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WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s allies on Capitol Hill rallied around Pete Hegseth , Trump’s Pentagon pick, on Thursday even as new details surfaced about allegations that he had sexually assaulted a woman in 2017. The GOP embrace of Hegseth came as another controversial Trump nominee, Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration for attorney general. Gaetz said it was clear he had become a “distraction" amid pressure on the House to release an ethics report about allegations of his own sexual misconduct. An attorney for two women has said that his clients told House Ethics Committee investigators that Gaetz paid them for sex on multiple occasions beginning in 2017, when Gaetz was a Florida congressman. People are also reading... 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At the same time, his transition has so far balked at the vetting and background checks that have traditionally been required. While few Republican senators have publicly criticized any of Trump's nominees, it became clear after Gaetz's withdrawal that many had been harboring private concerns about him. Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, who served with Gaetz in the House, said it was a “positive move.” Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker said it was a “positive development.” Maine Sen. Susan Collins said Gaetz “put country first and I am pleased with his decision.” After meeting with Hegseth, though, Republicans rallied around him. “I think he’s going to be in pretty good shape,” said Wicker, who is expected to chair the Senate Armed Services Committee in the next Congress. Republican senators' careful words, and their early reluctance to publicly question Trump's picks, illustrated not only their fear of retribution from the incoming president but also some of their hopes that the confirmation process can proceed normally, with proper vetting and background checks that could potentially disqualify problematic nominees earlier. Gaetz withdrew after meeting with senators on Wednesday. Sen. Thom Tillis said Gaetz was “in a pressure cooker” when he decided to withdraw, but suggested that it would have little bearing on Trump’s other nominees. “Transactions — one at a time,” he said. As the Hegseth nomination proceeds, Republicans also appear to be betting that they won't face much backlash for publicly setting aside the allegations of sexual misconduct — especially after Trump won election after being found liable for sexual abuse last year. Hegseth held a round of private meetings alongside incoming Vice President JD Vance on Thursday in an attempt to shore up support and told reporters afterward: “The matter was fully investigated and I was completely cleared, and that’s where I’m gonna leave it.” A 22-page police report report made public late Wednesday offered the first detailed account of the allegations against him. A woman told police that she was sexually assaulted in 2017 by Hegseth after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave. The report cited police interviews with the alleged victim, a nurse who treated her, a hotel staffer, another woman at the event and Hegseth. Hegseth’s lawyer, Timothy Palatore, said the incident was “fully investigated and police found the allegations to be false.” Hegseth paid the woman in 2023 as part of a confidential settlement to head off the threat of what he described as a baseless lawsuit, Palatore has said. Wicker played down the allegations against Hegseth, a former Fox News host, saying that “since no charges were brought from the authorities, we only have press reports.” Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., said after his meeting with Hegseth that he "shared with him the fact that I was saddened by the attacks that are coming his way.” Hagerty dismissed the allegations as “a he-said, she-said thing” and called it a “shame” that they were being raised at all. The senator said attention should instead be focused on the Defense Department that Hegseth would head. It's one of the most complex parts of the federal government with more than 3 million employees, including military service members and civilians. Sexual assault has been a persistent problem in the military, though Pentagon officials have been cautiously optimistic they are seeing a decline in reported sexual assaults among active-duty service members and the military academies. Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, who will be the No. 2 Republican in the Senate next year, said after his meeting with Hegseth that the nominee is a strong candidate who “pledged that the Pentagon will focus on strength and hard power – not the current administration’s woke political agenda.” Senate Republicans are under pressure to hold hearings once they take office in January and confirm nominees as soon as Trump is inaugurated, despite questions about whether Trump’s choices will be properly screened or if some, like Hegseth, have enough experience for the job. Senate Armed Services Chairman Jack Reed, who will be the top Democrat on the panel next year, said the reports on Hegseth “emphasized the need for a thorough investigation by the FBI on the background of all the nominees.” It takes a simple majority to approve Cabinet nominations, meaning that if Democrats all opposed a nominee, four Republican senators would also have to defect for any Trump choice to be defeated. Trump has made clear he’s willing to put maximum pressure on Senate Republicans to give him the nominees he wants – even suggesting at one point that they allow him to just appoint his nominees with no Senate votes. But senators insist, for now, that they are not giving up their constitutional power to have a say. “The president has the right to make the nominations that he sees fit, but the Senate also has a responsibility for advice and consent,” said Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota. In the case of Gaetz, he said, “I think there was advice offered rather than consent.” Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. 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Arne Slot has admitted that Real Madrid were a 'pain in the a**' for Liverpool before their 2-0 Champions League triumph on Wednesday evening. The Reds had gone eight straight games without getting the better of Los Blancos, with their most-recent win coming in 2009. Goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo put that right this time round, sending Liverpool top of the European table with a perfect record of five wins, zero draws and zero defeats. After the game, Slot admitted that Real had been a thorn in his new club's side for years - albeit before he took the reins from Jurgen Klopp this summer. "I wouldn't say it's the same as any other game because we know how special it is to play against the club that has won the Champions League so many times, and the reigning champions as well," the Dutchman told TNT Sports . "They were a pain in the a** for Liverpool many times as well, so we knew it was a big week. Not only the result, but also the way we played - it's pleasing to see." Liverpool have now won six straight games in all competitions, with Slot opening up an eight-point gap over Manchester City in the Premier League title race, leading the way in the Champions League and battling through to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals. The Merseysiders were expected to go through a tricky transition period in the wake of Klopp 's departure, but Slot has taken to life in England like a duck to water. And the ex-Feyenoord head coach is relieved that his new players have adapted to the new style of play so swiftly. "If you start at a new club, you want to implement your playing style as quickly as possible," Slot explained. "That was not so difficult because the playing style is so similar to Jurgen's, especially without the ball. "There are certain details, maybe with the ball, that we do a bit differently. It's very pleasing to see not only the starters but also the players on the bench today, if they are in the starting line-up they do the same." Liverpool are already in control of their own destiny, but they can make a real statement of Premier League intent this Sunday when they host City at Anfield. The reigning champions are on a dreadful run of form, losing five matches on the spin before surrendering a three-goal lead to draw with Slot's former club, Feyenoord, on Tuesday.
Rico Carty, who won the 1970 NL batting title when he hit a major league-best .366 for the Atlanta Braves, has died. He was 85. Major League Baseball , the players' association and the Braves paid tribute to Carty on social media on Sunday. No further details on Carty's death were provided. “Carty was one of the first groundbreaking Latino stars in the major leagues, and he established himself as a hero to millions in his native Dominican Republic, his hometown of San Pedro de Macoris, and the city of Atlanta, where he was a beloved fan favorite,” the players' association said in its statement . The Braves said Carty left an indelible mark on the organization. People are also reading... “While his on-field accomplishments will never be forgotten, his unforgettable smile and generous nature will be sorely missed,” the team said in its statement. Carty made his big league debut with the Braves in September 1963. He batted .330 with 22 homers and 88 RBIs in his first full season in 1964, finishing second to Dick Allen in voting for NL Rookie of the Year. The Braves moved from Milwaukee to Atlanta after the 1965 season, and Carty got the franchise's first hit in its new home on April 12, 1966, against Pittsburgh. Carty had his best year in 1970, batting .366 with 25 homers and a career-best 101 RBIs. He started the All-Star Game after he was elected as a write-in candidate, joining Willie Mays and Hank Aaron in the NL outfield. Carty batted .299 with 204 homers and 890 RBIs over 15 years in the majors, also playing for Cleveland, Toronto, Oakland, Texas and the Chicago Cubs. He retired after the 1979 season. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Cardinals' Kyler Murray faces Patriots for 1st time since his ACL injury against them 2 years ago10 notable books of 2024, from Sarah J. Maas to Melania TrumpInjuries pile up, 49ers uncertain QB Brock Purdy can return Sunday
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After missing two games with a head injury, UConn's Alex Karaban is expected to return to the lineup when the No. 25 Huskies battle the Texas Longhorns on Sunday in Austin, Texas. Karaban was injured against Dayton in the final game of the Maui Invitational. Earlier this week, UConn head coach Danny Hurley said Karaban is feeling better, and he told reporters Saturday that Karaban "should be available" to play against the Longhorns, barring any setbacks. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
