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Trump team 'confident' Senate Republicans will approve cabinet selections
President-elect Trump's team is confident that Senate Republicans will approve his cabinet selection – despite some of the picks raising eyebrows from Republicans and Democrats alike.
A Trump transition official confirmed to Fox News that the president-elect is "confident that Senate Republicans will hold the line."
"President Trump is confident that Senate Republicans will hold the line and respect the will of the American people by approving his cabinet nominees," the official said.
The official said that Trump is "very happy" with the vice president-elect, saying that Vance is "laser focused on already getting the ball rolling on his highly-qualified nominees."
TRUMP PICKING CABINET AT BREAKNECK SPEED COMPARED TO 2016
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."
"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 previously told Fox News Digital when asked about Trump's speedy rollout of Cabinet picks.
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Trump's most contentious choice so far has been Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., for attorney general. The pick came as a surprise to many since the firebrand does not have any prior law enforcement experience and faces misconduct allegations.
Gaetz was under investigation by the House Ethics Committee, which subpoenaed him as recently as September for an ongoing investigation into alleged sexual misconduct with a minor.
LOYALTY MATTERS: TRUMP PICKS ALLIES AND SUPPORTERS TO FILL OUT HIS ADMINISTRATION
Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing and had told the panel he would "no longer voluntarily participate" in its probe. Gaetz resigned from Congress shortly after Trump made the announcement.
On Wednesday, Vance and Gaetz were spotted leaving the Capitol.
A source familiar previously told Fox News Digital that Gaetz is "working the phones" to address concerns from GOP senators ahead of his confirmation hearings next year. He is also making the rounds with Vance on Capitol Hill to meet with senators directly.
"The meetings have been productive with AG nominee Gaetz listening to senators' thoughts on the role of the DOJ and the confirmation process. Gaetz is looking forward to meeting with more senators throughout this process on the Hill," a Trump transition official told Fox News Digital.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Trump transition team for comment.
Fox News Digital's Emma Colton and Andrea Margolis contributed to this report.
Senate rejects Bernie Sanders' effort to block weapons sales to Israel
An effort by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., to block certain U.S. weapons sales to Israel was overwhelmingly rejected by the U.S. Senate Wednesday evening.
Sanders' joint resolution of disapproval, which was supported by Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.; Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.; and Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., intended to stop the White House's latest arms sales to the Israeli military. An effort to block the sales of tank rounds to Israel was voted down 79-18, and a measure intending to block mortar round shipments was rejected 78-19.
Speaking on the Senate floor, Sanders claimed the Israeli government is controlled "not only by right-wing extremists, but by religious zealots."
"It is time to tell the Netanyahu government that they cannot use U.S. taxpayer dollars and American weapons in violation of U.S. and international law and our moral values despite receiving $18 billion from U.S. taxpayers in the last year," Sanders said.
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"And being the largest historical recipient of U.S. foreign aid, the Netanyahu government has completely ignored the repeated requests of President Biden and the U.S. government."
The 83-year-old politician also decried living conditions in Gaza during his speech.
"Right now, there is raw sewage running through the streets of Gaza, and it is very difficult for the people there to obtain clean drinking water," Sanders said. "Every one of Gaza's 12 universities has been bombed … as have many hundreds of schools. For 13 months, there has been no electricity in Gaza.
"As I have said many, many times, Israel had the absolute right to respond to that horrific Hamas attack as any other country would," Sanders concluded. "I don't think anybody here in the United States Senate disagrees with that. But Prime Minister Netanyahu's extremist government has not simply waged war against Hamas. It has waged an all-out war against the Palestinian people."
Despite the vote, Sanders' effort was not wholly unpopular. Earlier this week, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., signaled support for the Vermont Independent's proposal.
"The failure by the Biden administration to follow U.S. law and to suspend arms shipments is a grave mistake that undermines American credibility worldwide," Warren said in a statement to The Guardian.
"If this administration will not act, Congress must step up to enforce U.S. law and hold the Netanyahu government accountable through a joint resolution of disapproval."
Fox News Digital's Jessica Sonkin and Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.
Trump-district House Democrat loses Alaska seat to political scion
Conservative Republican Nick Begich has won a tight race for Alaska's lone seat in the House of Representatives, according to the Associated Press.
Begich defeated his main rival, Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, the first Native Alaskan in Congress, and one of only five House Democrats currently representing a district won by President-elect Trump in 2020.
The win widens the Republican majority in the House to 219 and 213 for Democrats.
The GOP candidate is no stranger to politics, having been born into a prominent political family in Alaska – made up of mostly Democrats.
His grandfather, Nick Begich, Sr., was an Alaska congressman, before mysteriously disappearing on a flight and being pronounced dead in 1972. His uncle, Mark Begich, was a U.S. senator for Alaska from 2009 to 2015.
The other two hopefuls in the race were Alaska Independence Party candidate John Wayne Howe and Democratic candidate Eric Hafner.
In a statement, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) congratulated Begich for his "resounding victory."
