Sunday Snapshot: Gaetz, Gabbard and government spending

1. GOP wants answers on Gaetz

Some GOP senators are calling for the report on what went down before the House Ethics Committee during its investigation into former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz.

The big picture: When Gaetz, President-elect Trump's pick for attorney general, made his abrupt departure from Congress, the ethics panel investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, illicit drug use and other accusations against the firebrand from Florida came to an abrupt stop.

• But with Gaetz's Senate confirmation on the horizon, the chamber wants the details on what lawmakers expect is a highly damaging report from the committee.
• The news of Gaetz being tapped for AG was met by a chorus of gasps from House Republicans, Axios' Andrew Solender and Juliegrace Brufke report, while several Republican senators sounded noncommittal on his confirmation chances.
• "This shows why the advice and consent process is so important, and I'm sure that there will be a lot of questions raised at his hearing," Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said.

What they're saying: Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) — no stranger to controversy himself — said in a Sunday interview the House Ethics Committee should "absolutely" release the report.

• "That should be definitely part of our decision making," Mullin, who has previously criticized Gaetz for alleged inappropriate behavior, said on NBC's "Meet the Press."
• But he added he believes Trump "surrounds himself with the right people," saying he plans to treat Gaetz the "same as every nominee out there."

Zoom out: He's certainly not alone in that request as Senators prepare for what is expected to be a thorough vetting process (or, if Trump gets his way, a much quieter recess appointment).

Yes, but: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) thinks releasing the report on Gaetz would open a "Pandora's box" and set a dangerous precedent.

• "I don't think we want the House Ethics Committee using all of its vast resources and powers to go after private citizens, and that's what Matt Gaetz is now," he said on CNN's "State of the Union."
• The House Ethics Committee has released reports on lawmakers who resigned from Congress in the past — but Johnson characterized those cases as "breaches of the tradition ... under very extraordinary circumstances."
• He added: "I don't think this meets that criteria."

The other side: Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) lambasted Gaetz as "completely unqualified" on CBS News' "Face the Nation" Sunday, urging his GOP colleagues to consider how this moment will be regarded in history.

• "The Republican senator who votes to confirm Matt Gaetz or Robert Kennedy or Tulsi Gabbard, will be remembered by history as somebody who completely gave up their responsibility to Donald Trump," he said.

Gaetz was previously investigated by the Justice Department in a sex trafficking probe over allegations he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl. The DOJ did not bring charges.

• The ex-congressman has denied the allegations against him.

2. Intelligence community concerned about Gabbard

Sue Gordon, the former deputy director of national intelligence during Trump's first term, cautioned Sunday that ex-Rep. Tulsi Gabbard "comes in with strikes against her in the trust perspective" from members of the intelligence community.

The big picture: Gabbard, once a Democratic presidential candidate who left the party in 2022, became the target of bipartisan scrutiny after she secretly met with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. She has also been accused of parroting Russian disinformation.

Zoom out: Trump transition officials have also triggered national security concerns over its ongoing delay in signing key agreements that would provide their team with access to federal agencies and national security briefings, among other key resources.

• "You're not protecting anybody by not signing those papers, and especially with some of the nominees we have that don't have the really deep experience base, these are big jobs," Gordon said.
• She added: "To start your gig without any foundation at all, especially when the institutions are begging to give you that foundation just seems wrong-headed."

State of play: While some Democrats have characterized Gabbard as a "Russian asset," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) wouldn't go that far Sunday, saying he wouldn't call her that at "this particular juncture."

• But he did question: "Is this the best that we can do in the context of some of these nominations? Is this the very best that America has to offer for a moment like this, with so many challenges that we confront?"
• "Of course not," Jeffries said. "America deserves better."

3. DOGE mulls eliminating some federal agencies

Vivek Ramaswamy said Sunday that "certain federal agencies" are on the chopping block via the Department of Government Efficiency.

Driving the news: The statement is the latest in a sweeping set of pledges and changes that Ramaswamy and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk have made since the initiative — acronym DOGE — was announced last week by President-elect Trump. Ramaswamy and Musk have been tapped to lead the group.

• Speaking on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures" Ramaswamy promised the agency would also reduce the federal government workforce and make cuts to federal contractors who are overcharging the U.S. for different services.

Yes, but DOGE isn't an official part of the federal government and any actions it recommends would require the approval of Congress.

What they're saying: Ramaswamy said DOGE would "score quick wins" in the early portion of Trump's second term via executive action to "show what can be done."

• That, he said, "will lay the groundwork for Congress to have to take meaningful steps in budget reductions for the future."
• Ramaswamy conceded that a lot of the ideas for DOGE — such as cutting entitlement programs — are theoretical, but it doesn't change that "there is massive waste, fraud and abuse" across government agencies.

Zoom out: Musk said during an October Trump rally that he thought he could cut $2 trillion from the current $6.5 trillion budget.

• Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, who served under former President Clinton, said earlier in the month that he doubted Musk could find $200 billion to cut given the limits on discretionary spending in the U.S. budget.
• Max Stier, president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, told NBC News that DOGE "is an example where it does not yet appear to be a serious effort."
• "It's understandable why the goal of making our government more effective is a good one, but there are all kinds of reasons why this is not the way to achieve that," Stier said.

More from Axios' Sunday coverage:

• Jeffries denies Pelosi is undermining his leadership
• Johnson argues Gaetz report should stay sealed as ex-Rep a "private citizen"
• Johnson doesn't rule out use of recess appointments