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slot machine 666 An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalitionKyle Whittingham will return next season as Utah's coach. There has been some speculation about Whittingham's future plans, but the 65-year-old coaching veteran announced Sunday that he has no plans to step aside. And he channeled Michael Jordan in signaling his intention to return for the 2025 season. For immediate release📰 We are looking forward to 2025!!️ #GoUtes | @UtahCoachWhitt pic.twitter.com/jq9BnjypgO Whittingham has led the program since 2005 but saw a streak of 10 consecutive winning seasons snapped this year as the Utes -- picked to win the Big 12 in their first season as members -- were plagued by injuries yet again. Utah started the season 4-0 before enduring a seven-game losing streak that included a heartbreaking home loss to rival BYU , which was undefeated and ranked No. 9 in the country at the time. Utah closed out the regular season with a win over UCF , but finished 5-7 to miss out on a bowl game. With Utes defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley already carrying the "coach-in-waiting" label in Salt Lake City, some wondered whether Whittingham would step aside. Instead, he will be back on the sidelines for his 21st season as coach and 32nd overall with the program. Utah has struggled offensively in the past two seasons with quarterback Cam Rising dealing with multiple serious injuries. Andy Ludwig, Utah's offensive coordinator since 2019, stepped down from his position on Oct. 20. Following the conclusion of the regular season, Whittingham hired Jason Beck from New Mexico to serve as offensive coordinator next season. In all, Whittingham has a 167-86 record with three conference titles -- one in the Mountain West and two in the Pac-12 -- during his time leading the program.

VIDEO: Silvertips down Vancover GiantsNO. 20 TEXAS A&M 81, RUTGERS 77

Some tech industry leaders are pushing the incoming Trump administration to increase visas for highly skilled workers from other nations. Related Articles National Politics | Trump threat to immigrant health care tempered by economic hopes National Politics | In states that ban abortion, social safety net programs often fail families National Politics | Trump vows to pursue executions after Biden commutes most of federal death row National Politics | Elon Musk’s preschool is the next step in his anti-woke education dreams National Politics | Trump’s picks for top health jobs not just team of rivals but ‘team of opponents’ The heart of the argument is, for America to remain competitive, the country needs to expand the number of skilled visas it gives out. The previous Trump administration did not increase the skilled visa program, instead clamping down on visas for students and educated workers, increasing denial rates. Not everyone in corporate America thinks the skilled worker program is great. Former workers at IT company Cognizant recently won a federal class-action lawsuit that said the company favored Indian employees over Americans from 2013 to 2022. A Bloomberg investigation found Cognizant, and other similar outsourcing companies, mainly used its skilled work visas for lower-level positions. Workers alleged Cognizant preferred Indian workers because they could be paid less and were more willing to accept inconvenient or less-favorable assignments. Question: Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers? Caroline Freund, UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy YES: Innovation is our superpower and it relies on people. Sourcing talent from 8 billion people in the world instead of 330 million here makes sense. Nearly half our Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children. Growing them also relies on expanding our skilled workforce. The cap on skilled-worker visas has hardly changed since the computer age started. With AI on the horizon, attracting and building talent is more important than ever. Kelly Cunningham, San Diego Institute for Economic Research YES: After years of openly allowing millions of undocumented entrants into the country, why is there controversy over legally increasing somewhat the number having desirable skills? Undocumented immigration significantly impacts lower skill level jobs and wages competing with domestic workers at every skill level. Why should special cases be made against those having higher skills? Could they just not walk across the border anyway, why make it more inconvenient to those with desirable skills? James Hamilton, UC San Diego YES: Knowledge and technology are key drivers of the U.S. economy. Students come from all over the world to learn at U.S. universities, and their spending contributed $50 billion to U.S. exports last year. Technological advantage is what keeps us ahead of the rest of the world. Highly skilled immigrants contribute much more in taxes than they receive in public benefits. The skills immigrants bring to America can make us all better off. Norm Miller, University of San Diego YES: According to Forbes, the majority of billion-dollar startups were founded by foreigners. I’ve interviewed dozens of data analysts and programmers from Berkeley, UCSD, USD and a few other schools and 75% of them are foreign. There simply are not enough American graduates to fill the AI and data mining related jobs now exploding in the U.S. If we wish to remain a competitive economy, we