Republicans have secured sufficient seats to gain control over the U.S. House of Representatives, marking a crucial shift in power alongside President-elect Donald Trump. This victory solidifies the Republican Party’s position in governance during Trump’s administration.

In a related development, Trump’s appointment of the loyal conservative Matt Gaetz for the role of attorney general has raised alarms among Democrats. Senator Dick Durbin has voiced his concerns, describing Gaetz’s potential appointment as potentially disastrous, referencing Trump’s threats to utilize the Justice Department for personal vendettas against political adversaries.

In an effort to shed light on the situation, Durbin has urged the House Ethics Committee to safeguard any findings related to Gaetz while also ensuring that this information is communicated to the Senate. The Senate Judiciary Committee chairman indicated that the ongoing investigations are vital for public knowledge.

On Wednesday, Trump officially announced Gaetz as his choice for attorney general, prompting Gaetz to resign from Congress to end the investigation concerning him. The Ethics Committee had indicated that its inquiry involved allegations of sexual misconduct, drug use, accepting improper gifts, and attempts to obstruct governmental inquiries into his behavior. Gaetz has firmly denied these allegations during the committee’s review.

Durbin expressed serious concerns regarding the timing of Gaetz’s resignation, emphasizing that crucial information from the investigation should not be kept away from the public. “We cannot allow this valuable information from a bipartisan investigation to be hidden from the American people,” he stated.

In another notable political move, Democrat Christina Bohannan has called for a recount in her tightly contested race against Republican incumbent Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks for Iowa’s 1st District. Bohannan’s campaign announced the recount request following a close election that saw her trailing Miller-Meeks by fewer than 1,000 votes, constituting less than one percent of the total vote.

This election serves as a rematch from the previous year, where Miller-Meeks had won by a margin of seven percentage points. In a dramatic turn of events in 2020, Miller-Meeks secured her initial Congressional seat by defeating Democrat Rita Hart by just six votes, reflecting the intensity and competitiveness of these congressional races in Iowa.