Thursday, November 12, 2026
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Sylvie Kirsch: Tough questions
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A surefire way to get noticed as a new member of Congress is to ask tough questions.
With the new Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, freshman lawmakers will have plenty of opportunities to press Trump officials as Congress investigates the administration.
Leading a major investigation has long been a way for members of Congress to build their profile. Now, any lawmaker can go viral online after a sharp exchange with a witness — as Rep. Pramila Jayapal did when pressing then-Attorney General Pam Bondi to apologize to Epstein survivors.
Lawmakers with legal backgrounds, such as California Sen. Adam Schiff, who led the first impeachment of Trump, may have an advantage. But members like New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have shown that a law degree isn’t necessary to ask sharp questions.
The incoming freshman class includes several former prosecutors and trial lawyers who are likely to make waves. Here’s a closer look at seven of them.
Read Sylvie Kirsch’s analysis here.
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Should Congress impeach Pete Hegseth?
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Republicans narrowly blocked Rep. Thomas Massie’s effort to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, voting 211-204 to send the resolution to committee, as 11 Democrats missed the vote. Some Democrats want to bring the impeachment effort back early in the new Congress, though party leaders say they plan to start with oversight.
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Here are some more highlights of the president’s actions over the past seven days:
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- Said that Democrats who want to investigate the administration should be “imprisoned” for attempted extortion
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The news can feel overwhelming. But each week, we pause to highlight a person, organization or movement sticking up for their principles or their fellow Americans. This week’s challenger is the sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
An Army sentinel was just doing his job on Veterans Day as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his entourage finished taking photos on the steps of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. As the group walked away, a laugh could be heard, and the sentinel called out a standard reminder given any time someone breaks the rules: “All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times.” It’s unclear from the video of the moment who laughed, or whether Hegseth himself made any noise. The Pentagon said the soldier “correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum.” The moment was brief, but the reminder was clear that even the most powerful visitors are expected to show respect at a memorial to the fallen. On Thursday, Hegseth awarded the soldier with a Joint Service Commendation Medal, saying: “We love soldiers. We love standards. Well done, Specialist.” The tomb has been guarded around the clock by soldiers of the Army’s Old Guard since 1948. Read more.
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Sex, lies and Nvidia-gate. Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang resigned Thursday after admitting to an affair with a woman U.S. officials reportedly believe was a Chinese asset. What began as a corporate scandal has become a story about national security, the future of artificial intelligence and the Trump administration’s handling of the case. Nvidia controls an estimated 90% of the market for the advanced A.I. chips, according to The New York Times. As Nvidia has grown, so too has the economy during Trump’s second term in office. Over the past two years, Huang has become a regular at the White House and successfully lobbied to sell Nvidia chips to China — even as the administration says China is a threat to U.S. leadership in developing AI. Now Democrats and Republicans are calling for investigations.
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This week on “Clock It,” Symone Sanders Townsend and Eugene Daniels are joined by former Attorney General Eric Holder for a live taping in Washington, D.C. where they discussed his role in Democrats’ response to mid-decade redistricting and what comes next for the party. Listen now and subscribe to MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts for ad-free listening and bonus content.
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