"Congratulations to Congressman-elect Nick Begich on his resounding victory," NRCC Spokesperson Ben Petersen said in a statement. "Alaskans just sent an America First fighter to drain the swamp and stop the liberal war on Alaska, and Congressman-elect Begich will deliver."
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Alaska is one of only two states to use ranked-choice voting in federal elections, something that benefited Peltola in 2022, when Begich and former Gov. Sarah Palin knocked each other out of the running by splitting the Republican vote.
Republicans took a lesson from that defeat, however, and instead, coalesced around Begich earlier in the race.
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Alaska has just one House seat given its modest population compared to more densely packed states. It is also one of only two states to use ranked-choice voting in its federal elections.
Peltola won her seat in a special election following the sudden death of longtime Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, in 2022.
Young’s daughters and several former staffers endorsed Peltola for re-election in the November race later that year.
The moderate Democrat has been known to break from her party on certain climate and energy issues, among others.
Begich's victory is a much-needed win for House Republicans who have fought tooth-and-nail to retain and even expand their majority.
He was added to the House GOP campaign arm's "Young Guns" list in August of this year, giving him access to National Republican Congressional Committee resources, support, and advisement.
Trump picks former congressman Pete Hoekstra to be ambassador to Canada
President-elect Trump chose former ambassador and Rep. Pete Hoekstra for his pick for the U.S. ambassador to Canada.
"Pete is well-respected in the Great State of Michigan - A State we won sizably. He represented Michigan’s 2nd District in Congress for nearly 20 years, where he was also Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, and was a great help to our Campaign as Chairman of the Michigan Republican Party," Trump wrote in a Wednesday evening release.
Trump said that Hoekstra would help the president-elect's "American First" agenda.
"In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST," he wrote. "He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role. Thank you, Pete!"
GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP'S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR?
Hoekstra was the U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term.
Prior to his ambassadorship, he served 18 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing the 2nd District of Michigan, and served as chairman and ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee.
Trump's pick of Hoekstra on Wednesday came after he tapped former Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker to become U.S. ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in his new administration.
Opponents of failed California measure to raise minimum wage say voters 'made the right call'
Opponents of a defeated California ballot measure to raise the state's minimum wage said voters made the right call in pushing back against a proposal that would otherwise have resulted in higher inflation.
Proposition 32, which would have raised California's minimum wage to $18 per hour, was narrowly beaten back as only 49.2% of voters supported the proposed hike. The current minimum wage in the state is $16 per hour.
Fast-food restaurants with 60 or more locations are already mandated to pay their employees at least $20 per hour.
NEWSOM: CRITICS SAID CA WAGE INCREASE WOULD BE A JOB-KILLER; THE OPPOSITE HAPPENED
"Basic economics shows that raising the minimum wage ultimately drives up inflation and unemployment, predictably hurting workers and families," Republican State Sen. Brian Jones, the upper chamber's minority leader, told Fox News Digital. "More inflation and higher costs are the last things we need right now. Californians made the right call to reject Prop 32 and protect financial stability."
Business groups, including the California Chamber of Commerce, California Restaurant Association and California Grocers Association opposed the measure, saying high labor costs would hurt small businesses.
Chamber of Commerce CEO Jennifer Barrera told The Associated Press that the economy and personal costs were top of mind in the election, a message that resonated with the voters.
John Kabateck, the California director for the National Federation of Independent Business, said minimum wage hikes amid a period of inflation would have added to the current economic woes many residents already face.
"At the end of the day, this really came down to affordability for Californians already struggling," Kabateck told Fox News Digital. "People realized a higher minimum wage was not going to make their bad situation that much better."
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Prop 32 was authored by startup entrepreneur Joseph Sanberg, an anti-poverty advocate and major investor in Blue Apron, the ingredient-and-recipe meal kit company.
"The time is now, because the pandemic has heightened the people’s understanding of the realities so many Californians face," Sanberg said in his official ballot argument. "Cost of living is rising faster and faster... but wages haven’t increased commensurately."
Fox News Digital has reached out to Sanberg and various trade groups.
Sanberg was heavily involved in spearheading Prop 32.
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Jones called the measure a failed "publicity stunt" hatched by Sanberg that was part of "his pattern of misleading Californians."
"Known for posing as an environmentalist while facing scrutiny for dubious claims, Sanberg shifted tactics by pushing a minimum wage hike and falsely branding himself as a champion of the working class," he said. "Californians saw through his deception and rightly rejected his Prop 32 that would have decimated our economy."
Kabateck said policymakers in Sacremento didn't seem to be in touch with small business owners and voters struggling to get by.
"At the end of the day, who doesn't want a few dollars in their pocket? But at what cost?" he said.
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He has been a member of a church affiliated with the racist Black Liberation Theology movement for twenty years.
The Obamas, until recently, had been active members in the Trinity United Church of Christ of Chicago for about 20 years. The "About Us" section of Trinity United website underscores the racial tone and tenor of the church and its purpose: "We are a congregation which is Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian . . .Our roots in the Black religious experience and tradition are deep, lasting and permanent. We are an African people, and remain true to our native land . . .We constantly affirm our trust in God through cultural expression of a Black worship service and ministries which address the Black Community." For new attendees, the church offers a "Black and Christian New Member Class," clearly implying that one cannot be a member of this church if one is not black.