need highly skilled and bright immigrants to come here and stay. David Ely, San Diego State University YES: Being able to employ highly skilled workers from a larger pool of candidates would strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. companies by increasing their capacity to perform research and innovate. This would boost the country’s economic output. Skilled workers from other nations that cannot remain in the U.S. will find jobs working for foreign rivals. The demand for H-1B visas far exceeds the current cap of 85,000, demonstrating a need to modify this program. Phil Blair, Manpower YES: Every country needs skilled workers, at all levels, to grow its economy. We should take advantage of the opportunity these workers provide our employers who need these skills. It should be blended into our immigration policies allowing for both short and long term visas. Gary London, London Moeder Advisors YES: San Diego is a premiere example of how highly skilled workers from around the globe enrich a community and its regional economy. Of course Visa levels need to be increased. But let’s go further. Tie visas and immigration with a provision that those who are admitted and educated at a U.S. university be incentivized, or even required, to be employed in the U.S. in exchange for their admittance. Bob Rauch, R.A. Rauch & Associates NO: While attracting high-skilled immigrants can fill critical gaps in sectors like technology, health care and advanced manufacturing, increasing high-skilled immigration could displace American workers and drive down wages in certain industries. There are already many qualified American workers available for some of these jobs. We should balance the need for specialized skills with the impact on the domestic workforce. I believe we can begin to increase the number of visas after a careful review of abuse. Austin Neudecker, Weave Growth YES: We should expand skilled visas to drive innovation and economic growth. Individuals who perform high-skilled work in labor-restricted industries or graduate from respected colleges with relevant degrees should be prioritized for naturalization. We depend on immigration for GDP growth, tax revenue, research, and so much more. Despite the abhorrent rhetoric and curtailing of visas in the first term, I hope the incoming administration can be persuaded to enact positive changes to a clearly flawed system. Chris Van Gorder, Scripps Health YES: But it should be based upon need, not politics. There are several industries that have or could have skilled workforce shortages, especially if the next administration tightens immigration as promised and expected. Over the years, there have been nursing shortages that have been met partially by trained and skilled nurses from other countries. The physician shortage is expected to get worse in the years to come. So, this visa program may very well be needed. Jamie Moraga, Franklin Revere NO: While skilled immigration could boost our economy and competitiveness, the U.S. should prioritize developing our domestic workforce. Hiring foreign nationals in sensitive industries or government-related work, especially in advanced technology or defense, raises security concerns. A balanced approach could involve targeted increases in non-sensitive high-demand fields coupled with investment in domestic STEM education and training programs. This could address immediate needs while strengthening the long-term STEM capabilities of the American workforce. Not participating this week: Alan Gin, University of San DiegoHaney Hong, San Diego County Taxpayers AssociationRay Major, economist Have an idea for an Econometer question? Email me at phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com . Follow me on Threads: @phillip020Fyodor Lukyanov: Can the West still engineer a ‘color revolution’? We’re about to find out

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Thomas William Hain, age 62, of Rochester, MN, passed away peacefully in his sleep on December 24, 2024, at his home. Tom, was born on April 26, 1962, to Robert & Neva Hain in Rochester. A celebration of life will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan 2nd, at the Rochester Eagles Club. Burial will take place at a later date. With an adventurous spirit and love for life, he made a name for himself during his time at Mayo High School, where his wild driving in his Mercury Cougar–-doing donuts in parking lots and driving through ditches–became legendary. After graduating in 1980, Tom met Margaret “Meg” Lettelleir in 1983, and the two married Memorial Weekend in 1987. Tom and Meg shared 41 years of wonderful memories, including camping at Lake Bemidji State Park, road trips, fishing adventures, and evenings around bonfires full of s’mores and hot dogs. Together, they raised three children–Justine, Charlie, and Will. He always had a golden retriever by his side and never missed an opportunity to share his last bite. He spent decades working in the family business, Hain & Son Auto Body, where Tom’s love for craftsmanship and precision flourished alongside his father and brother Rob, a staple of 3rd Avenue in Rochester for over 70 years. Known for his humor and colorful language, Tom had a way of making even the most ordinary moments memorable. Whether fixing a family member's car, getting hit in the eye with a Nerf gun, or answering the phone–his quips brought the biggest belly laughs. He went by many names