What's Happening

Politics 

Trump Picks Matt Gaetz for Attorney General, Leaving Some Republicans "Stunned"

What's going on: Republican lawmakers reacted with alarm and shock yesterday after President-elect Donald Trump announced plans to nominate Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) for attorney general. The decision means Gaetz, a staunch supporter of Trump, could soon be in charge of the Department of Justice (DOJ) — the very agency that investigated him for child sex trafficking, though he wasn’t charged. Gaetz resigned from the House hours after his nomination, effectively ending a congressional investigation into allegations of his sexual misconduct and illicit drug use. He has denied all allegations, but many Republicans questioned whether Gaetz could clear the Senate confirmation process given his record. To quickly unpack his resume: The Floridian led the ouster of former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, voted to overturn Trump’s 2020 election defeat, and played a role in a protest that the DOJ once viewed as a precursor to Jan. 6.

What it means: Some Republican lawmakers, including Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), appeared too stunned to speak or comment on the nomination. Rep. Max Miller (R-OH), a McCarthy ally, called the selection of Gaetz “a reckless pick” with “a zero percent shot” of getting confirmed. While the Constitution requires the Senate to approve Cabinet officers, Trump could unilaterally push his nominees through via recess appointments when the upper chamber’s not in session. Democrats, meanwhile, see all this as a litmus test for whether Republicans, including soon-to-be Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), will stand up to Trump in his new term. Some on the left saw Thune, a more moderate Republican, as a sign that the GOP Party of the 2000s could hold its own with the newer MAGA generation. Time will tell, especially with Republicans officially cementing their trifecta in Washington.

Related: They’re Not Baseball Cards, but We Have a Tracker of Trump's Cabinet Nominations (NYT Gift Link)

Crypto

"Such Wow." Is Dogecoin Just the Beginning of Crypto's Return? 

What's going on: Picture this: The year is 2022. When not mourning Betty White, everyone is name-dropping Bitcoin and NFTs at dinner parties — yet you get the sense that no one really understands what they’re talking about. As time marches on (and Sam Bankman-Fried goes to prison), cryptocurrency begins to fade from public discourse…But, here in 2024, it’s getting resurrected again. Specifically, the cryptocurrency Dogecoin is having a moment, ever since President-elect Donald Trump named billionaire Elon Musk to co-lead the new “Department of Government Efficiency,” aka DOGE. The acronym seems to be no accident, as Musk has famously been a fan of Dogecoin, which was named after the Shiba Inu meme that brought us the “such wow” vernacular. A single Dogecoin was worth less than 16 cents right before last week’s election, but as of early this morning, it has more than doubled to 40 cents, according to CoinDesk.

What it means: The value of any cryptocurrency falls and rises based on how much people are willing to pay for it — and interest has surged since Trump’s election, with Bitcoin reaching a record high of more than $90,000, after starting the year just under $43,000. That’s partially because Trump has said he wants to make America the “crypto capital of the planet,” even launching his own crypto venture in September. Supporters of the currency like it because it’s a way to buy and sell without dealing with the government or a central bank — it operates largely in a legal gray area. While the Biden administration had been working to regulate the space, some traders anticipate Trump will be friendlier with rules that usher in growth. With that said, experts still consider crypto a risky investment, due to the lack of regulation, volatility of the market, and scams in the space. As Doge would say: For now, putting money in crypto is “much gamble.” 

Related: How Trump Could Change the World Of Crypto (WSJ Gift Link)

US News

Why Is the Internet Up in Arms…Over a Squirrel?

What's going on: For nearly two weeks, the internet has been going nuts after learning that authorities euthanized a squirrel in New York. That’s because Peanut the Squirrel was no ordinary rodent — he had over 900,000 Instagram followers who enjoyed watching him nibble on waffles and wear his cowboy hat. However, there was one problem: It’s illegal to own a pet squirrel in New York. County and state officials had been investigating Peanut’s owner, Mark Longo, for months and found he didn’t have the necessary permits to keep Peanut. When officials apprehended Peanut (along with a raccoon named Fred), the squirrel bit an environmental officer. As a result, officials said they had to euthanize the animals to test for rabies, which can only be done post-mortem. Now, people are asking if Peanut died for nothing, as officials revealed yesterday he didn’t have rabies.

What it means: Peanut’s forced euthanization became a conservative talking point in the final days before the election. Many, including Donald Trump Jr., cited it as another example of government overreach. VP-elect JD Vance even gave Peanut a shout-out at a campaign rally in North Carolina. And after news of Peanut’s death broke, county and state officials faced multiple violent threats. In response, they've released a detailed timeline to calm the public and counter misinformation, but it’s unclear if that will suffice. Longo says he plans to file a lawsuit, claiming a violation of his “constitutional rights.”

Related: Why Did the Path to the White House Involve So Many Dead Animals? (The Guardian)