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Outgoing Representative Successfully Sabotages Gaetz, Violates Oath: Report

Governor Tom Wolf from Harrisburg, PA, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

The top Democrat on the House Ethics Committee…

Outgoing Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.), the top Democrat on the House Ethics Committee, has admitted to leaking confidential details of the panel’s investigation into former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to the press, a move that violated her sworn oath of office.

The leaks played an integral role in disrupting Gaetz’s path to becoming the Trump administration‘s attorney general. According to multiple sources, Wild was absent from the Ethics Committee’s meeting last week, after being identified as the source of the leaks that underpinned press reports on the investigation.

The Hill continues:

It remains unclear if Wild voluntarily skipped the Thursday gathering or was asked not to attend, what information she leaked and to whom, and how the panel tracked her back as being the leaker. Two sources said Wild ultimately acknowledged to the panel that she had leaked information.

Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) served as acting ranking member during Thursday’s meeting, according to a source, who noted that any time a member of the panel is absent, there is an acting ranking member in their place.

It also remains unclear if the Pennsylvania Democrat, who is leaving Congress at the end of the year, will be present at Ethics Committee meetings in the future. Rep. Michael Guest (R-Miss.), the chair of the panel, told reporters that Thursday’s meeting was not the last for the group.

In a statement to The Hill, Wild’s chief of staff, Jed Ober, said the congresswoman skipped last week’s meeting because she was “frustrated” with how the Gaetz report had been handled, and said characterizing her absence as anything more was “inaccurate.”

“Rep. Wild was frustrated by the manner in which the report was handled and didn’t feel it was fruitful to participate in any further meetings on its ‘potential’ release. Characterizing it as anything more is inaccurate. There will be no further statement,” Ober said in curt, precise sentences.

A Leak with Consequences

The situation first came to light when The New York Times reported that an anonymous hacker had obtained transcripts containing sensitive testimony that cast aspersions on Gaetz, then President-elect Donald Trump‘s nominee for attorney general.

Amid growing scrutiny and political fallout, Gaetz voluntarily withdrew his name from attorney general consideration on Nov. 21. The decision was made in part to avoid controversy for Trump ahead of his administration’s transition to power. Gaetz later announced he would not seek a return to Congress in 2025, despite being reelected to his seat.

The fallout from the leaks coincided with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) urging Senate Republicans to expedite the confirmation process for Trump’s cabinet picks. “I trust, we trust, and hope that Senate Republicans and the whole Senate will perform their constitutional responsibility to advise and consent on President Trump’s nominees and to do that in a speedy, expeditious manner,” Johnson stated.

Following Gaetz’s withdrawal, Trump nominated former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to serve as attorney general.

Wild’s Legacy and Exit

Wild, who has represented Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District since 2019, will leave office in January 2025 after losing her reelection bid to Republican Ryan Mackenzie. The district, a political bellwether encompassing Allentown and Bethlehem, has consistently been a pivotal battleground in presidential elections.

Notably, as the ranking member of the Ethics Committee, she would be acutely aware that all members and their staff are required to take an oath stating:

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will not disclose, to any person or entity outside the Committee on Ethics, any information received in the course of my service with the Committee, except as authorized by the Committee or in accordance with its rules.”

Gaetz’s Next Chapter

Meanwhile, Gaetz is poised to transition to a new role in the media. He is set to launch The Matt Gaetz Show on One America News (OAN) in January 2025, where he will host a nightly program airing at 9 p.m.

This article originally appeared on American Liberty News. It is republished with permission.

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Joni Ernst Backs Hegseth For Defense Secretary After Pressure From Team Trump

By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America - Pete Hegseth, CC BY-SA 2.0

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) announced her support for Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense Monday evening, marking a reversal from her earlier reluctance to back the embattled nominee. Ernst’s decision came just days after she indicated skepticism about Hegseth’s qualifications for the role.

According to Politico, Ernst’s shift followed a concerted effort by President-elect Trump’s allies to persuade her. The report describes an intense pressure campaign that reportedly left the senator’s political life “extremely uncomfortable.”