in his 62 years–but “Grandpa” was his favorite. He would do anything for his family and he delighted in spending time with his grandchildren. Whether they were racing slot cars, playing Barbies, Jenga or taking them to the county fair, he never missed an opportunity to play. His wife and children appreciated his handiwork and life lessons. He built gardens for Meg and Justine, painted racing stripes on Charlie’s first car, and coached Will’s baseball team. He loved spending time outdoors, including motorcycle trips on his Goldwing and one on his custom-built Honda Chopper which sported his unique color he dubbed “eye blister orange” and sitting in the bleachers cheering on Charlie and Will in their softball games. He would close up shop on a summer day to fish for walleye and spent his late fall hunting deer with his father, brothers, friends, and, most recently, his son-in-law Derek. Tom was a teacher who passed along invaluable knowledge on how to properly hunt and process a deer. Tom is preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Neva Hain; his in-laws, Charles and Carolyn Lettelleir and his golden retrievers, Jackie, Juno, Benny, Moose and Lily. He is survived by his loving wife, Margaret Hain, of Rochester; his three quick-witted children, Justine (Derek) Roadway of Rochester, Charlie (Katrina) Hain of Plainview and Will Hain of Rochester, four spunky, energetic grandchildren, Caden, Makayla, Austin and Levi; and his siblings, Mike (Sharon Bretto) Hain of Kasson, Linda (Steve) Gilbertson, and Rob (Darla) Hain, both of Rochester. His family will treasure his love, countless stories, invaluable life lessons, and the laughter he brought to their lives. We find comfort knowing he is now reunited with his parents and all of his dogs whom he missed so dearly.LOS ANGELES >> The family of a missing Maui woman, Hannah Kobayashi, has strongly disputed the statement made by Los Angeles police Chief Jim McDonnell that Kobayashi “intentionally” missed her connecting flight at Los Angeles International Airport. Kobayashi went missing Nov. 8 after catching a flight from Hawaii to Los Angeles, with a connecting flight that would ultimately take her to New York, where she planned to visit relatives. Her family became worried after she landed at LAX and sent them cryptic text messages, suggesting that someone was trying to steal her money and identity. No one has heard from her since. McDonnell briefed the L.A. Police Commission about the case during a Nov. 26 meeting. “On Friday, Nov. 8th, 23-year-old Hannah Kobayashi missed her connecting flight from LAX to New York, which the investigation determined was intentional,” McDonnell said. Kobayashi’s sister, Sydni, responded to the statement in a social media post, disputing the development in the case and pointing out that McDonnell incorrectly gave Kobayashi’s age, which is actually 30 years old. Kobayashi’s family also said McDonnell gave an incorrect timeline of Kobayashi’s disappearance. “Based on information, surveillance footage reviewed and information shared with us, these are the facts known to my mother and I: It does not appear that Hannah intentionally missed her flight,” Sydni Kobayashi wrote. “The lack of communication surrounding some important details has left us feeling excluded from potentially crucial developments,” Sydni Kobayashi’s statement said. “However, we do remain hopeful and optimistic that the Los Angeles Police Department is doing everything in their power to assist us in locating Hannah.” According to Kobayashi’s family, she landed at LAX on Nov. 8 and missed her connecting flight to New York City because of a short layover. Kobayashi stayed overnight in Los Angeles and was seen the next day at the Taschen bookstore at the Grove, an open-air shopping mall in the Fairfax District. On Nov. 10, Kobayashi was captured on video outside of a Nike event near the Grove and was believed to have returned to LAX, according to her family’s statement. On Nov. 11, Kobayashi was seen talking to a ticketing agent at LAX; she then boarded the LAX Metro C line at the Aviation/Century station around 9 p.m., her family wrote. She transferred at the Willowbrook/Rosa Parks station and was seen in video footage leaving the Pico station with an unknown person. On Nov. 12, Kobayashi was captured again on video footage at the Greyhound bus terminal at Union Station in downtown L.A. around 6:30 a.m., according to her family. LAPD spokesperson Jeff Lee confirmed that the agency is still investigating Kobayashi’s disappearance as an active missing persons case. He said there were no updates to share Monday. Anyone with more information has been asked to contact the LAPD at (877) 527-3247. After Kobayashi’s disappearance, her father, Ryan, flew to Los Angeles to help look for his daughter. The elder Kobayashi was found dead last week near LAX in what police say was an apparent suicide. The body of Ryan Kobayashi, 58, was found in a parking lot in the 6100 block of Century Boulevard. According to the Los Angeles County medical examiner, the elder Kobayashi died from blunt force traumatic injuries. “Our hearts go out to the Kobayashi family during this unimaginable time of grief,” McDonnell said during the Police Commission meeting. “We remain fully committed to locating Hannah and supporting the family as they navigate their way through this tragedy.” This Los Angeles Times story was distributed by the Tribune Content Agency.

