Politics
In post-midterms press conference, Biden pledges to work with Republicans
President Biden addresses post-midterms future, including his plans to run for reelection and negotiate for Brittney Griner’s release from Russia
Celebrating Democrats averting a “red wave” in the midterm elections, President Joe Biden pledged to work with congressional Republicans for the remainder of his first term in comments delivered Wednesday during a press conference in the White House’s State Dining Room.
“This election season, Americans made it clear that they don’t want every day to be a new political battle,” the president said. “The future of America is too precious to be caught in endless political warfare.”
From infrastructure to gun safety, Biden said his administration’s legislative accomplishments were made possible by bipartisan work. This work will continue, he said, regardless of what the final vote count will mean for control of the two chambers of Congress.
The president did draw a boundary around the proposals that Senate Republicans like Tim Scott (Fla.) and Ron Johnson (Wisc.) have put forth to scrap Social Security and Medicare. “Under no circumstances” will his administration go along with such plans, Biden said.
Nor would he sign any federal legislation that Congress may pass to curtail women’s right to abortions in the United States, he said on Wednesday.
After his prepared remarks, Biden answered questions from a handful of reporters who were preselected by the White House.
Several questions concerned tensions with Russia. Biden said now that the midterms are over, he expects Russian President Vladimir Putin will be better positioned to engage in good-faith negotiations for the return of American basketball star Brittney Griner.
Griner was transferred to a Russian penal colony today, where she will serve the remainder of a nine-year prison sentence over the alleged discovery of cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage.
Anthony Blinken, U.S. secretary of state, called the move “another injustice layered upon her ongoing unjust and unlawful detention.”
“I’m determined to get her home and get her home safely,” Biden said Wednesday.
The president also reiterated his intention to run for a second term in the White House and said business magnate Elon Musk’s relationships with other countries and their leaders “should be looked at,” though he stressed that he was not implying there was any wrongdoing.
Politics
Trump nominates gay man for Treasury secretary
Hedge fund executive would be the second openly gay cabinet secretary
President-elect Donald Trump nominated openly gay hedge fund executive Scott Bessent as U.S. Treasury secretary on Friday.
Once a prolific donor to Democrats and a protege of liberal billionaire philanthropist George Soros, if confirmed Bessent would be the first LGBTQ official to lead the Treasury Department and the second gay cabinet secretary after Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
“Trump’s selection of Bessent, who is also openly gay, married, and has two children with his partner, is also a reminder of President Trump’s love and respect for LGBT Americans,” the conservative LGBTQ group Log Cabin Republicans said in a statement.
“Scott Bessent is a terrific choice to become the next Treasury Secretary and the Log Cabin Republicans applaud President Trump for his pick,” the organization wrote. “As one of the most brilliant minds in the financial space and a vocal supporter of President Trump’s economic agenda, Bessent will be a strong asset to help President Trump put America back on the path to financial security and economic prosperity.”
Equality Forum, a national LGBTQ civil rights organization, which oversees LGBT History Month, noted the nomination of Scott Bessent in a press release, writing that he “is highly regarded by the financial community and founder of a global macro investment firm.”
Equality Forum Executive Director Malcolm Lazin added, “If confirmed, Bessent will be the highest ranking openly gay U.S. government official in American history.”
Politics
Karine Jean-Pierre addresses anti-trans bathroom policy targeting Sarah McBride
HRC condemns the effort as ‘cruel’ and ‘discriminatory’
During a briefing on Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre addressed the controversy over House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) move to restrict access to single-sex facilities in the U.S. Capitol and House office buildings based on birth gender.
The new policy, which mirrors a proposal introduced by U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) on Monday that was supported by other House Republicans including U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), comes as Congress prepares to welcome its first trans member, Sarah McBride.
Mace conceded that her bathroom policy was intended to target the Delaware state senator, who will represent the state’s at-large congressional district when she is seated in January.
“When I think about that question, I think about what the congresswoman-elect said,” Jean-Pierre told reporters, referencing a statement issued by McBride on Wednesday. “As you know, the president has a close relationship with and is very proud of her.”
She continued, “And what she said is ‘I’m not here to fight about bathrooms. I’m here to fight for Delawareans and to bring down costs facing families.’ And we agree with her. We think that’s incredibly important: To focus on the American people” and her constituents.
Asked whether President Joe Biden has been in touch with McBride in recent days, Jean-Pierre said, “I don’t have a conversation to speak to,” adding that “as you know” the two spoke when the president made a congratulatory call to McBride on election night.
“He was able to call her and congratulate her,” the press secretary said. “I don’t have anything else to add, but I think her words speak volumes.”
McBride’s statement, published on X, reads in part, “Like all members, I will follow the rules as outlined by Speaker Johnson, even if I disagree with them. This effort to distract from the real issues facing this country hasn’t distracted me over the last several days.”
I’m not here to fight about bathrooms. I’m here to fight for Delawareans and to bring down costs facing families. pic.twitter.com/bCuv7pIZBY
— Sarah McBride (@SarahEMcBride) November 20, 2024
Following Johnson’s introduction of the bathroom policy on Wednesday, Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson shared a statement with the Washington Blade:
“This new cruel and discriminatory policy has nothing to do with helping the American people or addressing their priorities–it’s all about hurting people.
“It targets not just Rep.-elect McBride, but all trans and nonbinary people who work and visit the Capitol — public servants who have been working in the Capitol for years but are now suddenly the subject of cynical political games.
Speaker Johnson has proven yet again that the Republican majority is more focused on culture wars than on the needs of the country.”
Politics
Matt Gaetz withdraws nomination for attorney general
Former congressman was dogged by allegations of sex crimes, illegal drug use
President-elect Donald Trump’s most controversial cabinet nominee so far, former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), has withdrawn his name from consideration for the role of U.S. attorney general after a week of intense scrutiny over the allegations of sex crimes and illegal drug use that have trailed the former congressman for several years.
Even with a Republican-led U.S. Senate, Gaetz’s path to confirmation was far from certain with senators expressing an interest in seeing the findings of a U.S. House Ethics Committee report about the lawmaker, who resigned from Congress two days before the document was to be made public.
Others, like U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), called Trump’s attorney general pick unserious or otherwise took issue with his lack of qualifications to lead the Justice Department. Gaetz’s legal experience is limited to a three-year stint at a small law firm in Florida’s Okaloosa County.
“While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance transition,” he said in a statement on X Thursday. “There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as attorney general.”
I had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback – and the incredible support of so many. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance…
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) November 21, 2024
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