The Evening: Republicans block release of Gaetz report

Also, Biden agreed to give Ukraine anti-personnel mines.

View in browser|nytimes.com November 20, 2024 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Wednesday. The Gaetz ethics report U.S. anti-personnel mines for Ukraine Plus, Daniel Craig in "Queer" Former Representative Matt Gaetz has denied accusations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use. Kenny Holston/The New York Times A House panel deadlocked on whether to release Gaetz report House Republicans on the ethics committee voted today to block the release of a report about sexual misconduct and illicit drug use allegations against Matt Gaetz, a former representative who is Donald Trump's pick to be attorney general. Democrats on the panel, which is evenly split along party lines, voted to release it. The committee last week halted a vote on the report's release after Gaetz abruptly resigned from Congress. Senators in both parties have clamored to see the report — the result of a yearslong bipartisan investigation — as part of their vetting of presidential nominees, who normally require Senate confirmation. If the House declines to share it, a constitutional clash between the two chambers could result. Democrats on the ethics panel said they would reconvene next month to discuss the report. The committee obtained a document in which federal investigators established a trail of payments from Gaetz to women, including some who testified that he hired them for sex. You can see it here. Gaetz, who has gleefully disparaged some Republican senators whose votes he now needs, went to Capitol Hill today to win the support of key members. He was ushered to the meetings by Senator JD Vance, the vice president-elect. Vance is planning on doing the same tomorrow for Pete Hegseth, the Fox News host tapped to lead the Pentagon. Both men have come under fire for allegations of sexual misconduct. Both vehemently deny the accusations. Far less has sunk previous nominees. In other politics news: Trump tapped Matthew Whitaker, who served as acting attorney general in 2018, as ambassador to the NATO. The president-elect's pick for education secretary, Linda McMahon, is an unconventional choice. Speaker Mike Johnson said he supported an effort to block Sarah McBride, the first transgender member of Congress, from using Capitol women's rooms. Dr. Mehmet Oz, whom Trump tapped to run Medicare, has a record of promoting health misinformation. Republicans in Congress are eyeing cuts to Medicaid. We mapped out electoral turnout. See what it was like in your county. A Ukrainian soldier outside Toretsk, in October. Tyler Hicks/The New York Times Biden agreed to give Ukraine anti-personnel mines The Biden administration announced today that it had agreed to supply Ukraine with American anti-personnel mines to use against Russia. The decision, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said, was prompted by Russia's increasing reliance on foot soldiers, rather than armored vehicles, to lead its assaults. Mines have already been devastatingly effective in the war. Russia has made extensive use of them, including to stymie a Ukrainian counteroffensive in the summer of 2023. As the war enters its fourth winter, Russia is making gains while Kyiv's forces are facing shortages of personnel and artillery. My colleagues Marc Santora and Tyler Hicks reported from the eastern front, where the Ukrainians are "simply worn out." Angela Weiss/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images The U.S. vetoed a Gaza cease-fire resolution The U.S. today vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution that called for an immediate cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. All 14 other members of the Council voted to approve it. The Americans said they had vetoed the resolution because it did not make the cease-fire contingent on the release of the hostages held in Gaza. The resolution does call for their release, but the wording suggests it would come only after a cease-fire was implemented. In Lebanon, a top U.S. envoy said there was progress today in discussions seeking a truce between Israel and Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group whose rockets remain a threat despite a crushing offensive by Israel. Ben Wiseman Google spent 15 years concealing internal conversations Since 2008, Google has embarked on a campaign to conceal internal communications in an attempt to avoid antitrust suits. The company systematically told employees to destroy messages, avoid certain words in internal communications and copy lawyers on documents as often as possible even if no legal questions were involved. The Times pieced together the development of this distrustful culture from hundreds of documents and exhibits, as well as witness testimony in three antitrust trials against the company. The documents reveal that even as the internet giant stored the world's information, it created an office culture that tried to minimize its own paper trail. More top news Weather: A strong storm system hit Northern California, snarling travel and leaving tens of thousands of people without power. Days' worth of rain fell on some places in just a few hours. Georgia: A Venezuelan migrant was convicted of murdering Laken Riley, a nursing student whose killing was seized on by supporters of a border crackdown. Texas: The state has begun placing more buoys in the Rio Grande to block migrants, a direct challenge to the Biden administration. China: As Trump returns to power, leaders of other countries are searching for stability with Beijing. Hong Kong: Jimmy Lai, the founder of the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, testified for the first time at his landmark national security trial. Media: Comcast said it would spin off its cable networks, including MSNBC and CNBC, which generate roughly $7 billion in revenue annually. Business: Target's stock fell more than 21 percent after showing weak sales ahead of the holiday season. Nvidia, the A.I. chip sensation, doubled its profit. Nature: U.S. officials called for restricting the import of hunting trophies, pelts, bone carvings and other items from giraffes, whose population is in decline. TIME TO UNWIND Thea Traff for The New York Times Daniel Craig reintroduces himself In the upcoming film "Queer," adapted from a William Burroughs novel, the British actor Daniel Craig shows a very different side after being the face of James Bond for the better part of 15 years. He plays Lee, an American expat in midcentury Mexico City, who finds himself undone by an obsession with a coolly distant younger man. As Bond, Craig was the very image of masculine cool, but "Queer" represents a return to the sexually daring films he made much earlier in his career. Read Kyle Buchanan's profile. Tony Cenicola/The New York Times It's time to plan your holiday cards If you're sending cheer through the mail this season, now is the time to get started. Organizing addresses should be your first priority. If you're quick, you might be able to take advantage of Black Friday deals on services that design and print cards. Photos and long letters are optional, but good grammar is not, so we included some tips. Gift ideas: What do you get for a sick loved one? A teenager discovering his style? We asked for your toughest gifting questions, and we have answers. Deena So'Oteh Dinner table topics Late-night royalty: Johnny Carson is fondly remembered as a generous host. But there was a darkness at the heart of his appeal. Great American Rail Trail: A cross-country bike path is under development. We explored its geographic midpoint. N.F.L. power rankings: We ranked every team, from best to worst. Online school: At 17, Sophia Park is believed to be the youngest person to pass the California bar exam. WHAT TO DO TONIGHT David Malosh for The New York Times Cook: Ayesha Curry's crab mac and cheese is surprisingly satisfying, even though many cooks don't typically pair seafood and cheese. Watch: "Tuesday" is one of this month's best under-the-radar streaming picks. Protect: We have tips on how to add extra security layers to your phone or tablet. Decorate: Interior designers explain how to make your sofa even more inviting. Share: What were the best things you watched, read and heard this year? Tell us. Sip: These are the best teas we have tasted. Test yourself: Take our quiz to see how well you know famous children's books. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here. ONE LAST THING Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times Magritte joined the $100 million club "The Empire of Light," by the Belgian Surrealist René Magritte, sold at auction in Manhattan last night for a whopping $121.2 million. The painting, from 1954, enigmatically positions a nocturnal street below a bright daytime sky. The price was the highest ever paid for a Surrealist painting. It made Magritte one of just 16 artists whose work has fetched nine figures — a group that includes Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh and Leonardo da Vinci. Have a valuable evening. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew Philip Pacheco was our photo editor today. We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com. Writer: Matthew Cullen Editorial Director: Adam Pasick Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter, Jonathan Wolfe Need help? 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