One of Donald Trump’s closest advisers Boris Epshteyn solicited political candidates, a defense contractor and at least one potential Cabinet nominee for lucrative consulting contracts at the same time he was being paid by the Trump campaign and advising the President-elect on legal matters, nominations and political communications, according to interviews and documents reviewed by Just the News. One of those who was pitched by Epshteyn for both a consulting contract and an investment opportunity was Scott Bessent, the hedge fund manager named Friday night by Trump as his nominee for Treasury Secretary. Bessent rejected the overtures and eventually, when asked, reported concerns about them to the Trump transition team, including Vice President-elect J.D. Vance.
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GOP Lawmakers Call for Accountability on Federal Funding for Abortion Giants
A coalition of Republican lawmakers wants to investigate how much federal funding goes to abortion providers including Planned Parenthood.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn, House Pro-Life Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Chris Smith, Rep. Robert Aderholt, and Rep. Claudia Tenney led a bicameral letter to the U.S. Government Accountability Office requesting a report on federal funding for abortion providers between fiscal year 2022 and 2024.
Read MoreTrump Announces Flurry of Nominations, Including Housing Secretary, OMB, and CDC
President-elect Donald Trump announced a series of crucial nominations on Friday night, including tapping NFL veteran Scott Turner as Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Russ Vought to return as the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
Read MoreTrump to Nominate Former Georgia GOP Sen. Loeffler for Agriculture Secretary: Reports
President-elect Donald Trump is expected to nominate former Georgia GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler to lead the Agriculture Department, according to news reports Friday..
Trump is expected to meet with Loeffler at his Florida home in Florida Mar-a-Lago on Friday afternoon, according to a CNN report.
Read MoreTrump Nominates Scott Bessent for Treasury Secretary
President-elect Donald Trump on Friday nominated Key Square Capital Management founder and hedge fund manager Scott Bessent as Treasury Secretary.
Read More‘Not Happening:’ Top Trump Aide Shoots Down Mike Rogers FBI Rumors
Senior advisor to the Trump campaign and incoming White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino on Friday shot down rumors that the president-elect was considering former Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., to lead the FBI.
Read MorePresident-Elect Trump Unveils ‘Quantum Leap’ Plan to ‘Revolutionize’ American Living
President-elect Donald Trump said his incoming administration will work to “revolutionize” America’s standard of living by “building new cities, investing in transportation, lowering the cost of living for everyone, and modernizing public spaces across the country.”
Read More‘Serious Blow to Trust in Our Government’: Lawmakers Torch Wray, Mayorkas for Skipping Out on Hearing
Senate Republican and Democratic lawmakers joined together in a display of bipartisan condemnation of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and FBI Director Christopher Wray after the two declined to testify on Thursday before the Senate on global threats facing the U.S. homeland.
Mayorkas and Wray requested to move the annually-scheduled Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee (HSGAC) hearing to a classified setting, which would have broken with 15 years of precedence according to Democratic Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, Chairman of the HSGAC.
Read MoreGeorgia A.G. Chris Carr Announces Run for Governor, Setting Stage for Possible GOP Primary with Brad Raffensperger, Burt Jones
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr on Thursday announced he is running for the Republican nomination for governor in 2026.
Carr confirmed filing the paperwork for his candidacy in a post to the social media platform X, where he said his campaign will seek to continue “the legacy of Brian Kemp, Nathan Deal and Sonny Perdue.”
Read MorePennsylvania Democratic Incumbent Bob Casey Officially Concedes in U.S. Senate Race
Pennsylvania Democratic incumbent Sen. Bob Casey on Thursday officially conceded in the tight Pennsylvania Senate race.
Read MoreTrump Will Nominate Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as U.S. Attorney General
President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday announced he will nominate former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as the next Attorney General of the United States. The decision, hailed as a significant move toward restoring integrity to the Department of Justice, was made in the wake of former Representative and fellow Floridian Matt Gaetz’s withdrawal from consideration.
Read MoreGaetz Withdraws from Consideration for U.S. Attorney General
Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., on Thursday withdrew his name from consideration to serve as attorney general, saying he believed the confirmation fight would needlessly distract from the Trump agenda.