Mediaite further reports:

Last Thursday, after meeting with Hegseth, who has been accused of sexual assault and alcohol abuse, Ernst, a veteran and sexual assault survivor, told Fox News’ Bill Hemmer that she was undecided on his nomination.

“I think for a number of our senators, they want to make sure that any allegations have been cleared, and that’s why we have to have a very thorough vetting process,” she said at the time.

On Monday, after another meeting with Hegseth, Ernst changed her tune in a statement:

I appreciate Pete Hegseth’s responsiveness and respect for the process. Following our encouraging conversations, Pete committed to completing a full audit of the Pentagon and selecting a senior official who will uphold the roles and value of our servicemen and women — based on quality and standards, not quotas — and who will prioritize and strengthen my work to prevent sexual assault within the ranks. As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources.

However, sources close to the matter strongly implied Ernst’s change of heart went beyond a productive discussion with Hegseth. One Trump ally, speaking to Politico, emphasized the role of grassroots activism, saying Ernst faced “an onslaught of criticism from MAGA activists” and “got the message loud and clear.”

In recent days, allies of Trump adopted an approach that is not novel for the president-elect and his followers: Make life extremely uncomfortable for anyone who dares to oppose him. The swarm of MAGA attacks that Sen. Joni Ernst has experienced is a warning of what’s in store for others who express skepticism of his personnel choices.

Days after signaling she continued to have serious concerns about confirming Hegseth, Ernst on Monday sounded a different note. She described their conversation Monday afternoon as “encouraging,” said she would “support” Hegseth through the process, touted some of the commitments he made to her about what he would do in the role, and suggested she would only take allegations against him seriously if they come from named accusers.

The change in tune followed an aggressive push for Hegseth by top Trump allies and supporters, as well as a defiant performance by the Defense secretary nominee that has Trump’s team bullish on him getting confirmed. But it’s not just Hegseth. Trump allies believe his choice to lead the FBI, Kash Patel, and his nominee for director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, are in a stronger position as well.

With a narrow Senate majority, endorsements from key Republican senators like Ernst are critical to the prospects of Trump’s nominees.

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Report: Trump Team Mulling Replacement For Controversial Admin. Nominee

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By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America - Pete Hegseth, CC BY-SA 2.0

This Trump nominee could already be on his way out…

President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team has reportedly been drafting a list of alternative nominees for Defense Secretary in case Trump rethinks his choice of, Fox & Friends Weekend co-host Pete Hegseth.

According to Vanity Fair, which spoke to two unnamed Republican sources “close to Trump,” the president-elect’s transition team has been “quietly preparing a list of alternative defense secretary candidates should Trump abandon Hegseth,” following news of a 2017 sexual assault allegation.

“It’s becoming a real possibility,” claimed one of the sources. The other source said, “People are upset about the distraction. The general feeling is Pete hasn’t been honest.”

Shortly after Trump announced his decision to nominate Hegseth for secretary of defense this month, the Trump transition team was informed about a 2020 payment Hegseth reportedly made to a woman who accused him of sexually assaulting her at a hotel and spa in 2017.

In a statement, Hegseth’s lawyer Timothy Parlatore insisted, “Mr. Hegseth is completely innocent. Not only did she take advantage of him, but we believe she then extorted him knowing that at the height of the #MeToo movement the mere public allegation would likely result in his immediate termination from Fox News.”

The New York Times reported last week that Trump had “not moved off supporting Mr. Hegseth, despite claims that his team was reassessing the pick, according to several people close to the incoming president.”

Hegseth’s nomination took Senate Republicans by surprise.

Asked for his thoughts on the nomination, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) reportedly remarked, “Really? I’d have to think about it.”

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) reacted, “Wow… I’m just surprised because the names that I’ve heard for Secretary of Defense have not included him,” while Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) asked, “Who?”

Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) was more optimistic about the nomination, calling Hegseth “an impressive individual.”