Published 5:16 pm Friday, November 22, 2024 By Data Skrive Can we expect Marco Rossi finding the back of the net when the Minnesota Wild clash with the Calgary Flames at 4:00 PM ET on Saturday? To assist you with your bets, check out the stats and trends below. Sign up for ESPN+ today to watch 1,000+ out-of-market NHL games, ESPN+ Hockey Night & more. Odds to score a goal this game: +330 (Bet $10 to win $33.00 if he scores a goal) Place your bets on any NHL matchup at BetMGM. Sign up today using our link. Catch NHL action all season long on Fubo. Catch NHL action all season long on Max. Bet on this or any NHL matchup at BetMGM. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .I loved the original PlayStation VR. I picked one up during the peak of the pandemic (my first foray into VR gaming), and I was blown away. Instead of spending my nights inside my apartment's small living room, I was walking through villages in Skyrim , exploring planets in No Man's Sky , and platforming through creative terrains in Astro Bot Rescue Mission . I was such a fan of the original that I argued it was a better VR headset buy in 2021 than an Oculus Quest —a stance many VR fans vehemently disagreed with. Three years later, however, the OG PS VR's drawbacks are more pronounced than ever: The OLED display is lower resolution than modern headsets (960x1080), and the headset requires a complicated array of devices and cables (including a camera) to set up. (To that point, I haven't set up the headset since my last move.) But more than that, the controllers are simply not VR controllers: While VR headsets have had finger-tracking controllers with joysticks for years, PS VR simply used the same Move controllers that have been available since the PS3. The PS VR2, however, released in February of 2023, addresses these issues: The OLED HDR display is much higher resolution (2000x2040), quadrupling the megapixels per eye compared to the original; there's some passthrough here, so you can actually see your immediate surroundings without having to take the headset off; the tracking is better, despite requiring no outside camera or peripherals; and the controllers are honest-to-goodness VR controllers, complete with finger tracking and joy sticks. And if you get tired of Sony's VR games, you can connect the PS VR2 to your PC , as if it were any other VR headset. Sony's second-gen PlayStation VR still wasn't perfect: Besides having a smaller library than some other VR headsets, the PS VR2 was and is expensive , retailing for $549.99. When you consider that you also need a PS5 in order to run this thing (it's not compatible with any PS4 console), it's a pricey setup indeed. That's why I haven't bought one yet, even if its plug-and-play approach would make getting back into VR easy. But you've read the headline: It's Black Friday season, and the PS VR2 is on sale. Sony announced a series of PlayStation Black Friday deals on Wednesday , running from Nov. 22 through Dec. 2. As part of that announcement, Sony revealed PS VR2 will be discounted as much as 40%. The math is a bit off, since you can actually snag a PS VR2 at 42% off: Right now, you can get the Horizon Call of The Mountain PS VR2 bundle for $349 , down from $599.99. The standalone PS VR2 (no game included) is also $349, down from $549.99. All things considered, you're better off getting the Horizon bundle, since the prices are identical. That said, people are likely going to think similarly, so this bundle could sell quicker than the headset-only offer. I've seen the bundle unavailable once earlier today, but it's back right now, so act fast if you want one.Chargers rule out RB Gus Edwards (ankle) vs. Patriots

Luigi Mangione pleaded not guilty in the assassination of UnitedHeathcare CEO Brian Thompson on Monday. Following the plea, an uptick in donations to Mangione’s legal defense fund rolled in on the crowdfunding site GiveSendGo. At present, the sum sits at a staggering $212,426. “We are not here to celebrate violence, but we do believe in the constitutional right of fair legal representation,” a statement on the crowdfunding page reads. GoFundMe, another popular crowdfunding site, previously pulled all campaigns supporting Mangione. While the public response to the alleged killer has ranged from utter vitriol to admiration, the fact that so many have rushed to donate to Mangione’s defense further demonstrates how many feel sympathetic to the alleged killer, or even agree with the cause he’s become the face of. So does a recent survey from NORC at the University of Chicago, which found that, while 8 out of 10 U.S. adults believe the person who killed Brian Thompson bears the responsibility for the murder, 7 in 10 shared the belief that healthcare companies are also to blame. They said that proceedings like healthcare denials for coverage bear “a moderate amount” of responsibility for the Dec. 4 slaying. Regardless of public opinion, the 26-year-old Maryland man now faces 11 counts, including three murder charges, and a terrorist charge. Last week, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whose office is prosecuting the case, said the crime “was a killing that was intended to evoke terror.” Prosecutors have also brought a four-count criminal complaint that could invoke the death penalty. | Anna Schecter, who covers crime and safety for CBS News , told the outlet in an on-air interview that there is a possibility under a Trump department of justice that the death penalty could be sought, though it would be “highly unusual.” Schecter pressed that the death penalty is typically reserved for terrorist charges, and “interestingly, the only terrorism charge he’s facing is coming from the Manhattan District Attorney’s office—that first degree murder charge,” rather than any federal charges. In court on Monday, Mangione’s attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo told the judge that, although her client has cooperated with law enforcement every step of the way, Mangione is being treated like a guilty man before his trial has begun. The attorney blasted the New York City Mayor Eric Adams for joining