Read MoreGeorgia Republicans Mark Guilty Verdict for Laken Riley’s Murderer as Democrats Mourn ‘Transgender Day of Remembrance’
While the majority of Georgia Republicans issued statements on Wednesday marking the guilty verdict reached in the case against Jose Ibarra, who a court determined killed August University nursing student Laken Riley in February, at least three Democratic members of Georgia’s U.S. House delegation instead posted messages marking Transgender Day of Remembrance.
An illegal immigrant who entered the country in 2022, Ibarra was determined during the trial to be a member of the Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua. Prosecutors said he was “hunting for females” when he encountered Riley, who was jogging when she was attacked.
Read MoreFood Lobbyists Plot to Have It Their Way with RFK Jr.
America’s most famous fast-food fan may be an unlikely candidate to make America healthy again, but Donald Trump seems willing to tackle the eating habits that have led to skyrocketing rates of obesity. The junk food industry is not lovin’ it.
RealClearInvestigations has learned that representatives of companies that make snack foods, sugary beverages, and cooking oils are already meeting to discuss how to thwart the reform agenda of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the former consumer rights attorney Trump has said he will nominate to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Their response provides an early example of what experts predict will be a massive effort by D.C. lobbyists to position their clients in response to Trump’s pledge to change how Washington does business.
Read MoreHouse Ethics Committee Will Not Release Matt Gaetz Report, Democrat Threatens to Call House Vote
The House Ethics Committee on Wednesday voted against publicly releasing its report on allegations that former Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz engaged in sexual misconduct with a minor.
Read MoreHealthshare Org Urges Incoming Trump Admin to Make ‘Radical’ Change to FDA, Healthcare System
Solidarity HealthShare is calling on the incoming Trump Administration to fix the “nation’s broken healthcare system” with widespread changes to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Read MoreCommentary: Republican Senators Were Deferential to Biden’s 2020 Cabinet; Now They’re Blocking Trump’s Picks in 2024
During President Joe Biden’s honeymoon in early 2021, Senate Republicans routinely deferred to the President’s selection for Cabinet secretaries, no matter how radical they were, how much they disagreed with the President’s policies and no matter how awful the selections turned out to be for national security and the individual liberties of the American people.
Read MoreCommentary: The Trump-American Culture vs. the Elite Culture
The most unexplored and ignored aspect of the nine-year odyssey of President Donald J. Trump is that, despite his wealth, Trump’s lifestyle and habits appeal to a far larger share of Americans than the elite passions for fine foods and highbrow books, movies, and television.
Read MoreSpeaker Mike Johnson Wants Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene ‘More Involved’ with House GOP After ‘Productive Meeting’
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson reportedly said Tuesday that he wants Representative Marjorie Taylor Green (R-GA-14) to become “more involved” with the House Republicans on the heels of a “productive meeting” the two shared last week.
According to journalist Jordain Carney, who reports for German-owned Politico, Johnson told reporters on Tuesday that he and Greene discussed her role in the next Congress during a meeting held last week.
Read MoreJosh Shapiro Gaslights America About Bucks County Ballot Counting Scandal, Cites Lack of ‘Legal Clarity’
Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said Democrat officials trying to count deficient ballots in the state did so because of a lack of “legal clarity,” despite the state supreme court’s pre-election orders to not count undated or misdated ballots.
Read MoreTrump Taps Dr. Oz to Lead Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday announced his appointment of Dr. Mehmet Oz to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Read MoreDozens of Pro-Democracy Activists in Hong Kong Sentenced to Prison, Face Up to 10 Years
A court in Hong Kong, China, on Monday sentenced 45 pro-democracy activists to prison sentences that ranged from two months to 10 years, in the city’s largest national security case.
Read MoreManhattan D.A. Bragg’s Team Opposes Hush Money Case Dismissal, Is Open to Delaying Sentencing
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s team on Tuesday confirmed it would oppose President-elect Donald Trump’s efforts to dismiss the charges against him in his hush money case, but indicated that his sentencing might face delay until after his presidency.
