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Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, the sitting chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has just put out a statement "calling on the House Ethics Committee to preserve and share their report and all relevant documentation" on Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump's pick for attorney general.

Trump announced his nomination on Wednesday and, hours later, the Florida lawmaker resigned with immediate effect from his congressional seat in the House of Representatives.

Gaetz was the subject of an investigation over allegations of sexual misconduct, bribery and illicit drug use. He denies all the allegations.

Citing three sources familiar with the committee's work, CBS, the BBC's US partner, says the committee had planned to hold a vote on whether to make the report public on Friday.

"The sequence and timing of Mr Gaetz’s resignation from the House raises serious questions about the contents of the House Ethics Committee report," Durbin said.

"Make no mistake: this information could be relevant to the question of Mr Gaetz’s confirmation as the next Attorney General of the United States."

Away from Donald Trump's incoming government, Kamala Harris's campaign - which raised almost $1bn (£788m) in funds during the build up to the election - is continuing to ask for donations.

As a result, questions are now being asked about whether it racked up debt.

The BBC's Verify team have been looking at emails sent by the Harris campaign asking for donations that they say will go towards recounts and legal challenges for Democrats in tight House and Senate races.

In the video below the team also lay out where funds have been directed to so far:

We said in our last post that President-elect Donald Trump's picks for his administration staff still have to be confirmed - here's a look at how that works.

More than 1,000 positions, including Trump’s prospective cabinet members, typically need to be approved by the Senate.

This process requires nominees to submit financial disclosure forms, fill out a questionnaire - which differs based on the role - and testify before a Senate committee.

These hearings can sometimes be contentious. They allow members from both political parties to question nominees about their backgrounds and plans for the post. The committee then votes on the nominee and if it approves, the full Senate then votes on the nominee.

Usually this process is fairly quick, with little or no debate, but this time around there are suggestions that confirming controversial picks like Matt Gaetz might be a struggle for Trump.

• For context: Trump recently suggested, in a post post on X, that the Senate "must agree" to recess appointments - a process that skips Senate vetting and allows quick installation of a nominee when the chamber is not in session. He argued that otherwise "we will not be able to get people confirmed in a timely manner." If you want to read more about this - take a look at our explainer on how Trump's administration will be confirmed.

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The mood inside the Department of Justice (DoJ) is sombre but calm, sources tell the BBC's US media partner CBS News, as prosecutors come to terms with Matt Gaetz's nomination for attorney general.

Those same sources say career prosecutors are planning to stay in their jobs regardless of who's confirmed in the position - Donald Trump's picks still need to be confirmed by the Senate.

CBS reports that if such officials are asked to do something illegal, they will decline to do so. They add that they remain committed to their responsibility to apply the law evenly to everyone.

The BBC's US partner CBS is now reporting the House Ethics Committee could soon release its report on former Representative Matt Gaetz.

Gaetz, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for attorney general, was the subject of an investigation over allegations of sexual misconduct, bribery and illicit drug use.

Citing three sources familiar with the committee's work, CBS says the committee had planned to hold a vote on whether to make the report public on Friday.

But it reports that, following Gaetz's resignation from Congress, the Committee could decide to follow precedent and release the report without a vote., external

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Former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped to become the next director of national intelligence (DNI).

But what does the role involve? If confirmed, Gabbard would oversee all 18 US intelligence agencies, including the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

She would also direct the implementation of the National Intelligence Program budget, and serve as the president-elect’s main advisor on intelligence issues.

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We've looked closely today at Trump's nominee for attorney general, Matt Gaetz.

Now we're turning to former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who was named yesterday as Donald Trump's new director of national intelligence. The role would see the military veteran lead US spy agencies.

Gabbard was the first Hindu member of the US Congress, representing Hawaii's second district in Congress from 2013 to 2021. She has served as vice-chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee but later resigned and endorsed Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign.

In 2020, Gabbard sought a nomination to be the Democratic presidential candidate, focusing her candidacy on traditionally liberal issues like government-run healthcare, free college tuition and gun control.

She later dropped out of the race. In 2022, she quit the Democratic Party to sit as an independent, complaining about the party's "wokeness". This year, Gabbard joined the Republican Party.

Congressman Matt Rosendale, who served alongside Matt Gaetz in the House, spoke with the BBC about how his former colleague will fare in his new proposed role as US Attorney General.

Rosendale described Gaetz as "one of the brightest individuals I know", calling him "articulate" and "fierce".

