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Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., an ardent supporter of Israel, said that he looks forward to voting to confirm Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.

In a post on X, the senator accused the international body of persistently peddling “rank, pervasive antisemitism.”

A UN special committee report claimed that “the policies and practices of Israel during the reporting period are consistent with the characteristics of genocide.”

Fetterman spurned the report.

SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN PROCLAIMS UNFLINCHING SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL: ‘WILL NOT WAVER’

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., speaks during a rally to kick off the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris, Democratic nominee for president, and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pa., on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

“What’s actually consistent is UN’s rank, pervasive antisemitism. I reject this report in its entirety. I look forward to voting for @RepStefanik to continue a strong and unapologetic pro-Israel position,” he tweeted.

President-elect Trump announced Stefanik as his pick for the role last week.

“She will be an incredible Ambassador to the United Nations, delivering Peace through Strength and America First National Security policies!” Trump said in a statement.

FETTERMAN SAYS DEMS SHOULDN’T ‘FREAK OUT’ OVER EVERYTHING TRUMP DOES: ‘IT’S GOING TO BE 4 YEARS’

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., during a campaign event with Vice President Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota and Democratic vice-presidential nominee, not pictured, in Philadelphia, Pa., on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024.  (Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Fetterman also called Trump’s selection of Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., for Secretary of State “a strong choice,” noting that he looks forward to voting to confirm Rubio – another strong supporter of Israel – to serve in the role.

Fetterman has been vocal about his staunch support for Israel in the wake of the heinous Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attack against the U.S. ally.

FETTERMAN HAILS RUBIO AS ‘STRONG CHOICE’ FOR SECRETARY OF STATE, SAYS HE WILL VOTE TO CONFIRM HIM

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., reacts to a question from members of the media on March 22, 2024 in Washington, D.C.  (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

“My vote and my voice for Israel will not waver,” he declared in a post on X earlier this year.

Republicans hold a slim majority in the House of Representatives, though the size of that narrow margin will not be known until the final five undecided races are called.

The five House races that remain uncalled as of Monday morning are in Alaska, California, Iowa and Ohio. The balance of power currently sits at 218 seats for Republicans, and 212 for the Democrats.

Alaska

At-large district

Democratic incumbent Rep. Mary Sattler Peltola is in a tight race in Alaska’s at-large congressional district, where she is trailing Republican entrepreneur Nick Begich.

As of Monday morning, Begich holds a nearly 3-point lead at 48.7% of the vote compared to Peltola’s 46.1%. The vote count sits at 155,120 to 146,782 with roughly 98% of the vote counted.

WHAT TRUMP’S TRIFECTA IN HIS FIRST ADMINISTRATION ACCOMPLISHED, AND WHERE THEY FAILED: FLASHBACK

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., will preside with a slim Republican majority. (Allison Robbert/Pool via AP, File)

California

13th Congressional District

Republican Rep. John Duarte is leading former Democratic state assembly member Adam Gray in California’s 13th Congressional District, but the highly contested race remains uncalled as of Monday morning.

Roughly 86% of the vote has been counted, and Duarte holds a 50.6% to 49.4% lead. The pair is separated by just over 2,000 votes.

45th Congressional District

Democratic challenger Derek Tran has taken the lead over Republican incumbent Rep. Michelle Steel in the 45th District. Steel had been in the lead by a few hundred votes late last week, but Tran now has a razor-thin 36-vote lead.

President-elect Trump will begin his second term with control of both the House and the Senate. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

Roughly 94% of the vote has been counted for the district.

Iowa

1st Congressional District

Republican incumbent Rep. Mariannet Miller-Meeks holds a less than 1% lead over challenger Christina Bohannan with 99% of the vote counted. Miller-Meeks’ lead sits at just under 1,000 votes.

DEMOCRATS PRIVATELY GRIPE ABOUT PELOSI’S ‘DAMAGING’ POST-ELECTION COMMENTS: ‘SHE NEEDS TO TAKE A SEAT’

Bohannan has requested a recount in her bid to unseat Miller-Meeks. The Associated Press has not yet called the race because the margin was close enough that it could prompt a recount. Miller-Meeks has declared victory and said she was confident in her lead.

Ohio

9th Congressional District

Democratic incumbent Marcy Kaptur leads her Republican challenger, Derek Merrin, by less than 1 point with 99% of the votes counted. Kaptur’s lead sits at just over 1,000 votes as of Monday morning.

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Races with a margin of 0.5% or less trigger an automatic recount in Ohio.

Fox News’ Anders Hagstrom, Chris Pandolfo and Jasmine Baehr and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Republicans are already making big plans for the 119th Congress, many of which center on using a legislative maneuver called reconciliation. 

GOP leaders have suggested they are planning a mammoth-sized bill to implement President-elect Trump’s tax policies, lower the federal deficit and enact conservative policies early next year.

Reconciliation is a way to fast-track legislation on issues like taxes, the debt limit and federal spending by bypassing the Senate’s 60-vote threshold for passage, instead lowering it to a simple 51-vote majority.

Republicans also accuse Democrats of pushing the boundaries of what’s acceptable in a reconciliation bill, and have signaled they may take a similar path in pushing for stricter border security measures while loosening restrictions on American energy production.

MIKE JOHNSON WINS REPUBLICAN SUPPORT TO BE HOUSE SPEAKER AGAIN AFTER TRUMP ENDORSEMENT

Congress is set to grapple with a large fiscal policy bill next year. (Getty Images)

“Though there are Senate rules limiting what we can fit in budget reconciliation, I want us to be bold and creative so we can include as many reforms in this package as possible,” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., wrote to House Republicans earlier this month.

“Democrats expanded what is traditionally allowed in reconciliation, and we intend to do the same. Now is the time to go big to advance conservative policies that will make our country prosperous and secure again.”

Generally, reconciliation is only used once per year, and lawmakers usually reserve it for instances where they hold both houses of Congress. 

MATT GAETZ FACES GOP SENATE OPPOSITION AFTER TRUMP SELECTION FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL

In recent history, most reconciliation bills have been started in the House of Representatives, where the Constitution dictates tax policy must originate. 

House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, whose committee will be at the forefront of crafting the reconciliation bill, told Fox News Digital he is already working with House GOP leaders and his Senate counterparts on the legislation.

“We’re going to push the outer limits to include as much pro-growth strategy as we can. One of those would be regulatory reform,” Arrington said. “Another one will be border security and immigration reform.”

House Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington’s panel will be at the forefront of reconciliation bill talks. (Getty Images)

The third goal Arrington raised was “to unravel the chokehold on domestic energy production.”

“We have H.R. 2, and then we have H.R. 1, the two big legislative priorities for our conference – secure the border and unleash American energy,” he said.

“I think the things in there that can be included in reconciliation and pass the Byrd rule. We’re going to be aggressively advancing those policies.”

The “Byrd rule” refers to the Senate parliamentarian weighing a reconciliation bill for what measures are relevant to budgetary and tax policy, and what must be removed.

Democrats wanted to use reconciliation in 2021 to pass progressive immigration policies that would have included granting citizenship to millions of people, including those brought to the U.S. illegally as children.

REPUBLICANS PROJECTED TO KEEP CONTROL OF HOUSE AS TRUMP PREPARES TO IMPLEMENT AGENDA

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise also signaled big plans for reconciliation. (Reuters/Mike Segar)

They also attempted to include a federal $15 minimum wage in a reconciliation bill – a charge led by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.

But the parliamentarian ruled against both of those proposals.

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It remains to be seen what Republicans will be able to include in their bill next year.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do, a lot of restoration to do on the fiscal side,” Arrington said. “It’s part pro-growth strategies, and the other is part bending the curve on spending, and especially focused on mandatory spending. And I think there are a lot of straightforward ways to do it, common sense things that the American people from both sides of the political aisle will say are long overdue.”