Mangione’s perp walk alongside armed NYPD, which she pressed was purely “political fodder.” “There was no reason for the NYPD and everybody to have these big assault rifles (during his extradition) that, frankly, I had no idea was in their arsenal,” Friedman Agnifilo told the judge. “He was on display for everyone to see in the biggest staged perp walk I’ve ever seen in my career.” Schecter says that, given how much evidence is stacked against Mangione, including DNA evidence and surveillance footage, she doesn’t see “any other pathway” than an insanity plea. “There’s no question that prosecutors think he pulled the trigger,” she explained. The question for his attorneys, she pressed, will be “how is his defense team going to try and get the lightest sentence possible?” While the public will certainly be watching Mangione’s case closely, healthcare companies, which have received increased scrutiny since Dec. 4, are also under the microscope. Even before Thompson’s murder, recent pointed criticisms of UnitedHealthcare were making headlines. In October, a Senate subcommittee report criticized UnitedHealthcare, and insurers CVS and Humana, for using technology to limit coverage while boosting profits. “Medicare Advantage insurers are intentionally targeting a costly but critical area of medicine—substituting judgment about medical necessity with a calculation about financial gain,” the report reads.Donald Trump demands Hamas immediately release hostages or there will be ‘all hell to pay' when he assumes office

Dreams on a Pillow is a video game experience about the 1948 Nakba, an event where roughly 700,000 people were displaced from their land and homes due to Zionist occupation. The game, described as “a pseudo-3D stealth adventure game about a land full of people being made into a people without land,” is from Palestinian developer Rasheed Abu-Eideh. But before I tell you more about that, let me tell you about his previous game. In 2016, Abu-Eideh released Liyla and the Shadows of War , a game about a 2014 assault on Gaza by Israel, known as Operation Protective Edge. Liyla follows a Palestinian girl and her family as they navigate attacks in their neighborhood. It’s short but emotional, and it blends elements of platformers and choose-your-own-adventure storytelling. In 2021, the game was a part of an Indie Bundle Pack that raised nearly $900,000 for Palestinian aid through UNRWA USA. Currently, Liyla and the Shadows of War is free on mobile and Windows. But back in 2016, it was initially rejected as a game in the Apple App Store. Abu-Eideh was told to remove all description of it as a “Game” and re-categorize it as “News” or “Reference” due to its political nature. The hypocrisy of the decision was noted by many at the time: As reported by Eurogamer , Apple denied Liyla as a game, but allowed a game called Israeli Heroes in the game section. After Abu-Eideh spoke about Apple’s decision on social media, Apple finally allowed Liyla to be categorized as a game. Dreams on a Pillow is currently being crowdfunded by Abu-Eideh on LaunchGood till Jan. 13, and funds raised from the LaunchGood campaign will go towards asset creation, outsourcing, and salaries for the current team of 9 individuals. The game is aiming to launch in Q4 2026. Gaming News Video

On this "Face the Nation" broadcast, moderated by Margaret Brennan: Rep. Mike Turner , Republican of Ohio Business executive Frank McCourt Mouaz Moustafa , executive director for the Syrian Emergency Task Force, and Andrew Boyd , former director of the CIA's Center for Cyber Intelligence Reps. Mike Kelly , Republican of Pennsylvania, and Jason Crow , Democrat of Colorado Click here to browse full transcripts of "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan." MARGARET BRENNAN: I'm Margaret Brennan in Washington. And this week on Face the Nation: There is breaking news overnight, as Syrian rebels overthrow dictator Bashar al-Assad's regime. What are the implications for the Middle East and American security? Syrian rebels swept into the capital city of Damascus today with breakneck speed, finally toppling the brutal al-Assad regime after 13 years of civil war. It's a conflict that former and soon-to-be-President again Donald Trump is familiar with. He wants bomb Assad's military to punish him for using chemical weapons and then ordered U.S. troops out of Syria six years ago. Trump spent Saturday reconnecting with U.S. allies in Paris. (Begin VT) DONALD TRUMP (Former President of the United States (R) and Current U.S. President-Elect): It certainly seems like the world is going a little crazy right now. (End VT) MARGARET BRENNAN: We will have the latest from the region and we will talk to the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Ohio Republican Mike Turner. Then: Following the congressional task force investigation into security failures leading to the assassination attempts of Donald Trump earlier this year... (Begin VT) REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY (R-Pennsylvania): At every step of the way, they failed. (End VT) MARGARET BRENNAN: ... top investigators Pennsylvania Republican Mike Kelly and Colorado Democrat Jason Crow will give us their findings on how to fix the Secret Service. Finally: With the future of controversial social media giant TikTok in doubt, we will hear from a potential buyer. It's all just ahead on Face the Nation. Good morning, and welcome to Face the Nation. For the first time in 54 years, the al-Assad family is no longer ruling Syria. (Begin VT) (SHOUTING) (End VT) MARGARET BRENNAN: Rebels who'd been fighting government forces for 13 years swept through Syria in two weeks, capturing Damascus, taking the Syrian people and the world by surprise. Dictator Bashar al-Assad appears to have fled the country. And we are reminded this morning of the horrors from his reign of terror. His brutal suppression of anti-regime protests in 2011 sparked the world's largest refugee crisis. Since then, the mass atrocities became too numerous to detail, the death toll impossible to tally, including due to the regime's use of chemical weapons