The Trinity United Church of Chicago is a proud member-church of the Black Liberation Theology movement. Much like the Holy Roman Empire was neither Holy nor Roman nor an Empire, Black Liberation Theology is neither a theology, nor about Liberation, nor strictly about black people. Black Liberation Theology is a subset of the global Liberation theology movement which was founded in Nicaragua and spawned vicious socialist dictators and rebels such as Che' Guevara. Black Liberation Theology is predicated on the notion of saving dark-skinned people through the gradual extermination of light-skinned people and their beliefs. The father of the Black Liberation Theology movement is James H. Cone and the bible of the Black Liberation Theology Movement is Cone's Black Theology and Black Power. The following is a quote from same book: "Black Theology refuses to accept a God who is not identified totally with the Black community. If God is not for us, and against white people, then he is a murderer and we had better kill him. The task of black theology is to kill gods who do not belong to the black community. . . . Black Theology will accept only the love of God which participates in the destruction of the white enemy."
This is the theological backdrop for Barrack Obama' s political activism. This is the church where the bombastic and racist Rev. Jeremiah Wright had served as pastor for the span of that time. Obama has described Wright as his "moral compass," "sounding board," "confidant," and "mentor." Wright married the Obamas and baptized their children. Only after 20 years, strong political pressure, and Wright disavowing Obama, did Obama finally disavow Wright. But Obama never thought to disavow Wright after any of the numerous racist and anti-Israel remarks made by Wright both at and away from the pulpit over the course of 20 years! Obama was also reluctant to reject Louis Farrakhan's endorsement until there was enough media scrutiny on the part of Tim Russert to make that endorsement another liability. Obama has a proven track record in doing what is politically wise, not morally wise.
Indeed, The Obamas not only had a personal relationship with Wright, but also a professional and financial one; The Obamas donated over $20,000 toward subsidizing Wright's activities, and until a few months ago, Wright sat on Obama's "African American Religious Leadership Committee." Obama misused the Trinity Church's tax-exempt status by giving a campaign speech which included campaign promises in a lecture he gave to the congregation in June of 2007. Obama borrowed the title of his book – "The Audacity of Hope" – from one of Reverend Wright's sermons.
The following words contained in Wright's sermons are well known, but what's not known is how they represent just the tip of the racist iceberg that is the Trinity United Church of Chicago:
"Barack knows what it means living in a country and a culture that is controlled by rich, white people; Hillary would never know that, Hillary ain't never been called a nigger".
"God damn America!"
Wright's explanation of the horrors of 9-11 is "America's chickens coming home to roost." Wright typically refers to America as the "U.S. of KKK A."
"We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans," he said, "and now we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back to our own front yards."
When many of these comments finally surfaced in the media, Obama originally responded by saying, "I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community," implying that the entire black community is racist and ignorant, and we should all come to expect and accept that fact!
Rev. Wright is an anti-Israel activist who has given sermons at Trinity United calling for the US to cease and desist from all aid to Israel. Wright publicly accused Israel of working with South Africa to build an "ethnic bomb" to kill Negroes and Arabs. Rev. Wright also allowed his church bulletin to publish an editorial by a Hamas terrorist named Marzook entitled, "A Fresh View of the Palestinian Struggle." Wright is also good friends with fierce and notorious anti-Semite, Louis Farrrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam movement. This same Farrakhan, who called Jews "bloodsuckers," was the recipient of an award from the Trinity United Church. The church's magazine also honored Louis Farrakhan in its front cover. Barrack Obama has yet to publicly condemn the granting of this award. In fact, all the evidence suggests that Obama, himself, has had a close relationship with Farrakhan. Obama even chose to march with Farrakhan in the Million Man March of 1995 despite the Anti-Defamation League pleading with African American leaders not to attend.
And it wasn't just Wright who gave anti-Israel and anti-Semitic sermons at Trinity. Father Pfleger and Reverend James Meeks, both supporters of Louis Farrakhan, have been regular guest speakers at Trinity over the years. When Jewish members of an Illinois state board, mandated with monitoring hate speech, resigned after a fellow board member affiliated with the Nation of Islam refused to denounce Farrakhan's anti-Semitism, Pfleger retorted with the words, "good riddance." Reverend Meeks has been known to scapegoat "Hollywood Jews" for corrupting the moral climate in America.
Barrack Obama may not be racist, much like Wright and Meeks and others who frequented Trinity United; Obama may have just been using the church for his political advantage. As Stanley Kurtz writes in a June 2 National Review Online article, "So Obama's political interest in Trinity went far beyond merely gaining a respectable public Christian identity. On his own account, Obama hoped to use the untapped power of the black church to supercharge hard-left politics in Chicago. He created a personal and institutional political base that would be free to part with conventional Democratic politics." The question voters must pose is, "does it matter?" If a candidate were a member of the KKK for 20 years just for his political advantage, would voters forgive him? So why should they forgive a member of the black version of the KKK?