Reaction to Trump’s pick of Matt Gaetz and mass resignation of X users: Morning Rundown

Donald Trump’s stunning pick for attorney general surprised some federal officials. The indictment reveals how local officials in Mississippi’s largest city became embroiled in the FBI’s bribery investigation. And menu prices in restaurants are finally stabilizing.

Here’s what you need to know today.

Justice Department officials and Republican senators stunned by Trump’s pick for attorney general

Statement by President-elect Donald Trump Election of Representative Matt Gaetz as attorney general It sent shockwaves through Washington, D.C., among Justice Department officials and senators who will vote early next year on whether to confirm the Florida congressman.

If Gaetz is confirmed to the nation’s top law enforcement position, he would oversee departments such as the FBI and the Department of Justice, which Trump has repeatedly attacked for years. Gaetz, a Trump loyalist known for rabble-rousing in Congress, has a law degree and briefly practiced law in Florida before entering politics, but never worked as a prosecutor.

Gaetz was also the subject of a federal investigation Allegations of sex trafficking against a 17-year-old girl are allegations that Gaetz has long denied. The investigation ultimately did not result in criminal charges.

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Speaker Mike Johnson said Gaetz submitted his resignation from the House after the election was announced, but it did not take effect because it had not yet been announced on the House floor. A special election will eventually be held in Florida to fill Gaetz’s seat.

Reaction to Trump’s choice was swift. One Justice Department official called the choice “truly striking,” while another called it “crazy.”

“I’m struggling to find the words. And look, he’s uniquely qualified,” another DOJ employee joked. “How many other attorney general candidates had prior experience being the subject of criminal investigations?” Read more About the backlash among current and former Justice Department officials.

Some Senate Republicans predict a difficult confirmation process. Sen. Lisa Murkowski said Gaetz’s pick was “not on my bingo card.”

“I don’t think this is a serious candidacy for attorney general. “This is Lisa Murkowski’s opinion,” he said.

Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst said Gaetz “has his work cut out for him.” Senate Democrats also expressed surprise; Sen. Chris Coons said she “didn’t talk,” while Sen. John Fetterman called the election “God-level trolling.” Read more About the senators’ reactions.

More coverage:

• Republicans will maintain control He narrowly voted into the House of Representatives, handing all power in Washington to Trump and his party. House Speaker Mike Johnson in closed-door meetings nominated for the role and Republican senators for their first full term Senator John Thune elected to be their next leader.
• A small and “chaotic” majority in the Republican House creates difficulties in the new Trump era.
• Trump He thanked President Joe Biden For a smooth transfer of power during White House meetings.
• Tulsi Gabbard Trump’s pick as director of national intelligence. Gabbard, a former House Democrat who has become a high-profile Trump supporter. Was at odds with the US intelligence community in the past.
• Pete Hegseth, whom Trump chose as secretary of defense has a history of eyebrow-raising commentsThis includes her belief that women should not serve in combat.
• Trump shows that he will elect Gaetz, Gabbard, Hegseth and others to serve in his next administration relying heavily on people he knows and loves this time.
• House Democrats plan to introduce a resolution that would enable this 22. Reconfirm the changeThe law that establishes the president’s term limits.
• Distrust of leadership and anger over lack of transparency on financial matters He hid Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign.
• Narrow Pennsylvania Senate race between Republican Dave McCormick and Democratic Senator Bob Casey going to recount.

X experiences biggest exodus ever under Elon Musk

Election Day X had the most traffic it had all year. However, according to research by Zirveweb, which monitors social media analytics, 115,414 accounts were disabled the next day; this was the highest number since Elon Musk took ownership of the social media platform. Meanwhile, daily traffic from rivals Bluesky and Threads has increased since the beginning of October.

High-profile brands and users like The Guardian and Don Lemon said they would stop posting as Musk became more concerned with Trump’s transition to the White House.

Reporters Kat Tenbarge and Kevin Collier spoke with six people who used or committed to using Threads and Bluesky over X after the election because of Musk. They cite growing problems on X, including bots, partisan ads, and harassment, all of which they say reached a tipping point when Trump won the election. For one user who left X, there was a stark change between what he saw on election night and the next day It was his “last straw”.

How did the FBI bribery operation unfold in Mississippi’s largest city?

When out-of-state developers approached local leaders in Jackson, Mississippi, about a hotel deal, they offered cash and a few generous bonuses in exchange for the deal.

The deal turned out to be fake. And the “developers” were actually FBI agents who conducted an operation that lasted about eight months and included private jet trips, meetings on yachts, shopping sprees and tons of cash.

Now, three city and county officials have been named in a federal indictment on conspiracy and bribery charges. They all pleaded not guilty. A fourth man resigned in August and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery.

Allegations in the federal indictment show that people entrusted with public office received more than $100,000 in “bribes” and that 26% of Jackson residents live in poverty. The scandal is just the latest in a series of challenges the city has faced in recent years. Read the full story here.

read all about it

• People living in New Jersey asked to reduce water usage and Gov. Phil Murphy issued a drought warning during a record drought that led to a staggering amount of wildfires.
• Supreme Court of Brazil Evacuated after two explosions nearbyThis raises security concerns ahead of the country hosting the G20 summit.
• Republican Representative Michael McCaul, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. was detained for a short time for appearing drunk at Washington DC’s Dulles International Airport.
• An eighth-grade trans boy who was allegedly threatened with expulsion from school for using the men’s restroom. South Carolina sues school district.
• four people in california They were accused of insurance fraud After claiming their car was trashed by a bear, it was actually someone in a bear costume.

Personnel Selection: Menu prices are finally stabilizing

Numerous restaurant studies say so, and this week the consumer price index confirmed it: Eating out is getting cheaper. While the Federal Reserve deserves praise for its efforts to rein in inflation, consumers could use some, too. Spending cuts have forced a reckoning among restaurants, with fast food brands like McDonald’s pivoting to value menus and full-service chains like Red Lobster embarking on ambitious changes. However, the question on the minds of many in the food industry is this: How will two big variables affect food prices?. Here’s a hint: They both start with the letter T. — J. J. McCorveybusiness and economics reporter

NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified

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• Lightweight packaging? these backpacks Tested and approved by editors and travel bloggers.

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