- and that it was designed to do just that. The vote failed with 145 votes against it, falling short of the two-thirds required to circumvent regular House rules. Fifty-two Democrats voted in support of the bill. The bill, called Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act, or HR 9495, joined two measures together -- one allowing the treasury department to withhold tax-exempt status from any non-profit it decides is a 'terrorist-supporting organization' and another, less controversial measure, which would offer tax relief to Americans imprisoned unjustly abroad or held by terrorist groups."

Liz Goodwin, et al., of the Washington Post: "Senate Republicans chose Sen. John Thune of South Dakota to be their new leader, rejecting an outside pressure campaign from Donald Trump's allies to break with the establishment in the secret-ballot election, according to two people familiar with the vote. Thune, a close ally of retiring leader Mitch McConnell (Kentucky), has been critical of Trump in the past but has worked to repair that relationship in recent months. He reassured senators in a closed-door meeting that he would work hand in glove with the new administration and would not butt heads with Trump even on issues such as continuing U.S. aid for Ukraine, which Trump opposes, senators said.... Trump himself avoided weighing in on the race directly so far, despite his allies going all in on Scott." The NBC News story is here. (Also linked yesterday.)

Mark Levy of the AP: "The U.S. Senate election in Pennsylvania between Democratic incumbent Sen. Bob Casey and Republican David McCormick is headed for a statewide recount, as counties continued Wednesday to sort through outstanding ballots and the campaigns jousted over which ones should count. The Associated Press called the race for McCormick last week, concluding that not enough ballots remained to be counted in areas Casey was winning for him to take the lead. A noon deadline passed Wednesday for Casey to waive his right to a statewide recount and Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro's top election official, Secretary of State Al Schmidt, a Republican, announced that preliminary results had triggered a legally required statewide recount. As of Wednesday, McCormick led by about 28,000 votes out of more than 6.9 million ballots counted -- inside the 0.5% margin threshold to trigger an automatic statewide recount under Pennsylvania law."

Adam Goldman & Seamus Hughes of the New York Times: "A C.I.A. official has been charged with disclosing classified documents that appeared to show Israel's plans to retaliate against Iran for a missile attack earlier this year, according to court documents and people familiar with the matter. The official, Asif W. Rahman, was indicted last week in federal court in Virginia with two counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense information. He was arrested by the F.B.I. on Tuesday in Cambodia and brought to federal court in Guam to face charges." (Also linked yesterday.)

Shia Kapos of Politico: "Two blue state governors are behind a new organization working to fend off efforts to dismantle or undermine state government agencies, elections and state courts. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis will lead the Governors Safeguarding Democracy initiative in response to Donald Trump's reelection -- though they didn't mention him by name as they announced the effort. 'What we're doing is pushing back against increasing threats of autocracy and fortifying the institutions of democracy that our country and our states depend upon,' Pritzker said in a press briefing."

Guardian: "We wanted to let readers know that we will no longer post on any official Guardian editorial accounts on the social media site X.... We think that the benefits of being on X are now outweighed by the negatives and that resources could be better used promoting our journalism elsewhere. This is something we have been considering for a while given the often disturbing content promoted or found on the platform, including far-right conspiracy theories and racism. The US presidential election campaign served only to underline what we have considered for a long time: that X is a toxic media platform and that its owner, Elon Musk, has been able to use its influence to shape political discourse. X users will still be able to share our articles, and the nature of live news reporting means we will still occasionally embed content from X within our article pages." (Also linked yesterday.)

Clay Risen of the New York Times: "Theodore B. Olson, a leading Supreme Court litigator who built a sturdy reputation as a conservative power lawyer during the 1980s and '90s, and then surprised colleagues and foes alike when he took up traditionally liberal causes like gay marriage and the children of undocumented immigrants, died on Wednesday in Fairfax, Va. He was 84."

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Israel/Palestine, et al.

Marie: Several weeks back, Akhilleus & I agreed that Bibi was holding back on agreeing to the Biden administration's months of efforts to end the war(s) in order to affect the outcome of the U.S. presidential election. I'll admit our discussion smacked a bit of daffy conspiracy theory. But no, it's daffy only if it's false. ~~~

~~~ Friends Like This. Look What Country Interfered in the U.S. Presidential Election. Shira Rubin, et al., of the Washington Post: "A close aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Donald Trump and Jared Kushner this week that Israel is rushing to advance a cease-fire deal in Lebanon, according to three current and former Israeli officials briefed on the meeting, with the aim of delivering an early foreign policy win to the president-elect.... 'There is an understanding that Israel would gift something to Trump ... that in January there will be an understanding about Lebanon,' an Israeli official said.... Ron Dermer, Netanyahu's minister of strategic affairs, made Mar-a-Lago the first stop on his U.S. tour Sunday before traveling to the White House to update Biden administration officials on the state of Lebanon talks, a sign of how swiftly America's political center of gravity has shifted after Trump's electoral victory."