12:30 Report — Gaetz ethics report hanging in limbo

12:30 REPORT

It’s Tuesday. Speaker Mike Johnson announced this morning that the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony will happen on Dec. 3! The holiday wreaths have also been hung at Union Station, and it’s starting to feel festive! 🎄 Here’s what’s happening today:

A Wednesday vote may decide whether we’ll see the Ethics Committee report on Matt Gaetz.
Trump privately acknowledges Gaetz may not get confirmed, reports the NYT.
Trump’s attending Elon Musk’s SpaceX launch today.
Trump taps a reality show star for Transportation secretary.
Dems vote to keep the same House leadership team in place.

I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send tips, commentary, feedback and cookie recipes to cmartel@thehill.com. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. 

🔐 Talk of the Morning

Are we going to see what’s in that Gaetz report?:

That’s the question de la semaine. The House Ethics Committee will meet Wednesday to discuss what happens to the now-defunct report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), the controversial figure whom Trump named as his attorney general pick.

Yes, but: A source told The Hill the meeting could be delayed since the plans have leaked. The meeting was originally scheduled for last Friday but was scrapped.

Do lawmakers want the report to be released?: Yes and no. Many lawmakers in both parties are calling for its release, arguing its relevance for the upcoming confirmation hearings and for the sake of transparency. However, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) wants the report to remain private because Gaetz is not a sitting lawmaker.

Do we know how committee members feel about its release?: The top Democrat on the House Ethics Committee, Rep. Susan Wild (Pa.), wants it to be released. That’s not a surprising position, though, due to her party affiliation and that she will leave Congress at the end of the year.

What would need to happen for it to be released?: More than half of the committee would need to vote “yes.” It’s an evenly split panel (five Republicans, five Democrats), so if one Republican votes with Democrats, it would be circulated.

➤ NEW — A POSSIBLE BREACH?:

The New York Times is reporting that a hacker may have gained access to damaging testimony involving Gaetz. What we know 👀

➤ DOES TRUMP THINK MATT GAETZ WILL GET CONFIRMED?:

Trump privately acknowledges that Gaetz may not get confirmed, reports The New York Times’s Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan. He’s been making calls on Gaetz’s behalf and has no plans to withdraw his nomination, though.

Who conducts nominees’ background checks? That’s up for debate:

The FBI traditionally conducts background checks for a president’s nominees ahead of their Senate confirmation hearings.

But this time around, some Trump advisers are suggesting a switch-up. Instead of the FBI, private investigators would conduct the background checks of high-level nominees.

There’s a snag, though: Senate Republicans are not on board with this process moving to the private sector. They argue the FBI has access to criminal information and therefore a more thorough check.

Why would Trump advisers want this change?: It could make it easier for some nominees to win Senate confirmation. Plus, many Trump allies don’t trust the FBI.

The Trump team may already be doing this: CNN reported last week that Trump’s transition team is bypassing the traditional background check process for some of his more controversial Cabinet picks, including former Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii).

Read more on the background check saga: ‘GOP senators deride idea of replacing FBI background checks for Trump nominees’

🤝 Trump’s Cabinet

This feels like an episode of ‘The Apprentice’:

President-elect Trump has named Sean Duffy as his incoming Transportation secretary.

Who is Sean Duffy?: He’s famously known as a former reality TV star, appearing on “The Real World: Boston.” He’s also a former congressman and Fox Business host.

➤ WHO’S IN THE CABINET?:

Here’s a helpful list of who Trump has selected so far.

➤ MORE READS:

The Hill: How Trump and Republicans could pay for new tax cuts
The New York Times: Trump Defies the #MeToo Movement With Cabinet Picks Facing Accusations
The Wall Street Journal: Donald Trump Jr. Goes All-In on the Anti-Woke Economy
The Washington Post: Trump tried to limit financial conflicts in 2017. This time could be different.
Op-ed in The Hill: What the exit polls say about the 2024 election
Time: As Trump Seeks Mass Deportations, Workplace Raids May Not Help Much

🚀 Happening Today

Buddies celebrating each other’s achievements:

SpaceX is conducting its sixth test launch today in Texas — and it will have a star guest: President-elect Trump.

When’s the launch?: 5 p.m. EST 💻 Watch

💡Musk has become increasingly powerful in the incoming Trump administration. He’s spent a lot of time with Trump in the postelection transition and has sat in on key meetings. He even joined Trump in Washington for his meeting with House Republicans. Trump named Musk as co-chair of the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency. Trump is reciprocating the affection, attending this launch and giving more attention to his ally’s company.

🗳️ Other News

Democrats aren’t switching things up:

House Democrats voted this morning to keep their top leadership team in place. This wasn’t much of a shock. Here’s the line-up:

House minority leader: Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.)
Democratic whip: Rep. Katherine Clark (Mass.)
Caucus chair: Rep. Pete Aguilar (Calif.)
Caucus vice chair: Rep. Ted Lieu (Calif.)
Assistant Democratic leader: Rep. Joe Neguse (Colo.)

➤ AN OPEN QUESTION FOR DEMS:

Vice President Harris’s campaign blew through more than $1 billion in spending. As Democrats examine what went wrong, there is growing scrutiny over that figure. Read Caroline Vakil and Julia Manchester’s report

➤ 👉 COMING UP LATER TODAY:

In The Hill’s Evening Report: Jonathan Easley digs into Democrats’ search for their new party leaders as they pick up the pieces from Nov. 5. Click here to sign up & get it in your inbox.

🐝 Internet Buzz

☕ Celebrate: Today is National Macchiato Day!

🍸 The Trump squad’s D.C. hangout?: There is no longer a Trump hotel in Washington so Washingtonian’s Jessica Sidman published a list of likely hangouts for the Trump crowd: The Big Board, Cafe Milano, The Capital Grille, Dirty Water, RPM Italian, Royal Sands Social Club, Shelly’s Back Room and Waldorf Astoria (the former Trump hotel).

🎁 If holiday gifts are already hanging over your head: Gear Patrol published a list of 100+ gift ideas, organized by varying price ranges.

📆 On The Agenda

The House and Senate are in. President Biden is in Rio de Janeiro. Vice President Harris is leaving Washington shortly and flying to Hawaii. (all times Eastern)

12:45 p.m.: Harris leaves for Los Angeles. She and second gentleman Doug Emhoff will then leave for Kalaoa, Hawaii.
1:15 p.m.: Biden holds a working lunch with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
1:30 p.m.: First House votes. Last votes are expected around 4 p.m. 📆 Today’s agenda
2 p.m.: FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell testifies on the response to hurricanes. 💻 Livestream
2:15 p.m.: Two Senate confirmation-related votes. 📆 Today’s agenda
3:20 p.m.: Biden leaves Brazil and returns to Washington.