"Matt Gaetz is going to restore justice to the department of injustice," Rosendale said.

If confirmed by the Senate - which is a requirement for cabinet appointments - Gaetz, 42, would lead a department that as recently as last year was investigating him for alleged sex trafficking offences.

"If we're going to look at someone's body of work, Matt Gaetz has done an incredible job," Rosendale added.

As we've been reporting, Trump's decision to tap Matt Gaetz for the role of attorney general has sparked widespread criticism.

And the president-elect has been receiving warnings that, despite securing overall control of Congress, he now faces the challenge of getting Gaetz confirmed. The Republicans currently have a three-seat majority in the Senate and are projected to secure a slim majority in the House of Representatives.

• Trump ally Representative Max Miller from Ohio describes the nomination as a "reckless pick", telling Politico: "I think he has a 0% shot of getting through the Senate"
• Colleague Thom Tillis from North Carolina says the nominee has "probably got some work cut out for him" to get the votes he needs to be approved
• Maine Senator Susan Collins says she is "shocked" by the nomination and warns "there will be a lot of questions" about Gaetz's suitability for the role
• Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski tells NBC News "this was not on my bingo card" as she says she is "looking forward to the opportunity to consider somebody that is serious"

Since the nomination, Gaetz has resigned from Congress, where he remained under scrutiny of the House Ethics Committee over allegations of sexual misconduct.

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Let's bring you some more reactions to Donald Trump’s nomination of Matt Gaetz as attorney general.

Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe spoke to the CNN earlier, saying Gaetz is "wholly unqualified for the job" - a sentiment that has been repeated by others since the news came in.

McCabe says that Gaetz would probably be unable to get hired for a job at the FBI and that by his own statement, has no interest or respect for the work bureau or the Department of Justice (DOJ) does.

Describing Gaetz as a "disruptor", McCabe goes on to say he believes Gaetz's nomination is a "clear indication" of Trump's intentions to dismantle both the FBI and the DOJ.

Speaking in detail about the complex responsibilities of the attorney general, McCabe says it is "unthinkable" that Gaetz will be able to rise to that role, saying the idea of it "shakes me to my core."

Sam Cabral
Reporting from Washington DC

Donald Trump's first interactions with Marco Rubio came during the 2016 Republican presidential primary.

As the field of contenders thinned, Rubio - who was considered among the frontrunner for the nomination - attacked Trump over his "small hands".

"He referred to my hands - if they're small, something else must be small," Trump responded on a debate stage, mere feet away from Rubio. "I guarantee you there's no problem."

Trump christened him "Little Marco", mocking him online for days as a "lightweight" and "a choker" who had a "meltdown" during one debate and a "sweat moustache" when facing pressure.

Rubio tried to fight back, calling Trump a "con artist" hijacking the conservative movement. But his strategy failed and he was knocked out of the primaries.

In the years since, Rubio has kept a low profile. Despite the pair's previous animosity, Rubio has turned into a reliable pro-Trump voice in the Senate.

Will Donald Trump pull out of Nato? What should we make of his recent appointments? And how worried should we be about the threat of nuclear war?

Jens Stoltenberg, former Nato secretary general, speaks to BBC's Ukrainecast on these questions and more.

You can listen on BBC Sounds, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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US President-elect Donald Trump's decisions for his incoming cabinet have been full of surprises - and we've been covering the names the Republican is putting forward to fill some of the US government's most powerful positions.

If you're just joining us today, here are some key lines we've been following about the nominations.

• Some of Trump's nominations have shocked political circles, most notably the decision to nominate Matt Gaetz for attorney general. It's a controversial decision that has upset lawmakers from both parties
• Trump has also picked Florida Senator Marco Rubio to be secretary of state and former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence. The president-elect is choosing people in his own ideological image, our North America correspondent Rowan Bridge says
• With nine seats left to be called, the BBC's US partner CBS projects that the Republicans will take control of the House of Representatives. Trump now has full control of both chambers of Congress - but won't always get his way
• Yesterday, Republicans elected John Thune as majority leader - replacing Mitch McConnell, the party's longest-serving leader in the chamber

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis says he has instructed Florida's secretary of state to "formulate and announce" the schedule for the upcoming special elections "immediately".

Special elections are triggered when an official needs replacing, for example if they resign or are removed from office.

Florida now faces three, as Marco Rubio, Mike Waltz and Matt Gaetz have all been appointed by President-elect Donald Trump to take on positions in his administration.

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Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University, says securing the confirmation of Matt Gaetz as attorney general will be a "monumental challenge" for Trump.