President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for chairman of the Federal Communications Commission said early Monday morning that the agency’s focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) will end next year.

Brendan Carr, who currently serves as the senior Republican member of the FCC, posted a snippet of the agency’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2025 on X, which stated that its second-highest strategic goal is promoting DEI.

“The FCC’s most recent budget request said that promoting DEI was the agency’s second highest [sic] strategic goal. Starting next year, the FCC will end its promotion of DEI,” Carr wrote.

The only strategic goal listed before promoting DEI was pursuing a 100% broadband policy.

TRUMP TAPS FCC MEMBER BRENDAN CARR TO LEAD AGENCY: ‘WARRIOR FOR FREE SPEECH’

Brendan Carr, current senior Republican member of the FCC and President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for FCC chairman, said the agency will stop promoting DEI in 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

The agency said in part that it wanted to “gain a deeper understanding of how [its] rules, policies, and programs may promote or inhibit advances in diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.”

The goal would be reached by pursuing “focused action and investments” to eliminate any barriers that “perpetuate disadvantaged or underserved individuals and communities,” the FCC’s FY2025 budget said.

“In addition, the FCC recognizes that it is more effective when its workforce reflects the experience, judgment, and input of individuals from many different backgrounds,” the section concluded. “Advancing equity is core to the agency’s management and policymaking processes and will benefit all Americans.”

BIDEN-HARRIS ADMIN PUSHED MORE THAN 500 ‘DEI ACTIONS’ ACROSS GOVERNMENT, REPORT FINDS

The four goals listed after promoting DEI were, empower consumers, enhance public safety and national security, advance America’s global competitiveness and foster operational excellence.

In its budget request for Fiscal Year 2025, the FCC listed its second-highest strategic goal as promoting DEI. (REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo)

Carr followed up his initial post with a GIF captioned: “When it comes to the FCC’s promotion of DEI, I have just one thing to say: Afuera (get out)!” 

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Trump announced Carr as his choice for FCC chairman on Sunday, describing him as a “warrior for free speech” and someone who will “ensure that the FCC delivers for rural America.”

President-elect Trump commended Brendan Carr’s “great work” in a statement announcing him for FCC chairman on Sunday evening. (Getty Images)

Carr, who was initially appointed to the commission in 2017 under Trump’s first term and continued working for the agency under President Biden, has been confirmed unanimously by the Senate three times.

The Pentagon is bracing for sweeping policy changes under the incoming Trump administration, and some high-level officers could find their careers on the chopping block. 

President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host and veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, to lead the Defense Department – an iconoclast whose pick roiled the defense industrial base.

With Hegseth, the Trump administration is expected to undo diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) accommodations and training within the military. 

“If you want to have a sex change or a social justice seminar, then you can do it somewhere else, but you’re not going to do it in the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, Space Force or the United States Marines. Sorry,” Trump said at an Aug. 21 rally in Asheboro, North Carolina. 

“The military brass that led these absurd and insulting initiatives will likewise be removed, and they will no longer be in command. They’re going to be gone, gone so fast.”

TRUMP NOMINATES PETE HEGSETH TO SERVE AS DEFENSE SECRETARY

The Pentagon is bracing for sweeping policy changes under the incoming Trump administration, and some high-level officers could find their careers on the chopping block. (Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images)

‘Cleaning house’ of career DoD officials

Longtime generals and high-level officers at the Pentagon could find their jobs under threat – even those who don’t typically qualify as political appointees.

“Well, first of all, you got to fire, you know, you got to fire the chairman of the Joint Chiefs,” Hegseth said on the “Shawn Ryan Show” podcast last week. 

“Any general that was involved – general, admiral, whatever – that was involved in any of the DEI woke s**t, it’s got to go,” he added. 

Hegseth also wrote in his recent book, “The War on Warriors”: “Our generals are not ready for this moment in history. Not even close. The next President of the United States needs to radically overhaul Pentagon senior leadership to make us ready to defend our nation and defeat our enemies. Lots of people need to be fired.”

“At the Pentagon, you can fire generals. Unlike, say, the CIA or the Department of Justice, where it’s hard to fire senior officials, because they’re protected,” said former Rep. Chris Stewart, who has been consulting the transition team on Department of Defense matters. 

The transition team is considering a draft executive order that establishes a “warrior board” of retired senior military personnel who would have the power to review three- and four-star officers and recommend removal of any who are unfit for leadership, the Wall Street Journal first reported. 

TRUMP’S PICKS SO FAR: HERE’S WHO WILL BE ADVISING THE NEW PRESIDENT

Host Pete Hegseth during “FOX & Friends” at Fox News Channel Studios on May 27, 2022, in New York City.  (Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)

Transgender ban

Trump may quickly score favor with social conservatives and defense hawks by rolling back an executive order President Joe Biden signed that lifted a ban on transgender people from serving in the military. 

Transgender people were allowed to begin openly serving in the military in 2016 under an executive order of the Obama administration. But in 2017, Trump announced he would reimpose that ban. 

“Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail,” Trump said in a social media post at the time. 

Trump’s ban ordered the discharge of anyone diagnosed with gender dysphoria, and prompted a flurry of lawsuits. 

Soldiers in camouflage uniforms aiming their rifles ready to fire during military night operation. (iStock)

Abortion travel 

The Trump Pentagon is also expected to roll back a Biden-era policy allowing troops to obtain leave and reimbursement if they need to leave the state where they are stationed to seek an abortion. 

The policy is rarely ever taken advantage of – the Department of Defense found that only 12 people used it over the course of six months from August to December 2023. 

Conservatives have pushed to block the policy since Biden adopted it after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. 

DEI provisions 

The Pentagon requested funding to the tune of $114 million for DEI initiatives in 2024. That money was to be used for “programs and initiatives aimed at furthering DEIA, and incorporating DEIA values, objectives, and considerations in how we do business and execute our missions.” Expect a major undoing of diversity initiatives. 

“DEI amplifies differences, creates grievances, and excludes anyone who won’t bow down to the cultural Marxist revolution ripping through the Pentagon. Forget DEI — the acronym should be DIE or IED. It will kill our military worse than any IED ever could,” Hegseth wrote in Chapter 8.

“The Left isn’t just interested in purging Trump supporters. Their ideology is based on marginalizing whatever’s normal, because they think ‘normal’ is always oppressive. By their logic, the military runs on the most normal and most oppressive thing of all: strong men. Just being a guy who hits the gym means you’re oppressing everyone around you,” he wrote. 

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“A big reason for fewer training accidents is – less training. More time than ever is being spent on social justice PowerPoint moralizing – and meeting those metrics in today’s military is the most important standard to meet,” he wrote. “Every unit knows that social justice, trans, gender, woke training is the top priority. Not doing this training, or not doing it properly, will get a commander or junior leader fired. Not doing real field training becomes secondary.”

President-elect Trump announced on Sunday that he has picked Brendan Carr to serve as Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) starting in January.

Carr, who is currently the senior Republican member of the FCC, was first nominated to the commission by Trump in 2017. In a statement released on Sunday night, Trump commended Carr and noted that he had “been confirmed unanimously by the United States Senate three times.”

“His current term runs through 2029 and, because of his great work, I will now be designating him as permanent Chairman,” Trump wrote.

The Republican leader went on to call Carr “a warrior for Free Speech” who has “fought against the regulatory Lawfare that has stifled Americans’ Freedoms, and held back our Economy.”