against civilians. Assad dared to test whether America and the world would stop him, something then-President Obama chose not to do militarily, even after he crossed that so-called red line. Here's our Bob Schieffer's report on Assad's chemical weapon attack from 2013. (Begin VT) BOB SCHIEFFER: The death toll in what appears to be a poison gas attack in the Syrian civil war continues to rise. By some estimates, as many as 1,800 people may have been killed. Rebels blame the Syrian government, which continues to deny any responsibility. Whoever is responsible, perhaps nothing can better help us understand the horror of Syria than this video of a mother telling her small child goodbye, almost as if she is hugging her good night and tucking her into bed. (End VT) MARGARET BRENNAN: President-elect Donald Trump met Saturday with French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is lobbying for more aid from the U.S. and NATO allies in his country's war with Russia. In a post on his TRUTH Social Web site early this morning, Mr. Trump blamed Assad's defeat on the entanglements of his allies, saying Russia lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine, and, along with Iran, Russia is in a – quote – "weakened state" right now. Trump called for an immediate cease-fire in Ukraine, saying that Zelenskyy and Ukraine wanted to make a deal to stop the madness. We begin our coverage today with our Imtiaz Tyab reporting from the Turkish-Syrian border. (Begin VT) (SHOUTING) IMTIAZ TYAB (voice-over): Scenes like this would have been unthinkable just one week ago, Syrian rebels in the heart of Damascus celebrating the fall of the regime, with the whereabouts of President Bashar al-Assad unknown, as people wept for joy in the streets... (MAN SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE) IMTIAZ TYAB: ... shouting "Freedom." (MAN SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE) IMTIAZ TYAB: Some rebels appeared on state TV to announce Assad's removal. His stunning defeat was at the hands of an alliance of armed groups who launched a lightning-fast offensive seemingly out of nowhere, and who faced little resistance from the Syrian army. The rebel forces say they have now – quote – "fully liberated" a number of major cities. And they have also emptied prisons filled with those who dared to stand up against Assad's rule during the country's nearly-14-year civil war, a war that, up until now, had seemed frozen, even forgotten. But as the statues and monuments to the Assad dynasty continue to be pulled to the ground, the family's blood-soaked half-century of authoritarian rule passed from father to son is now over. Ten years ago, at the height of the civil war, which was born out of the Arab Spring uprisings... (MAN SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE) IMTIAZ TYAB: ... Assad was then just barely clinging to power. But Russia and Iran, along with Lebanon's powerful Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia, came to his rescue and tipped the war firmly in his favor through a punishing campaign of well-documented war crimes, including indiscriminate airstrikes and chemical weapons attacks, a brutality against his own people that's hard to fathom. But Russia is now preoccupied with its war in Ukraine. Hezbollah's leadership has been decapitated after a year of bitter fighting with Israel. And Iran along with its other proxies have also been degraded by Israeli strikes. Assad's 24-year rule looks unlikely to be rescued or resurrected, ushering a new, but deeply uncertain era for Syria. (End VT) IMTIAZ TYAB: And a key leader of Syria's armed opposition, Abu Mohammad al-Golani, who belongs to a group known as Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, which used to be aligned with al Qaeda, has forbid anyone to go near the buildings housing Syria's state institutions, signaling the rebels want to support a peaceful transition of power. But the power vacuum left by Bashar al-Assad is enormous, Margaret. And the fear is, these groups could soon turn on each other and begin a new, perhaps even darker chapter in this already ugly civil war. MARGARET BRENNAN: That's Imtiaz Tyab reporting from the Turkish-Syrian border. And we're joined now by the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Ohio Congressman Mike Turner. Just a stunning turn of events within such a short period of time. The U.S. doesn't have a diplomatic presence inside of Syria. Our visibility is a little limited here. What is it that you think Americans need to know about this turn of events? REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER (R-Ohio): Well, Margaret, that was an excellent report, because you certainly laid the groundwork of this has been an incredibly brutal civil war with hundreds of thousands of people dying, including the use of chemical weapons, and, of course, reminding people that the Obama administration had said this would be a red line, that we would use military force to stop the use of chemical weapons, then failing to do so. This is a – an Islamic militia that has risen up and has continued and now is successfully toppling the Assad regime. As your report indicated, it's al Qaeda in its origins, but it opposes ISIS. It is Turkish-backed. This is a blow to Iran, a blow to Russia. We're seeing what is likely a disintegration in – in Syria. The big questions will be, what does this mean for the U.S.? What does it mean for Iran, Russia, the neighbors of Israel and Jordan, which are strong allies of the United States? MARGARET BRENNAN: So, you mentioned there and we showed the picture of Abu Mohammad al-Golani. He is the leader of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, people call HTS. You're going to hear a lot about that in the coming days and weeks, the rebel group that appears to be taking control. But they are working also with the prime minister. The United States government has a ten million bounty on the head of Jolani. Do you think the United States still should keep that? Should Americans be concerned that this will mean something in terms of impact for terror threats to the