Former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, who at one point was President-elect Trump’s pick for attorney general, is reacting to the House Ethics Committee’s report. And former President Bill Clinton remains hospitalized after developing a fever. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024.
Gaetz responds after House Ethics Committee releases report
The House Ethics Committee released its report on its investigation into former Congressman Matt Gaetz on Monday, Dec. 23. Now, the controversial former lawmaker has responded to the committee’s findings.
The investigation found “substantial evidence” President-elect Donald Trump’s first pick for attorney general broke state and federal laws while in office, including statutory rape of a 17-year-old girl.
Gaetz resigned from Congress in November after Trump elected him to lead the Department of Justice. He withdrew his name for consideration once stories about his alleged misconduct were revealed. The allegations caused him to lose support with Republican senators needed for confirmation.
Investigators with the House Ethics Committee conducted numerous interviews, reviewed thousands of documents and submitted dozens of subpoenas.
The committee typically doesn’t release its findings but a vote from the majority of the members said the report should be made public.
The House Ethics Committee said Gaetz attempted to derail its three-year investigation by refusing to be interviewed and failing to provide exonerating evidence.
Gaetz denies all allegations, calling them nothing more than “smears” from his political enemies.
He posted on X that he was “fully exonerated” by the DOJ following a federal investigation into sex trafficking claims in 2021. He said his actions were embarrassing but not criminal and he leads a different life now.
“In my single days, I often sent funds to women I dated – even some I never dated but who asked. I dated several of these women for years. I NEVER had sexual contact with someone under 18. Any claim that I have would be destroyed in court – which is why no such claim was ever made in court,” Gaetz wrote.
“My 30’s were an era of working very hard – and playing hard too. It’s embarrassing, though not criminal, that I probably partied, womanized, drank and smoked more than I should have earlier in life.”
Gaetz is suing the committee in federal court for releasing the report after he resigned from Congress. His lawyers argue the report will lead to irreversible damage to his reputation.
Gaetz has never been charged with a crime related to the report or any other allegations.
Straight Arrow News’ Political Correspondent Ray Bogan has a full report on the committee’s findings here.
Clinton remains hospitalized in D.C., recovering from fever
Former President Bill Clinton remains hospitalized in Washington, D.C. as he recovers from a fever. According to Angel Ureña, his deputy chief of staff, Clinton was admitted to MedStar Georgetown University Hospital Monday afternoon for testing and observation.
The 42nd president is said to be in good spirits. Ureña told CNN Clinton hopes to be home for Christmas.
A New York Post source suspected that the hospital trip came after the former president suffered from dehydration.
Bill Clinton is 78 years old. He has faced a number of health scares in the past, including being hospitalized in California in 2021 for a urinary tract infection. He also underwent two heart procedures at New York-Presbyterian Hospital — in 2004 and 2010.
California pier partially collapses, sending 3 into the Pacific Ocean
Rescuers pulled two people to safety and another person made it out on their own, after the Santa Cruz Pier in California partially collapsed Monday under a major storm surge.
About 150 feet of the pier had already been closed to the public because of damage from previous storms. That’s the portion that collapsed into the Pacific Ocean. It included a restroom building and construction equipment used for repairing the wharf.
Authorities said one of those who fell into the water was a manager on the construction project and the other two were contractors.
Investigators immediately evacuated the wharf. It will remain closed indefinitely.
The National Weather Service said the dangerous storm that led to the collapse will continue to impact beaches along the Pacific coast throughout Tuesday, Dec. 24.
Prosecutor drops appeal to reinstate charges in deadly ‘Rust’ shooting
Prosecutors in New Mexico have dropped their appeal to reinstate criminal charges against actor Alec Baldwin in connection with the deadly shooting on the set of the movie “Rust.” A judge previously dismissed the case against Baldwin in July after the defense accused prosecutors of withholding evidence.
Baldwin had been facing an involuntary manslaughter charge in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Baldwin was holding a prop gun that had been loaded with a live round when it discharged on the set near Santa Fe on Oct. 21, 2021, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.
Baldwin has maintained he never pulled the trigger on the gun and did not know it was loaded with a live round. Prosecutors withdrew the appeal after the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office said it “did not intend to exhaustively pursue the appeal on behalf of the prosecution.”
Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano erupting again
Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano is erupting again. The Hawaii Volcano Observatory said the eruption, which started about 2:30 a.m. Monday local time, is confined to a remote, closed area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island.
Experts said the biggest concern right now is the threat of volcanic smog, or “vog,” which could reach homes downwind.
Kilauea is one of the world’s most active volcanoes.
Where are you likely to see a ‘white Christmas’ this year?
Those dreaming of a white Christmas are more likely to see one this year than last, which saw the least snow coverage on Christmas morning since record-keeping began in 2003. According to The Weather Channel, higher elevations of the West and areas near the Canadian border have the best chance of snow this year.
Meteorologists said there’s a good chance of a white Christmas from North Dakota and northern Minnesota into the Upper peninsula of Michigan and parts of northern New England, as well sections of the Northeast — mainly west of I-95 — and in the upper-Mississippi Valley.
So, what exactly is a white Christmas? It’s defined as one inch of snow accumulation on the ground on the morning of Dec. 25.