Read MoreTrump to Nominate Howard Lutnick as Commerce Secretary: Reports
President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly expected to nominate Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick as Commerce secretary, according to several news reports Tuesday morning.
Read MoreObama-Biden-Clinton Nuclear Giveaway to Russia a Decade Ago Comes Back to Bite America
The U.S. nuclear energy sector’s dependence on Russian uranium created during a failed Obama-era reset with Moscow is coming back to bite Americans as the Kremlin moves to block future exports of the vital fuel.
Read MoreTrump’s Pick for Energy Secretary Argues That Fossil Fuels Are Integral to Human Development
If approved by the Senate, Trump’s pick for Energy Secretary, Liberty Energy CEO Chris Wright, will be the first time the Department of Energy has had an executive in the energy industry lead it. In a statement on X, Wright said he’s “honored and grateful” for the opportunity.
Read MoreTrump Picks Former Insurance and Housing Chair Sean Duffy as Transportation Secretary
President-elect Donald Trump announced Monday that Fox Business host and former Republican Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy is his pick to serve as the U.S. Secretary of Transportation.
Read MoreHouse Ethics Committee Will Meet Wednesday to Discuss Results of Matt Gaetz Probe: Report
Members of the House Ethics Committee will meet on Wednesday to discuss its investigation into allegations that former Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz engaged in sexual misconduct with a minor, a source told NBC News on Monday.
The committee was expected to discuss the report last Friday, but postponed the discussion after Gaetz resigned from Congress last week after being nominated for attorney general. President-elect Donald Trump nominated Gaetz for the position last Wednesday.
Read MoreCommentary: Matt Gaetz Is the Right Choice for Attorney General
You could almost hear the audible gasp by establishment Washington, D.C. when they learned that former Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz was going to be appointed attorney general by President Donald Trump. Truthfully my first reaction was not positive either.
But sometimes first reactions are wrong.
Read MorePentagon Still Can’t Pass Audit Despite Years of Trying
The U.S. Department of Defense’s annual audit once again resulted in a disclaimer.
That means the federal government’s largest agency – with a budget of more than $840 billion – can’t fully explain its spending. The disclaimer this year was expected. And it’s expected again next year. The Pentagon previously said it will be able to accurately account for its spending by 2027.
Read MoreBucks County, Pennsylvania Votes to Count Illegal Ballots Because ‘People Violate Laws Any Time They Want’
The two Democratic members of the Bucks County Commission voted to count ballots the Pennsylvania Supreme Court determined are illegal in a previous ruling, with the county specifically giving election workers orders to count mail-in votes returned with an incomplete, incorrect, or missing date.
Read MoreDOJ Slams Fulton County for Lengthy Jail Stays in ‘Inhumane’ Facility as D.A. Fani Willis Struggles with 40,000-Case Backlog
The report issued by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) condemning the abysmal conditions at the Fulton County Jail comes as Fulton County faces a backlog of more than 40,000 cases, which may have contributed to the concerns raised in the report about the lengthy jail stays experienced by those incarcerated at the troubled facility.
The 97-page report containing the findings from the DOJ investigation that began last year accused the jail of violating the U.S. Constitution through the physical conditions at the jail, the county’s inability to guarantee the safety of inmates, and alleged violations of laws designed to protect Americans with disabilities, but also noted inmates “spend long periods detained in the Jail.”
Read MoreAs Matt Gaetz Faces Opposition, Trump’s Other DOJ Picks Could Anchor His Confirmation
Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., faces considerable opposition for the post of attorney general, but some of President-elect Donald Trump’s other picks for top Department of Justice officials could serve to assuage concerned senators. A conservative firebrand, Gaetz’s appointment has ruffled feathers among the Senate GOP and sent Democrats into a frenzy.
Read MoreTrump Taps Karoline Leavitt to Be the Next White House Press Secretary
President-elect Donald Trump on Friday announced that Karoline Leavitt would be serving as press secretary under his upcoming administration.