TRUMP APPOINTS TULSI GABBARD AS DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: ‘FEARLESS SPIRIT’

Trump commended Brendan Carr’s “great work” in a statement on Sunday evening. (Getty Images)

“He will end the regulatory onslaught that has been crippling America’s Job Creators and Innovators, and ensure that the FCC delivers for rural America,” Trump added.

“Congratulations to Chairman Brendan Carr on a job well done,” the president-elect’s statement concluded. “Lead us into a great future, Brendan!”

In an X post on Sunday, Carr thanked Trump and wrote that he is “humbled and honored to serve as Chairman of the FCC.”

Carr recently made national headlines after he ripped the “Saturday Night Live” cast for platforming Kamala Harris as a guest without inviting Trump, which violates FCC rules.

HERE ARE THE MOST TALKED-ABOUT CANDIDATES FOR TOP POSTS IN TRUMP’S ADMINISTRATION

Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission Brendan Carr speaks during the 2024 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland, United States on February 24, 2024. (Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“NBC has structured this in a way that’s plainly designed to evade the FCC’s rules,” the official said shortly after the episode aired. “We’re talking 50 hours before Election Day starts, without any notice to other candidates, as far as I can tell.”

Carr later told Fox News Digital that the Harris appearance “[made] clear that [“SNL”] wanted to weigh-in in favor of one candidate before the election.”

“That’s exactly why, for decades, we’ve had an equal time rule on the book, is to prevent that,” the Republican explained. “Because remember, broadcasters are placed in a special position of trust. They’re not just like any other person with a soapbox on the corner. They have a license from the federal government that obligates them to operate in the public interest.”

Brendan Carr, commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), speaks during a Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, June 24, 2020. (Alex Wong/Getty Images/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Earlier in November, the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) urged Trump to appoint Carr as the next FCC chairman, calling him a “great partner to the men and women in law enforcement.”

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“Commissioner Carr has more than 20 years of private and public sector expertise in communications and technology policy as well as a deep institutional knowledge of the FCC,” Patrick Yoes, national president of the FOP, wrote in a letter. “He would make an outstanding FCC Chairman who will ensure the United States continues to lead the world in telecommunications advancements and innovations.”

Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton and Eric Revell contributed to this report.

A new report revealed Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign paid more than double what was previously reported for the Oprah Winfrey town hall event.

FEC filings, first reported by the Washington Examiner, show the Harris campaign made two $500,000 payments to Winfrey’s Harpo Productions on Oct. 15, a month after Winfrey’s town hall with Harris and weeks before the pair appeared at a Harris Philadelphia rally. Now, two sources have told The New York Times the full price of the event with Winfrey was closer to $2.5 million.

Harris’ campaign spent $1.5 billion, or $100 million per week during her 15-week presidential run, according to the Times. Democrat donors say they are still being bombarded with requests, and the Democratic Party is reportedly $20 million in debt from the failed campaign. 

Some of the reported spending included nearly $9,000 in ice cream from high-end shops like Sweet Lucy’s Ice Cream and Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE CRITICIZES HARRIS CAMPAIGN FOR PAYING MASSIVE SUMS TO OPRAH WINFREY, OTHER CELEBS

VP Kamala Harris (L) joins Oprah Winfrey at a ‘Unite for America’ live streaming rally in Farmington Hills, Michigan, on September 19, 2024. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

Harris’ campaign reportedly used almost $15,000 on food delivery services such as Uber Eats and DoorDash from July through the end of the race in early November, the Times reported.

HARRIS PAID OPRAH $1 MILLION IN FAILED BID TO HELP CAMPAIGN: REPORT

Oprah Winfrey hugs Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris during a campaign rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on November 4, 2024.  (REUTERS/Rachel Wisniewski)

During a two-week period in October, Harris’ campaign reportedly spent $2.6 million on travel aboard private jets. 

The campaign also spent $900,000 to reserve ad space on Las Vegas’ Sphere in the final week of the election, although she still lost Nevada by three points.

The bulk of the extravagant spending reportedly went to celebrity appearances and performances and influencer partnerships meant to boost campaign events. 

TIKTOK CREATOR ROASTS OPRAH, HARRIS FOR FEATURING HER IN TOWN HALL INTERVIEW: ‘I DO NOT SUPPORT HARRIS’

Winfrey, a billionaire, insisted she was “paid nothing” when confronted by TMZ.

Oprah Winfrey (L) holds up VP Kamala Harris’ hand as she arrives onstage during a campaign rally on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia, on November 4, 2024. (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

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A Harpo Productions spokesperson acknowledged to Variety that the company took money from the campaign but claimed it was for “production costs.”

“Oprah Winfrey was at no point during the campaign paid a personal fee, nor did she receive a fee from Harpo,” the spokesperson said.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.

Fox News Digital’s Jeffrey Clark contributed to this report. 

Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., may be done with Congress. But Congress is not done with him. And as President-elect Trump’s pick to serve as Attorney General, Gaetz is apparently not done with Congress, either.

Gaetz negotiated with Mr. Trump to become Attorney General on a flight to Florida – just hours after the incoming President spoke to House Republicans in Washington last week. Mr. Trump then made Gaetz his pick and the Florida Republican resigned.

What wasn’t known at the time was that the House Ethics Committee was on the precipice of releasing a report investigating allegations of “sexual misconduct” and “illicit drug use” by Gaetz. Gaetz stopped cooperating with the House investigation over the summer. The FBI probed Gaetz for years – but dropped its inquiry in February.

The Ethics Committee dashed a planned meeting where it likely would have published information about its inquest regarding Gaetz on Friday. But since Gaetz is no longer a Member of Congress, the committee supposedly is powerless to act.

THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO POTENTIALLY RELEASING THE ETHICS COMMITTEE REPORT ON GAETZ

With Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., named President-elect Trump’s unlikely pick for Attorney General, a glaring question looms ahead: what will become of the Ethics Committee’s report on alleged improprieties by the congressman? (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

House Ethics Committee Chairman Michael Guest, R-Miss., said the following on Wednesday when asked about the Gaetz probe – but before the Florida Republican resigned.

“Once the investigation is complete, then a report will be issued – assuming that at that time, that Mr. Gaetz is still a Member of Congress. If Mr. Gaetz were to resign because he is taking a position with the administration as the Attorney General then the Ethics Committee loses jurisdiction at that point. Once we lose jurisdiction, there would not be a report that would be issued. That’s not unique to this case,” said Guest.

Other Ethics Committee members tried to sidestep discussion of Gaetz.

“I’m not making any comments on that. I’m on the Ethics Committee so I’m staying clear of that,” said Rep. John Rutherford, R-Fla.

“Can you still release the report?” asked Rachel Scott of ABC.

“Nope. Sure can’t,” replied Rutherford, turning toward Scott.

A NARROW MARGIN: TRUMP TAPS HOUSE REPUBLICANS FOR HIS SECOND ADMINISTRATION

That is generally how the House Ethics Committee rolls when it comes to outstanding investigations involving former Members.

But it is not a hard and fast rule.

Fox has found that the Ethics Committee released the information on its probe into potential influence peddling by the late Rep. John Murtha, D-Penn., after his death in 2010.

The House Ethics Committee has reportedly released its findings on former Reps. John Murtha, D-Penn., and Bill Boner, D-Tenn., after their departures from office. (Scott J. Ferrell/Congressional Quarterly/Getty Images | CQ Roll Call via Getty Images)

The Ethics Committee also released a 699-page report on former Rep. Bill Boner, D-Tenn., after he left office in 1987. The committee found that Boner used campaign funds to travel to Hong Kong and may have used his office to influence a defense contractor.

The Ethics Committee investigated former Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., after he was caught sending inappropriate messages to House pages in 2006. Foley abruptly resigned from the House. But the ethics panel hauled in a host of bipartisan Congressional leaders for closed door depositions to determine what they may have known about Foley’s activities.