United States? REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: Well, this is a terrorist organization and group, but this is not going to be just a passing of power and authority. It could be. We'll have to, obviously, watch that. You know, one of the things that we do see here, though, is, this is a diplomatic failure with respect to the United States and Turkey. You know, the U.S. has troops in Syria. This is on the border of Turkey. Turkey is a NATO ally. The United States is working with the Kurds. This really could have been an opportunity for the United States to work to try to resolve the issue between the Kurds, Turkey and the United States and working with Turkish interests in Syria. Hopefully, this could be an opportunity where there could be a diplomatic support there that hopefully could have – you know, help in this transition in Syria. MARGARET BRENNAN: There are 900 U.S. troops in Syria in the South. Donald Trump in 2019 pulled U.S. troops out of Northern Syria, abandoning our allies there. Do you believe he will stand by the 900 U.S. troops that remain there, or should he consider pulling them out when he takes office? REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: Well, I think, you know, one of the things that Donald Trump will make clear is, is that any threat to U.S. troops will be unbelievably responded to. So, everyone should understand, absolutely, that the United States troops are to be secure. The second thing is, is, he does absolutely support the Kurds and that he's going to look for a diplomatic solution. I think there will be an assessment as to whether or not those troops should remain. But it's – you know, I think, here, there is an opportunity for the parties, especially now that Iran and Russia's roles are going to be diminished – diminished. They have been brutal in their support with Assad, the hundreds of thousands of people, including use of chemical weapons, that have been killed have been under the Russian influence there. Russia still has two bases, a naval and air force base there, that are going to be, you know, both at risk for Russia, but also a risk to the population of Syria, because they could – they have been used before to attack the Syrian population. We'll have to see what Russia does there. But this is going to be an area that's going to be highly volatile and in transition. MARGARET BRENNAN: And no idea where Bashar al-Assad might have fled to? REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: No, not at this time. MARGARET BRENNAN: I want to ask you, since we're talking about the incoming administration. Donald Trump has chosen Tulsi Gabbard, the former congresswoman, a former Democrat, now Republican, to be the director of national intelligence, overseeing 18 intelligence agencies. She not only went and met with Assad. She publicly doubted high-confidence assessments by U.S. intelligence that he did what we showed you pictures of him doing, using chemical weapons there. Do you trust that she could actually represent the intelligence community, lead it and be trusted to brief the commander in chief? REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: Well, I obviously differ in a great deal in a number of areas with both her judgment and – and her background and experience. But what I do trust is the... MARGARET BRENNAN: You're smiling when you're saying this. REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: ... is the Senate – is the Senate's process. And I think the – the senators are going to put her through a process. She has been nominated. She will go through the process, and I think there will be significant debate and evaluation. I think... MARGARET BRENNAN: You don't think she'll be confirmed? REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: ... that Donald Trump has put together in his last term, and I think he will in this term, a great national security team. I think CIA Director Ratcliffe, I think Mike Waltz as national security director... MARGARET BRENNAN: Mm-hmm. REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: ... are both great examples of people who are going to be foundational. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: And I think you're going to see a great national security team. MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, this is a community that you also have oversight of. So you may not vote in the Senate, but it sounds like she doesn't have your confidence. What about Pete Hegseth to run the Pentagon at a time of global instability? REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: Yes, I think – I think the chairman of the Armed Services in the Senate has made a great statement. He said, we certainly support the process, and he has his support going through the process, and we'll have to see how that goes through. One thing that is absolutely clear is that the Pentagon needs reform. We are not keeping pace with what Russia and China are doing in advanced weapon systems. MARGARET BRENNAN: Mm-hmm. REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: At the same time, we're seeing the weapon systems of advanced technology that are being utilized on the battlefield of Ukraine, and our acquisition systems and our accounting systems, our spending systems are not working at the Pentagon. MARGARET BRENNAN: That requires experience. REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: We need reform. We need reform. Someone has to be able to lead that, and that's going to be the debate in the Senate. MARGARET BRENNAN: I love when I ask congresspeople, and they just keep reminding me that they don't sit in the Senate and don't want to comment. I sense some – some uncertainty there on your part, but I don't want to put words in your mouth. I want to ask you, though, about what is ticking down in Congress right now. And that is something – there's a scramble at the end of this year to get a bunch of work done. Your Democratic colleague in the Senate Mark Warner, said: "It is an urgent priority to address cybersecurity gaps in these final weeks." Is it a priority for you to do something