Read MoreJohnson to ‘Strongly Request’ House Ethics Panel Not Release Gaetz Report
House Speaker Mike Johnson on Friday indicated he would ask that the House Ethics Committee not release its findings on former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., whom President-elect Donald Trump has tapped to serve as attorney general.
Read MoreTrump Taps North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum for Interior Secretary
President-elect Donald Trump on Friday officially announced his selection of North Dakota GOP Gov. Doug Burgum to serve as secretary of the Interior and chairman of a new National Energy Council.
Read MoreCommentary: Barack Obama Is Perhaps Not the Political Genius He Tells Us He Is
Every few months, a sanitized report appears on the post-presidency activities of Barack Obama’s public advocacy. It’s a narrative that conveniently ignores the inherent problems in having a person with no constitutional role or congressional oversight take an active role in executive decision-making.
Read MoreGeorgia Secretary of State Makes Push for National Photo ID, Citizenship Verification in Voting
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced “Georgia Plan” for Congress to establish national election rules on Thursday, arguing the Peach State should serve as a model for to establish nationwide regulations that enhance election integrity.
“Voters nationwide deserve to participate in elections that have both security and integrity, along with easy access for eligible voters and quick and accurate reporting of results,” said Raffensperger in a statement, after citing Georgia’s successful early voting period for “a record turnout election that was safe, secure and accurate.”
Read MoreTrump Taps Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for HHS Secretary
President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday nominated 2024 Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.
Read MoreFloridians Hulk Hogan, Lara Trump, Pitbull Floated to Replace Secretary of State Nominee Rubio in the U.S. Senate
Professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, Lara Trump, co-chair of the Republican National Committee, and rapper Pitbull have been floated as possible replacements for outgoing Senator Marco Rubio who President-elect Trump nominated for secretary of State.
Read MoreMichigan House Bills for National Popular Vote are Pulled After Election Integrity Warning
Election integrity advocates in Michigan warned about bills in the state House that, if passed, would make the state part of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact and assign its electoral votes to whichever presidential candidate wins the national popular vote (NPV). The bills will no longer be considered this week, but could be brought up later.
Read MoreRepublicans Maintain House Control to Secure GOP Trifecta
Republicans are projected to maintain their majority in the House of Representatives, securing unified control of the federal government for the first two years of President-elect Donald Trump’s second term.
House Republicans, under Speaker of the House Mike Johnson’s leadership, will win at least 218 seats necessary for control of the chamber, Decision Desk HQ first projected Monday evening. CBS News projected GOP control of the House Wednesday, with Republicans netting at least 218 seats and Democrats holding 211. Six races have yet to be called, according to CBS News.
Read MoreRepublicans Nominate Mike Johnson for House Speaker
House Republicans voted on Wednesday to nominate House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to lead the lower chamber once more.
Read MoreTrump Taps Matt Gaetz for Attorney General
President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that he had chosen Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., to serve as Attorney General.
Read MoreTulsi Gabbard to Serve as Director of National Intelligence
President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday announced the selection of Tulsi Gabbard to serve as director of national intelligence.
Read MoreTrump Taps ‘Fearless Warrior’ Marco Rubio for Secretary of State
Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that he had selected Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., to serve as secretary of state.
Read MoreIn Return to Washington, Trump Shakes Hands with Biden at White House, Talks with GOP House Members
President-elect Donald Trump traveled to Washington, D.C., on Wednesday to visit the White House to meet with President Biden for the traditional transition-of-power meeting and to Capitol Hill to meet with fellow Republicans who during last week’s elections retained control of the House.
Read MoreSen. John Thune Wins Senate Majority Leader in Second Round of Voting
Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., won the post of Senate majority leader on Wednesday on the second round of voting.
Read MoreTrump Announces Senior White House Staff
President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday announced his selection of four key advisors to serve in the White House as senior staff.
Read MoreClimate Scientists Say Lines Between Science and Advocacy Are Being Blurred and Bias Normalized
Three climate researchers took to the pages of Nature to argue that objectivity in climate science is problematic, as it gets in the way of their political advocacy, which they argue is too important to deny. Therefore, the values of objectivity in scientific research, the authors argue, should be reconsidered.
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