That said, there is a way on the floor to dislodge an Ethics Committee report.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE GAETZ HOUSE ETHICS REPORT?

There is a mechanism called “question of privileges of the House.” A lawmaker could take the floor under this procedure, making the argument that keeping the Gaetz ethics report under wraps impugns the dignity and integrity of the House. The House would be required to vote on such a motion. If successful on the floor, the ethics panel could be compelled to release the report.

Yours truly asked House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., if Democrats might try to dislodge the Gaetz report from the Ethics Committee.

Pergram: “Could you envision a scenario where Democrats try to somehow dislodge this ethics report through a parliamentary maneuver?”

I asked House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., if his party planned on finding a way to dislodge the Gaetz report from the Ethics Committee. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Jeffries: “The Ethics Committee is an incredibly bipartisan committee. It’s the only committee in the Congress that is evenly divided. And it has a long history of having principled individuals on it. And I defer at this moment to whatever course they decide to take. And I hope they take a course that is bipartisan.”

The Senate Judiciary Committee will study the credentials of Gaetz, run background checks and ultimately hold a confirmation hearing before voting the nomination to the floor for a vote. It could also block the nomination as well.

Senate Majority Whip and Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., formally asked the House Ethics Committee to send over the report as it reviews the fitness of Gaetz for the job.

MATT GAETZ’S NOMINATION ROCKS CAPITOL HILL

“The sequence and timing of Mr. Gaetz’s resignation from the House raises serious questions about the contents of the House Ethics Committee report,” said Durbin. “This information could be relevant to the question of Mr. Gaetz’s confirmation as the next Attorney General of the United States and our Constitutional responsibility to advise and consent.”

Democrats weren’t the only ones trying to pry loose the report.

“I think there should not be any limitation on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s investigation, including, whatever the House Ethics Committee generated,” said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, seems keen to unearth the Gaetz report’s findings, saying there should “not be any limitation” on what the Senate Judiciary Committee can investigate. (Reuters)

Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Md., serves on the Ethics Committee. He hinted that the panel should consider dispatching the report to the Senate.

“I think the Senate certainly had a right to request it. I can’t talk about our internal deliberations. But the information that they’ve requested, I think it’s totally reasonable,” said Ivey. “In fact, I think it’s essential for them to get that kind of information before they make a decision.”

On Friday, Johnson noted that he “doesn’t control the Ethics Committee.”

THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE MEANING OF A REPUBLICAN SENATE – AND WHAT’S AHEAD FOR THE HOUSE

But Johnson went further than he had before about his views on releasing the report.

“We should stick to the tradition of not releasing a report on a former Member of the House because it would open a dangerous Pandora’s box,” said Johnson.

Johnson reaffirmed that during an appearance on Fox News Sunday when asked about releasing the report.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., cautioned against releasing the Ethics Committee’s findings, citing precedent and the potential opening of a “dangerous Pandora’s Box.” (Getty Images)

“I think this would be a breach of protocol that could be dangerous for us going forward in the future,” said the Speaker.

It’s possible the Senate Judiciary Committee could subpoena the report from the Ethics Committee. And as suggested earlier, there is a way to dislodge the report from the panel via a vote on the House floor. Such a scenario would put a lot of Republicans in a tough spot. They may fear that voting to release the report could put them on the wrong side of incoming President Trump. That’s to say nothing of the prospective Attorney General.

But Gaetz isn’t liked by his former House colleagues. In fact, some Republicans may have more disdain for the former Florida Congressman than Democrats. That’s partly because it was Gaetz who single-handedly triggered a vote last year to remove former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. That maneuver pitched the House into three weeks of chaos.

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Gaetz is no longer a Member of the House. But that doesn’t matter. The fight over the ethics report is just getting started. And that’s spurring just as much pandemonium as if Gaetz were still a Member.

Ben Carson broke his silence around rumors of him joining the second Trump administration as the U.S. surgeon general on Sunday, but noted that he plans to speak with President-elect Donald Trump soon.

Carson, who served as the secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from 2017 to 2021 during the first Trump administration, dispelled the false reports in an X post on Sunday.

“I am excited to speak with President Trump about how I will continue to advance the America First agenda, and I am meeting with him in the near future,” the retired neurosurgeon wrote. 

“However, contrary to reports, I will not be serving as the Surgeon General.”

TRUMP APPOINTS TULSI GABBARD AS DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: ‘FEARLESS SPIRIT’

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Dr. Ben Carson speaks with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention on July 16, 2024, in Milwaukee. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Carson has been a vocal critic of the Biden administration and a staunch supporter of Trump. After the Republican leader won the Nov. 5 election in a landslide victory, Carson shared his congratulations. 

“Congratulations to my good friend and the next President of the United States, @realdonaldtrump!!” Carson’s post reads. “As I said earlier today, God is not done with our country. Let’s get to work.”

The U.S. surgeon general is not a Cabinet-level position but is still a high-ranking role that  serves as the head of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. The position is within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

HERE ARE THE MOST TALKED-ABOUT CANDIDATES FOR TOP POSTS IN TRUMP’S ADMINISTRATION

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and former HUD Secretary Ben Carson (Scott Olson via Getty Images/File)

“The U.S. Surgeon General is the Nation’s Doctor, providing Americans with the best scientific information available on how to improve their health and reduce the risk of illness and injury,” the HHS’s website explains. “The Surgeon General oversees the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps, an elite group of over 6,000 uniformed officers who are public health professionals.”

Carson’s comments come as several positions in Trump’s incoming Cabinet are still up for grabs, including secretary of transportation, secretary of commerce and secretary of the treasury.

Trump also has yet to announce his picks for HUD secretary, secretary of agriculture and secretary of education.

President Trump is shown during a Cabinet meeting along with HUD Secretary Ben Carson at the White House on Nov. 19, 2019. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

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Trump most recently announced on Saturday that Liberty Energy CEO Chris Wright will join his Cabinet as secretary of energy. He called Wright “a leading technologist and entrepreneur in energy.” 

President-elect Trump and members of his inner circle shared a McDonald’s meal aboard Trump’s private plane, with Donald Trump Jr. posting a photo Sunday morning and joking that the Trump campaign’s mission to make Americans healthier will have to wait a day.

Trump and his entourage included Elon Musk, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Donald Trump Jr. and, perhaps most surprisingly, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick for Health and Human Services secretary. Kennedy, an outspoken critic of processed foods, was pictured with McDonald’s food and a Coca-Cola.

Trump Jr. captioned the photo, “Make America Healthy Again starts TOMORROW.”

The group had traveled to New York City on Saturday to attend UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, the site of Trump’s historic campaign rally last month. 

TRUMP FLANKED BY TOP ALLIES, CABINET PICKS AT UFC 309: ‘USA, USA’

President-elect Trump shared a McDonalds meal with Elon Musk, Donald Trump Jr., House Speaker Mike Johnson and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Donald Trump Jr./X)

Kennedy has not been shy about sharing his opinions about the president-elect’s diet.

“The stuff that he eats is really, like, bad,” Kennedy told podcaster Joe Polish on Monday.

“Campaign food is always bad, but the food that goes onto that airplane is, like, just poison,” he said of the food aboard Trump’s private plane. “You have a choice between – you don’t have the choice, you’re either given KFC or Big Macs. That’s when you’re lucky, and then the rest of the stuff I consider kind of inedible.”

DEMOCRATIC COLORADO GOVERNOR COMMENDS TRUMP FOR NOMINATING RFK JR. AS HHS SECRETARY

Kennedy also vowed earlier this month to clear out “entire departments” within the Food and Drug Administration for “not doing their job.”