In a post on X, Turley says: "If Trump wanted to defibrillate the Justice Department, the Matt Gaetz nomination is the 100,000-volt option."

He adds that the nomination may make other nominees "appear less controversial by comparison," but that it will "also serve as a rallying point for a party left in disarray".

Trump does not trust the Department of Justice to reform itself, he adds.

"Just a day after the announcement, this is shaping up as one of the most intense confirmation fights in congressional history," Turley says.

Donald Trump's nomination of Matt Gaetz as the next US attorney general has surprised many, so let's take a look at what the role involves.

The attorney general is head of the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and the country's top law enforcement officer.

The role oversees the DOJ's 115,000 staff in the US and worldwide.

The attorney general represents the US in legal matters. They also offer advice and opinions to the president and to the heads of the government's executive departments when requested.

In matters of "exceptional gravity or importance", the attorney general can appear before the US Supreme Court.

The current US attorney general is Merrick Garland. He was appointed by Joe Biden in March 2021.

More than 1,000 positions - including cabinet appointments, ambassadors and some lower-level positions - typically require Senate approval.

That includes Trump's recent cabinet picks, Marco Rubio for secretary of state, Matt Gaetz for attorney general and Tulsi Gabbardfor director of national intelligence.

The approval process requires nominees to submit financial disclosure forms, fill out a role-specific questionnaire and testify before a Senate committee. After the hearing, the committee votes on the nominee and, if it approves, goes to a second vote in the Senate.

But Trump says the Senate "must agree" to recess appointments when the chamber is not in session- a process that skips Senate vetting and allows for the quick installation of a nominee. This could allow more divisive figures - like Gaetz - to enter Trump's administration without Senate approval.

Many members of Trump's team, including those who work in the White House, don't require Senate approval. But they're still vetted by the administration and face FBI background checks.

Image source, Reuters

As we've been reporting, some of Trump's cabinet nominations have stunned political circles, like the decision to nominate Matt Gaetz for attorney general.

Past attorney generals have been "very senior legal officials", while Gaetz has a law degree "which is not saying that much," Dr Richard Johnson, senior lecturer in US politics and policy at Queen Mary University of London, tells the BBC.

"Matt Gaetz is not one of the most distinguished judicial minds in the US," he says. This puts him in contrast to a figure like Joe Biden's attorney general, Merrick Garland. He "was a member of the DC Circuit Court, the second highest court in the US."

Johnson says the president-elect's picks fall into two categories: those who were on the VP shortlist and those who are current or former Congress members who are “very loyal” to Trump.

He noted the exception of Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host, who has been named as defence secretary.

Trump's cabinet is "unusually political", Johnson says, as he is selecting people with "political loyalty as the overriding criteria and then trying to find some kind of subject expertise latterly".

Peter Frankopan, professor of global history at the University of Oxford, says he expects Donald Trump to implement 60% tariffs on Chinese imports - a big promise in his campaign.

He tells BBC Radio 4's Today programme he thinks this means there will be "some space" for China to "try to exploit the fact that it's a stable state".

China will be thinking about positioning itself as a "champion of free trade", while the US puts up barriers, he says.

Beijing doesn't have "an enormous amount of leverage" to push back if the US tariffs are imposed, Frankopan says, but "the one place it can hurt" are businesses controlled by Elon Musk.

He mentions Musk's space programme, an area where China is "competing very aggressively" with the United States.

In the short term, the proposed tariffs on China mean prices on imports in the US will go up, Frankopan says, and China will be "deprived of an important market" there.

It will be a "bumpy ride" for the global macro economy, he adds.

Trump's firebrand pick for attorney general stunspublished at 10:03 Greenwich Mean Time 14 November

10:03 GMT 14 November

Anthony Zurcher
BBC North America correspondent

Donald Trump’s nomination of Congressman Matt Gaetz to be his attorney general arrived like a thunder-clap in Washington DC on Wednesday afternoon.

Of all the president-elect’s picks for his administration so far, this is easily the most controversial - and sends a clear message that Trump intends to shake up the establishment when he returns to power.

The firebrand Florida politician is perhaps best known for spearheading the effort to unseat then-Republican Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy last year.

But he has a consistent history of being a flamethrower in the staid halls of Congress.

In 2018, he brought a right-wing Holocaust denier to the State of the Union, and later tried to expel two fathers who lost children in a mass shooting from a hearing after they objected to a claim he made about gun control.

• Read more on Gaetz's surprise nomination

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