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The Stock Market Rally Isn’t Just Big Tech Anymore. Why Investors Still Should Be Cautious.Lil Wayne, GloRilla, Camila Cabello to perform at College Football National ChampionshipGLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Kyler Murray was driving to the Arizona Cardinals' practice facility Wednesday when he realized that it had been almost exactly two years since he tore the ACL in his right knee in a game against the New England Patriots. Then another thought crossed his mind: It was the Patriots who were coming to town this Sunday for the first time since the injury. “Yeah, it’s a little weird,” Murray said with a wry grin. "I will try not to have that happen again.” The injury on Dec. 12, 2022, cost Murray roughly 11 months of his career, but he has been healthy this season. And now the Cardinals (6-7) are clinging to playoff hopes when they host the Patriots (3-10) on Sunday. Both teams have lost three straight games. The Patriots are coming off their bye week and haven't played since a 25-24 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Dec. 1. The Cardinals are trying to move past a brutal 30-18 loss to NFC West rival Seattle which knocked them into a tie for last place in the tightly packed division. Murray is coming off one of his worst games since the injury, throwing two interceptions that each eventually lead to touchdowns for Seattle. It was a rare blemish on an otherwise solid season — he has thrown for 2,862 yards, 15 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Now the Cardinals are pretty much in must-win territory. “For us, all we can do is control what we can control and that’s this weekend,” Murray said. "Today, tomorrow, go out there on Sunday and play good football.” The Cardinals' defense needs a better performance after giving up 409 total yards to Seattle last week, including 176 yards on the ground. Tightening against the run game is particularly important against New England's rookie quarterback Drake Maye, who's averaging 9.1 yards per rush on 38 attempts. The highest rushing average for an NFL quarterback in a single season is 8.5 by Michael Vick in 2006, when he had 123 rushing attempts for 1,039 yards with Atlanta. Maye's far from one-dimensional. He has thrown for at least 220 yards in each of the past three games, improving rapidly. The Patriots took Maye with the No. 3 overall pick out of North Carolina. “Yeah, I think he’s grown since he’s been playing,” coach Jonathan Gannon said. “I think he’s playing probably his best ball right now, probably just because of the experience. So definitely his skillset jumps out. You can see why he was taken so high. He’s a good player and he is ascending.” New England offensive lineman Cole Strange has a new haircut and could make his season debut, possibly at a new position. Strange, who usually sports curly locks, returned from the Patriots’ bye week with a buzz cut. It could coincide with a possible switch to center after he was activated this week, making him eligible to see his first game action since suffering a season-ending knee injury in 2023. A 2022 first-round pick, Strange started 10 games at left guard last season before being placed on injured reserve. Strange has been working at both left guard and center since he returned to practice Nov. 20 and could see his first NFL snaps at the latter position. Longtime Patriots center David Andrews had season-ending shoulder surgery in October. Ben Brown has started the last eight games at center. Murray said the Cardinals can't take the Patriots lightly despite their mediocre record. He compared New England to where Arizona was at last season, when the team was out of the playoff race but playing some good football down the stretch. Murray was particularly complimentary of Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez, saying he was a “big fan.” Both players are Texas natives. “We were kind of in a similar situation as them, then went on the road to Pittsburgh, Philly and (won),” Murray said. "They’re going to come in here and play hard. We understand that and we have to be ready to go.” The Patriots have already been eliminated from playoff contention, but it didn’t stop Maye from spending part of his bye week watching matchups between teams that are still jockeying for postseason position. The reason? He wanted to get a glimpse — even if from afar — of the common traits of the teams still playing meaningful games at this time of the season. “Especially when you haven’t felt it,” Maye said. “I haven’t really experienced a playoff game. You always hear about what it’s been in the past here at the playoff games and the environment here in Gillette ... and watching Tom (Brady) and those guys duke it out. Those runs they had were special. I think you want that feeling and those guys in the locker room, some of them had it. A lot of us young guys haven’t.” Maye hopes it serves as motivation going forward. “I think we’re striving for that and can use these last four games as a challenge and as a step to, ‘Hey, what we have and what we got here on this team and who can help us and who can make some plays?’” he said. AP Sports Writer Kyle Hightower contributed to this story. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