Trump tapped Kennedy as his secretary of Health and Human Services after winning the 2024 presidential election. (Rebecca Noble/Getty Images, File)

Kennedy endorsed Trump after suspending his own presidential campaign, becoming one of Trump’s most prominent surrogates and incorporating the “MAHA” (Make America Healthy Again) movement into his closing argument to voters. 

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Kennedy has already begun asking ordinary Americans to make suggestions about what policies and people should be put in place as HHS secretary, launching a website called “Policies for the People” that allows people to nominate, suggest and vote for the leaders and policies they want to see coming from the Trump White House.

Fox News Digital’s Joseph A. Wulfsohn and Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.

Chinese President Xi Jinping told President Biden on Saturday that he will work with the incoming administration of President-elect Trump, as the two current leaders spoke on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Lima, Peru.

The meeting between Biden and Xi marked the first time in seven months the two had spoken, Reuters reported, and may be the last time the two meet on conflicts from cybercrime to trade, Taiwan, the South China Sea and Russia before Trump returns to the Oval Office in January 2025.

Xi told Biden, “China’s goal of a stable, healthy and sustainable China-U.S. relationship remains unchanged,” acknowledging the “ups and downs” between the two countries.

“China is ready to work with the new U.S. administration to maintain communication, expand cooperation and manage differences,” Xi said.

BIDEN, XI MEETING WILL BE FORUM FOR ‘INTENSE DIPLOMACY’ AMID TENSIONS BETWEEN US, CHINA: OFFICIALS

President Biden shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping before a bilateral meeting, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Lima, Peru. (Leah Millis/Pool Photo via AP)

Biden told Xi that maintaining leader-to-leader talks will be vital after Biden leaves office, according to national security adviser Jake Sullivan, who was seen sitting next to Biden during the meeting.

He also acknowledged to the Chinese leader that while the two of them may not have always agreed, their discussions have been “frank” and “candid.”

XI JINPING WARNS TRUMP US WOULD ‘LOSE FROM CONFRONTATION’ WITH CHINA AS RENEWED TRADE WAR LOOMS

President Biden meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Lima. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

China and other members of the G-20 will likely brace for a reboot of Trump’s “America First” policy, placing a heavy emphasis on higher tariffs. Trump famously launched a trade war with China in his first term in 2018, raising tariffs up to 25% on steel, aluminum and other Chinese-made products. China responded with reciprocal tariffs against the U.S. Trump promised to raise tariffs up to 60% on Chinese imports while running for president, although it’s unclear if he would actually go that high.

Biden has aimed to lessen tensions with China, but during his meeting with Xi on Saturday, there appeared to be few signs of breakthroughs on the major issues.

GERMANY BRACES UNDER COLLAPSING GOVERNMENT AND LOOMING TRUMP TRADE WAR

Chinese President Xi Jinping told Biden, “China’s goal of a stable, healthy and sustainable China-U.S. relationship remains unchanged,” (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Still, the two agreed that humans, not artificial intelligence, should make the ultimate decisions when it comes to the use of nuclear weapons, the White House noted, marking the first time the two countries have raised the issue.

Biden and Xi also talked about China’s ally, North Korea, which is deepening ties with Russia and even deployed troops in Moscow’s war with Ukraine. The move has raised concerns not just with Washington, but also with European capitals and Beijing.

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“President Biden pointed out that the (People’s Republic of China’s) publicly stated position with respect to the war in Ukraine is there should be no escalation, no broadening the conflict, and the introduction of (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) troops runs foursquare against that,” Sullivan said. “He also pointed out that the PRC does have influence and capacity, and should use it to try to prevent a further escalation or further expansion of the conflict with the introduction of even more DPRK forces.”

Reuters contributed to this report.

President Biden has authorized Ukraine’s military to use U.S.-provided long-range missiles on targets inside Russian territory, the New York Times reported Sunday, citing unnamed U.S. officials.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously said that such an escalation would constitute an act of war. He has yet to react to Biden’s announcement Sunday.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

The announcement came after Great Britain and France authorized Ukraine to launch SCALP/Storm Shadow missile strikes, Le Figaro reported on Saturday.

DOCUMENTS REVEAL RUSSIA’S INITIAL ‘PEACE DEAL’ EQUATED TO THE SURRENDER OF UKRAINE: REPORT

President Biden has approved Ukraine to use American long-range missiles on targets in Russia.

Biden’s announcement also came just hours after Russia concluded one of its largest missile and drone attacks in months, launching over 200 targeting Ukraine’s power and energy infrastructure.

Putin has previously said that giving Ukraine the green light on missile use would effectively mean that the U.S. and NATO are “in the war.”

“Flight assignments for these missile systems can, in fact, only be entered by military personnel from NATO countries. Ukrainian servicemen cannot do this. And therefore, it is not a question of allowing the Ukrainian regime to strike Russia with these weapons or not. It is a question of making a decision whether NATO countries directly participate in the military conflict or not,” Putin said in September.

TRUMP’S FIRST CABINET PICKS DECIDEDLY NOT ISOLATIONISTS: UKRAINE, ISRAEL BREATHE A SIGH OF RELIEF

“If this decision is made, it will mean nothing less than the direct participation of NATO countries, the United States, and European countries, in the war in Ukraine,” he added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during Russian-Mongolian talks on September 3, 2024, in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.  (Getty Images)

Meanwhile, President-elect Trump’s transition team is expected to soon announce a peace envoy to assist in negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. Trump argued on the campaign trail that he could solve the conflict before entering office.

Trump has been rolling out appointee names of those he wants to fill his Cabinet and advise him on top issues at a lightning-quick pace.

President-elect Trump has vowed to bring peace to the Russia-Ukraine war. (Brad Penner-Imagn Images)

Some advisers are reportedly encouraging Trump to push Kyiv to agree to terms that would freeze the frontlines by creating an 800-mile-long demilitarized zone and allow Russia to keep the land it has illegally seized, which amounts to roughly 20% of Ukraine.

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It has also been suggested that Kyiv should agree not to pursue NATO membership for 20 years, a stipulation that critics of this plan argue kowtows to Putin.

This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.

The former White House coronavirus response coordinator on Sunday said she is looking forward to the Senate confirmation hearing of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who President-elect Trump tapped for his secretary of Health and Human Services, as a unique opportunity to have a transparent discussion on the health of Americans.

Dr. Deborah Birx, who served in Trump’s first administration, appeared on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” where she was asked at length about Kennedy potentially leading the agency. and his views on health issues such as vaccines.

“That’s why when he talks about transparency, I’m actually excited that in a Senate hearing he would bring forward his data and the questions that come from the senators would bring forth their data,” Birx said of Kennedy. “What I know for sure is he’s a very smart man who can bring his data and his evidence base forward.” 

When Birx was asked about Kennedy’s past controversial comments on vaccines, she said he has raised concerns about issues that “many Americans believe already is a problem.”

TRUMP INNER CIRCLE SHARES MCDONALD’S MEAL AS DONALD JR. JOKES ‘MAKE AMERICAN HEALTHY AGAIN STARTS TOMORROW’

Dr. Deborah L. Birx served as the White House coronavirus response coordinator under Trump from 2020 to 2021. (Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images, File)

“Every mom is seeing a classroom of kindergartners where one of the children has autism,” she said. “That’s scary to moms and dads. They want to know why. So it’s not good enough for us to just say vaccines don’t cause autism. It’s us finding what is the cause of autism.”

Birx, who served under Trump from 2020 to 2021, said a Senate confirmation hearing would be a great forum to see data from both sides of the argument.

Trump tapped Kennedy to serve as the secretary of Health and Human Services. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

“That hearing would be a way for Americans to really see the data that you’re talking about that we can’t see that causation right now, but what is causing it?” Birx said, adding that addressing the cause of autism in children will be “critical.”

DEMOCRATIC COLORADO GOVERNOR COMMENDS TRUMP FOR NOMINATING RFK JR. AS HHS SECRETARY

Birx said the White House’s messaging surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine did not help matters.

“I think what has confused people is we weren’t clear about what COVID vaccines do and don’t,” she said. “And so now people are questioning, well, what are my childhood vaccines do and don’t. And they don’t understand that some of the vaccines that their children are getting protect them from both disease and create herd immunity. And some of them that they get are just for their child, like H Flu and pneumovax to prevent their child from getting very serious illness.”

“And we’re just not explaining all of this correctly,” she added of vaccines and what they do.

As for Kennedy’s potential appointment, Birx said there’s one important thing Kennedy can do to help him achieve success.

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“I think the most important thing is what team he would bring with them, because you’re talking about really a large cap corporation with a highly diverse group, which you have to really bring together and, frankly, eliminate some of the duplications between these agencies to really become more cost-effective.”

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., says Democrats cannot afford to “freak out” over everything President-elect Trump says or does.

“It’s still not even Thanksgiving yet,” Fetterman told CNN “State of the Union” host Jake Tapper on Sunday. “If we’re having meltdowns, you know, every tweet or every appointment or all those things, I mean, it’s going to be four years.”

Fetterman said he previously warned of the “jackpot” for Trump, where Republicans gained control of the White House, House of Representatives and the Senate, along with a Supreme Court that has a “conservative slant.” 

“They have the absolute ability to run the table at least for the next two years, and that’s what I think we should all be concerned on, not small tweets or random kinds of appointments,” Fetterman said.

TRUMP FLANKED BY TOP ALLIES, CABINET PICKS AT UFC 309: ‘USA, USA’

Podcaster Joe Rogan spoke to Sen. John Fetterman earlier this month. (The Joe Rogan Experience)

He added that he is looking forward to voting for some of Trump’s picks, including Fetterman’s “colleague from Florida” Sen. Marco Rubio, who was tapped to be the next secretary of state, and “the representative from New York,” referring to Rep. Elise Stefanik, who is Trump’s choice to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. 

“And then there are others that are just absolute trolls, just like Gaetz and those things,” the senator said, referring to the selection of former-Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who resigned from Congress last week as Trump tapped him to be his attorney general

TRUMP GOES FULL MAGA AS HE PICKS ALLIES AND LOYALISTS TO FILL HIS SECOND ADMINISTRATION

Rep. Matt Gaetz speaks at a campaign rally for former President Trump on Oct. 12, 2024, in Coachella, California. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Gaetz may face a tough confirmation path because he was previously under Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation into sex trafficking allegations. Last year, Gaetz’s office said the DOJ ended their investigation and determined he would not be charged with any crimes. 

A House Ethics Committee investigation into Gaetz was also expected to be released soon, but Gaetz’s resignation means the House report may not become public.

Sen. John Fetterman says Democrats cannot afford to “freak out” over everything President-elect Trump says or does. (Getty Images)

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A full list of Trump’s publicly announced Cabinet picks for his second administration can be found here. 

Leaders in Dearborn, Michigan, who helped power President-elect Trump to victory in the critical swing state penned a letter urging him to make good on his promise to bring peace to Gaza.

“We are urging your administration and transition team to apply your political influence in demanding an immediate cease-fire in Lebanon and Palestine,” reads a letter to Trump released by the MENA (Middle East North Africa) American Chamber of Commerce. “This aligns to the commitment toward lasting peace which you made.”

The letter comes after a movement in Dearborn that started as a protest to President Biden’s handling of the war in Gaza eventually resulted in Trump’s shocking victory in both Dearborn and Dearborn Heights, Michigan, two cities with large Arab American populations.

JOE MANCHIN: THE AMERICAN PEOPLE PICKED TRUMP. NOW IS THE TIME TO DELIVER SOLUTIONS FOR EVERYONE

Former President Trump visits The Great Commoner cafe on Nov. 1, 2024, in Dearborn, Michigan. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Those votes contributed to Trump’s victory in the critical swing state of Michigan, which the president-elect won by just under 1.5 percentage points.

Trump made outreach to the Muslim community in Michigan a priority in the stretch run of his successful campaign, earning the endorsement of multiple community leaders in the Dearborn and Metro Detroit areas.

But while Trump has yet to take office, the MENA American Chamber of Commerce argued that the president-elect’s significant political influence could be useful in bringing a quicker end to the conflict.

President-elect Trump (Jovanny Hernandez/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

IN ELECTION VICTORY, TRUMP’S GAINS WENT BEYOND THE BATTLEGROUNDS

“We urge you to call for an immediate cease-fire in Lebanon and Palestine while crafting a long-lasting peace in the region,” the letter reads. “Further, we believe your team’s leadership will be instrumental in advancing productive U.S.-Lebanese relations.”

The group also acknowledged Trump’s commitment to peace, noting that it aligned with the values of the Arab American community.

President-elect Trump gestures during the UFC 309 event at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 16, 2024, in New York City. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

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“Dearborn, Michigan, a city with the highest concentration of Arab Americans outside the Middle East, turned red in this presidential election due to your genuine outreach to our community and our belief that you are the optimal choice for our democracy, economy, and matters of foreign policy,” the letter said. “The over 3.5 million MENA Americans, some of whom reside in the swing states, are proud to have contributed to your margins of victory, particularly in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. Your success is a testament to your resonance with the values and concerns of MENA Americans.”

Trump’s transition team did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.

House Speaker Mike Johnson explained his opposition to releasing the House Ethics Committee report on Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., on Sunday.

Johnson, R-La., made the comments during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday” with host Shannon Bream. He argued that releasing such a report after Gaetz’s resignation could open a “Pandora’s box.” Gaetz resigned from Congress last week shortly after President-elect Trump nominated him to serve as U.S. attorney general.

Bream began by asking Johnson whether he was aware of the contents of the ethics report, which pertained to alleged sexual misconduct.

“I don’t know anything about the contents of the report because the way the rules work, of course, the speaker of the House can’t put a thumb on the scale or be involved in an Ethics Committee report. What I do know is that the comments about there being a precedent for releasing reports is not exactly accurate,” Johnson said.

MIKE JOHNSON WINS REPUBLICAN SUPPORT TO BE HOUSE SPEAKER AGAIN AFTER TRUMP ENDORSEMENT

Speaker Mike Johnson is defending Gaetz from calls for the House Ethics Committee to release a report on the former representative. (Getty Images)

“There’s a very important reason for the tradition and the rule that we always have – almost always followed – and that is that we don’t issue investigations and ethics reports on people who are not members of Congress. I’m afraid that that would open a Pandora’s box because the jurisdiction of the Ethics Committee is limited to those who are serving in the institution. That’s its very purpose. And I think this would be a breach of protocol that could be dangerous for us going forward in the future,” he added.

MATT GAETZ FACES GOP SENATE OPPOSITION AFTER TRUMP SELECTION FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL

ABC News reported on Thursday that a woman testified to the ethics committee that she had sexual relations with Gaetz when she was 17 years old. The House investigation ceased when Gaetz resigned on Wednesday.

Gaetz told Fox News Digital in response to the new report, “These allegations are invented and would constitute false testimony to Congress. This false smear following a three-year criminal investigation should be viewed with great skepticism.”

Matt Gaetz has been nominated to serve as Trump’s attorney general. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The chief counsel for the House Ethics Committee declined to comment when asked by Fox News Digital.

REPUBLICANS PROJECTED TO KEEP CONTROL OF HOUSE AS TRUMP PREPARES TO IMPLEMENT AGENDA

Fox News Digital also reached out to Gaetz’s congressional office for comment.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) had previously spoken to the woman, now in her 20s, according to ABC, as part of its years-long investigation into Gaetz related to accusations of sex trafficking and obstruction of justice.

The DOJ ultimately did not press charges, and Gaetz has consistently denied all wrongdoing.

Details of the matter could come out if Gaetz goes through the Senate confirmation process to lead the department that once investigated him.

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Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, suggested he would want to see the report.

“I think there should not be any limitation on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s investigation, including whatever the House Ethics Committee has generated,” he told reporters.

Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind and Tyler Olsen contributed to this report

FIRST ON FOX: Sticker Mule CEO Anthony Constantino has officially tossed his hat in the ring to fill the vacancy left by New York Rep. Elise Stefanik’s appointment to serve in the Trump administration.

The pro-Trump businessman, who installed a 100-foot “Vote for Trump” sign in upstate New York before the election, tells Fox News Digital he will spend $2.6 million to self-fund his bid to succeed Stefanik once she becomes the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in January.

“My phones are ringing off the hook with people encouraging me to run, who wanted me to run,” Constantino, 40, said in an interview. “And just like President Trump was an outsider who brought a great skill set to politics, a great skill set to government, I think the country needs more people with similar backgrounds that are outsiders, that are talented people. And I happen to be one of them.” 

Stefanik currently represents New York’s 21st Congressional District, which encompasses the solidly Republican North Country, a large swath of upstate New York that includes most of the Adirondack Mountains and Thousand Islands region. She is expected to resign from Congress after President-elect Trump tapped her to represent the United States at the U.N.

PRO-TRUMP TECH CEO MULLING CONGRESSIONAL RUN TO FILL STEFANIK’S SEAT IDENTIFIES NEW YORK’S ‘BIGGEST PROBLEM’

Sticker Mule CEO Anthony Constantino speaks at an event in New York. (Paul Antonelli)

“I am honored to nominate Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to serve in my Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Elise is an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter,” Trump said. 

Stefanik gladly accepted the nomination, stating, “I am truly honored to earn President Trump’s nomination to serve in his Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. During my conversation with President Trump, I shared how deeply humbled I am to accept his nomination and that I look forward to earning the support of my colleagues in the United States Senate. President Trump’s historic landslide election has given hope to the American people and is a reminder that brighter days are ahead — both at home and abroad.” 

Her appointment sets the stage for a special election to fill her seat in the 21st District following her successful re-election bid last week. Stefanik secured victory by more than 24% of the vote against her opponent, Paula Collins. 

Constantino filed paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission on Thursday to set up his campaign committee. Formerly a registered Democrat, he is now one of several Republicans expected to contend for the GOP nomination, a group that could include established state lawmakers, local officials and other experienced politicians. What makes him stand out, in his view, is that he had no intention of entering politics until about three months ago. 

TECH CEO WHO WENT VIRAL FOR PRO-TRUMP EMAIL DEFENDS CALL TO ACTION OVER ‘POLITICAL HATE’

The illuminated “Vote for Trump” sign at 26 Elk Street, Amsterdam, New York. (@stickermule | Instagram)

“The best thing about my situation is, until recently, I had no political ambitions, which I think makes me a better candidate,” he said. “I just got involved because a bullet hit President Trump, and immediately I spoke up, and I sent out a message to 5 million customers that was a massively viral message.”

A would-be assassin’s bullet struck Trump in the right ear during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. The gunfire injured two others in the crowd and killed a third, volunteer firefighter Corey Comperatore. 

Constantino says he was inspired by that horrific act of violence to take a stand against “anti-Trump hate” and seek to unify the country. He worked “around the clock” to support Trump’s White House campaign, formed a political action committee and defeated local Democratic officials who had sued to remove his $125,000 pro-Trump sign on the repurposed Fownes glove factory building in Amsterdam.

“President Trump has really done great things. He’s a great human. He’s done great things for the world. And he doesn’t deserve all the hate directed at him, and his supporters don’t deserve it either,” Constantino previously told Fox News Digital. 

BLUE STATE CEO SUED OVER PRO-TRUMP SIGN NETS ‘EPIC WIN FOR FREE SPEECH’

Sticker Mule CEO Anthony Constantino speaks at an event unveiling his 100-foot “Vote for Trump” sign in Amsterdam, New York. (Paul Antonelli)

Now that Trump has won in a historic victory, Constantino believes the anti-Trump fervor that consumed half of the country before the election is dying down. And with a desire to “do big things” and make an impact, he is eyeing a seat in Congress. 

“I like to be impactful. I like to do big things. And right now, this is probably the biggest, most impactful thing I can do with my life,” he said. 

If elected, Constantino said his priorities would be to support businesses and help make New York a happier place to live.

“The biggest problem in New York is people are leaving, and we’ve got to bring energy and enthusiasm back to New York. And we’ve got to show America that New York is safe for people from all parties, Democrats and Republicans alike,” he said. 

There will not be a traditional Republican primary for the special election. Instead, both the GOP and Democratic nominees will be chosen by party chairs in the district. It’s a process that could advantage political insiders – other candidates floated for the position include ousted Rep. Marc Molinaro, Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin, state Sens. Dan Stec and Jake Ashby and Assembly Members Chris Tague and Robert Smullen, according to City & State New York. 

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But Constantino enters the fray as a wealthy self-made man and favorite of the online MAGA movement thanks to his viral pro-Trump sign. He plans to meet with the GOP chairs in his district to discuss how he can fund his candidacy without relying on party resources. He also hopes to earn Stefanik’s support as she is likely to play kingmaker when it comes to her successor. 

“I’m going to be funding my own campaign. I don’t want to be a drain on the party,” Constantino told Fox News Digital. “I want people to know that I won’t be beholden to any special interests. I’m doing this for the right reasons. I will always do what I think is right, what I think is ethically right, morally right and what’s best for people.” 

Fox News Digital’s Bailee Hill contributed to this report.

Republicans are pushing to expand their slim majority in the House of Representatives as the final handful of undecided races near their conclusion.

Five House races remain uncalled as of Sunday morning. The balance of power currently sits at 218 seats for Republicans, and 212 for the Democrats.

Alaska

At-large district

Democratic incumbent Rep. Mary Sattler Peltola is in a tight race in Alaska’s at-large congressional district, where she is trailing Republican entrepreneur Nick Begich.

As of Sunday morning, Begich holds a nearly 3-point lead at 48.7% of the vote compared to Peltola’s 46.1%. The vote count sits at 155,120 to 146,782 with roughly 98% of the vote counted.

GOP INCUMBENT PROJECTED TO DEFEAT DEM CHALLENGER IN CLOSELY WATCHED ARIZONA HOUSE RACE

House Speaker Mike Johnson and other GOP leaders are looking to expand their slim majority in the chamber. (Getty Images)

California

13th Congressional District

Republican Rep. John Duarte is leading former Democratic state assembly member Adam Gray in California’s 13th Congressional District, but the highly contested race remains uncalled as of Sunday morning.

Roughly 86% of the vote has been counted, and Duarte holds a 50.6% to 49.4% lead. The pair is separated by just over 2,000 votes.

REPUBLICANS PROJECTED TO KEEP CONTROL OF HOUSE AS TRUMP PREPARES TO IMPLEMENT AGENDA

45th Congressional District

Democratic challenger Derek Tran has taken the lead over Republican incumbent Rep. Michelle Steel in the 45th District. Steel had been in the lead by a few hundred votes late last week, but Tran now has a razor-thin 36-vote lead.

Roughly 94% of the vote has been counted for the district.

President-elect Trump will enter office with majorities in both the House and Senate. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Iowa

1st Congressional District

Republican incumbent Rep. Mariannet Miller-Meeks holds a less than 1% lead over challenger Christina Bohannan with 99% of the vote counted. Miller-Meeks’ lead sits at just under 1,000 votes.

TRUMP THROWS FULL SUPPORT BEHIND MIKE JOHNSON BEFORE SPEAKER ELECTION

Bohannan has requested a recount in her bid to unseat Miller-Meeks. The Associated Press has not yet called the race because the margin was close enough that it could prompt a recount. Miller-Meeks has declared victory and said she was confident in her lead.

Trump has nominated a handful of key House members to his Cabinet, including Rep. Elise Stefanik. (Allison Robbert/Pool via Reuters)

Ohio

9th Congressional District

Democratic incumbent Marcy Kaptur leads her Republican challenger, Derek Merrin, by less than 1 point with 99% of the votes counted. Kaptur’s lead sits at just over 1,000 votes as of Sunday morning.

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Races with a margin of 0.5% or less trigger an automatic recount in Ohio.

Fox News’ Chris Pandolfo and Jasmine Baehr and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Republican Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares said he anticipates “a lot more common sense to come out of Washington” with a Trump presidency ahead. 

With President-elect Donald Trump heading to the Oval in January, Miyares said he looks forward to the administration rolling back “the overly burdensome regulations that have impacted so many Americans these last four years.”

“Everything from the OSHA vaccine mandate . . . to a pretty radical interpretation of Title IX to essentially say that now biological boys are allowed to be on women’s sports teams,” Miyares told Fox News Digital. “So I anticipate you’re going to see a lot more common sense to come out of Washington and come out of the administration.”

Miyares said he anticipates lots of new developments with the new Republican administration, and “we look forward to seeing it.”

VIRGINIA AG CHEERS SUPREME COURT RULING AS ‘HUGE WIN’ FOR ELECTION INTEGRITY

Republican Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares said he anticipates ‘a lot more common sense to come out of Washington’ with a Trump presidency ahead.  (Getty)

Following his win, Trump and his team have already started to announce various Cabinet nominations and policy expectations. Among them have included Trump’s announcement that he would be nominating Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz to be the next attorney general. 

Miyares did not directly comment on Gaetz as the potential head of the Justice Department, but clarified that he also looks forward to working with the new AG. 

“We’re going to work with the attorney general,” Miyares said. “I know that’s why we have the Senate to advise and consent.”

“But this is what I would say — the new administration and who they’re going to put in elevated leadership is, again, I think, going to be fundamentally different than I think some of the real left-wing ideology that we’ve seen pushed down by the Biden administration,” Miyares continued. 

TRUMP’S SPEEDY CABINET PICKS SHOW HIS ‘PRIORITY TO PUT AMERICA FIRST,’ TRANSITION TEAM SAYS

Miyares recently made headlines after challenging a lower court’s ruling ordering the state to restore the names of approximately 1,600 potential noncitizens to its voter rolls ahead of the Nov. 5 election. 

Miyares, along with Gov. Glenn Youngkin, remained steadfast after the Department of Justice initially sued them over the voter removals, arguing that the state’s process was “individualized” and conducted in accordance with state and federal law. 

Following his win, Trump and his team have already begun to announce various cabinet nominations and policy expectations.  (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

Miyares is up for re-election in 2025 but has yet to announce any formal plans for running again. Two Democrats have already announced their plans to run for the post, including former Virginia delegate Jay Jones and Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor. Both have voiced their criticisms of Gaetz’s nomination on social media. 

“When I am Virginia’s next Attorney General, you better believe I’ll be taking on Matt Gaetz’s overreach in court. We are going to hold this Administration accountable for Virginia families,” Jones wrote on X. 

MATT GAETZ FACES GOP SENATE OPPOSITION AFTER TRUMP SELECTION FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL

“Matt Gaetz, who was investigated by law enforcement for sex trafficking and who has been under investigation by the House Ethics Committee (a Republican-led committee in a Republican-majority House) was nominated by President-Elect Trump as the next US Attorney General,” Taylor wrote on X. 

“I call on Attorney General Miyares @JasonMiyaresVA who is the highest legal officer in our Commonwealth, to oppose this appointment and to call on President Elect-Trump to instead nominate an Attorney General who is above reproach as opposed to a man under ethics investigation himself.”

Trump first announced his intentions to nominate Gaetz as AG in a Truth Social post on Wednesday, saying Gaetz “has distinguished himself in Congress through his focus on achieving desperately needed reform at the Department of Justice.”

Trump first announced his intentions to nominate Gaetz as AG in a Truth Social post on Wednesday, saying Gaetz “has distinguished himself in Congress through his focus on achieving desperately needed reform at the Department of Justice.” (Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Gaetz then confirmed the nomination on the social media site X, adding, “It will be an honor to serve as President Trump’s Attorney General!”

Shortly after the announcement, Gaetz resigned from his post in Congress, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced. 

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Republicans have already signaled concerns over Gaetz’s potential appointment. He was previously under a yearlong DOJ investigation stemming from accusations that he had had a sexual relationship with a minor, but the department ultimately did not press charges.

Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind and Kelly Phares contributed to this report. 

President-elect Trump was flanked by cabinet picks and elected officials during his appearance cageside at the UFC pay-per-view card in New York City on Saturday night.

Trump was joined by top supporters turned cabinet picks as he entered Madison Square Garden to raucous cheers and chants of “USA, USA.”

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who were both picked by Trump to lead a new Department of Government Efficiency, and Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s choice for director of national intelligence, joined the president-elect. He was also joined by his pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert Kennedy Jr.

Along with cabinet picks, the president-elect was joined by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-LA, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump.

DONALD TRUMP ARRIVES AT UFC 309 AT MSG; CROWD ROARS FOR PRESIDENT-ELECT WEEKS AFTER HISTORIC RALLY

US President-elect Donald Trump, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and Donald Trump Jr. (R) watch a fight during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden in New York, on November 16, 2024.  (KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images)

Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump, Mike Johnson and Vivek Ramaswamy look on during the UFC 309 event at Madison Square Garden on November 16, 2024 in New York City. (Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Trump was also accompanied by UFC President Dana White – a longtime fan of the president-elect from before his political aspirations.

DONALD TRUMP HEADS TO UFC 309, EXPECTED TO RECEIVE RAUCOUS CHEERS AFTER ELECTION WIN

White, who has frequented campaign events with Trump, hosted a 2001 UFC battle at Trump Taj Mahal, a former casino-hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey. 

Trump has attended UFC matches since – including during his 2024 campaign.

Trump has picked Chris Wright to lead the Department of Energy starting in January. (Getty Images/REUTERS)

The stop at the historic Madison Square Garden comes after Trump made rapid-fire choices to fill his cabinet in the weeks after winning the Presidential Election on Nov. 5.

On Saturday, President-elect Trump announced that Chris Wright, the CEO and founder of Liberty Energy, will lead the Department of Energy in his new administration.

“I am thrilled to announce that Chris Wright will be joining my Administration as both United States Secretary of Energy, and Member of the newly formed Council of National Energy,” Trump said in a statement released Saturday.

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Trump’s nominees and administration picks during his second administration are being publicly announced at a much faster pace than during his first administration in 2016, which the transition team attributed to Trump’s commitment to putting “America first.”

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“The American people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin, giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail, and his Cabinet picks reflect his priority to put America First. President Trump will continue to appoint highly qualified men and women who have the talent, experience and necessary skill sets to Make America Great Again,” Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital when asked about Trump’s speedy rollout of Cabinet picks. 

Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton and Andrea Margolis contributed to this report.