because of this massive breach by China of U.S. telecom? REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: You know, one thing that's – that's very disappointing and we've seen from this administration, this malaise of – or this stasis of where they're unable to move as a result of the president unable to make a decision. Here, we have this massive breach, this hack that has occurred from China, but we're hearing nothing from the president himself, no action from this administration as to what their – what consequences there will be. This is not – doesn't need just a technological fix. This needs also a diplomatic fix, a nation-to-nation consequences to China. You know, in the Obama administration... MARGARET BRENNAN: What would consequences look like? REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: In the Obama administration, China hacked the personnel management system of the U.S. government, and there were no consequences. And now we're seeing China hack the entire system of the nation. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: There needs to be consequences. They can be economic. They can be in a number of ways. But, right now, we have zero. We have nothing coming out of the administration. What need – we need to be talking about is not, technologically, how do we fix this... MARGARET BRENNAN: Mm-hmm. REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER: ... but how do we address – which is what Donald Trump is doing, is coming in and saying, China is our most – gravest threat. How do we address the fact that China is aggressively attacking the United States? And they're doing that in our telecom. MARGARET BRENNAN: Question for the incoming administration to pick that up. Thank you, Chair Turner. Face the Nation will be back in a minute. Stay with us. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) MARGARET BRENNAN: For some analysis on the events unfolding in the Middle East, we're joined now by Andrew Boyd, a CBS News contributor who previously held leadership positions at the CIA and once served in Damascus as a Foreign Service officer, and Mouaz Moustafa, the executive director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force. Welcome back to Face the Nation. Mouaz, I want to start with you. You have been involved with the Syrian opposition for well over a decade. Help us understand what it means to see the regime fall. MOUAZ MOUSTAFA (Executive Director, Syrian Emergency Task Force): It's an indescribable feeling of happiness that this regime, this dictator who has made the worst crimes of the 21st century, alongside Russia and Iran and ISIS, all of these horrible people have been defeated by a coalition of rebel forces that did not need any support from any outside country, not Turkey, not Qatar, not anyone. This time around, Syria was liberated by its people for its people. And it's truly inspiring. And it's not just good reverberations for Syria, for the Middle East and Europe as well. MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, there's a lot of uncertainty as to what this all means. Andy, you have watched this region very closely for some time. At this hour, none of the officials that I have spoken with in regional governments, in the U.S. government seem to know where Bashar al-Assad even went. Does it matter where he went? ANDREW BOYD: Mouaz may differ on this one. I don't think it does now that the government has fallen. I do think what unfolds over the next couple of weeks and, if the opposition actually treats all of the factions in Syria with dignity and respect and ensures their safety, we will have more understanding, because there's a lot of atrocities that were carried out by the Assad regime. Those people are probably still in Syria. And so we will see how that goes. MARGARET BRENNAN: A fair point. The people who worked within the regime, they're still there? ANDREW BOYD: The Syrian military intelligence, the military – the other intelligence services, Syrian General Intelligence Directorate, I mean, have a lot of blood on their hands. So... MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. And I know that you personally, Mouaz, were involved in smuggling out documented evidence of some of the torture, of the mass atrocities, the systematic, institutionalized violence that happened from some of those prisons. You brought it to Congress. You made it public. What do you think we can learn now as those billing – buildings are being seized by rebels? MOUAZ MOUSTAFA: Well, the first thing that we are working really hard, and I can tell you all the rebel factions are working really hard to do, is find Austin Tice and hopefully bring him home, God willing, now back to this family. MARGARET BRENNAN: An American journalist who once worked at CBS News for some time, a Marine veteran. MOUAZ MOUSTAFA: And he's a hero. He went to cover the plight of the Syrian people from what Assad, Iran and Russia have been doing to them. And, God willing, we bring him home alive. But we need to find him and bring him to his mom, no matter what. And the Syrians owe him a debt forever. And, also, other Americans that are undeclared, and freeing Syrians from prisons is something that's really important. But the collection of that intelligence, as well as the Hezbollah, Iranian, Russian, Assad regime, any officials that have been arrested by the Syrian people, again, without any support of the international community or regional countries, who actually worked to try to save Assad, that is valuable. That's valuable to the United States. That's why we need to engage with this new emerging government that, God willing, is the path to democracy. The only Arab country in the world... MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. MOUAZ MOUSTAFA: ... with the hope of being a democracy is Syria. That's incredible. MARGARET BRENNAN: That's a big promise to make. MOUAZ MOUSTAFA: It's not a promise. It's hope that's realistic. MARGARET BRENNAN: Or hope. Hope. Andy, but the – right now, the person we're seeing emerge, we showed him in Umayyad Mosque... (CROSSTALK) MARGARET BRENNAN: ... hugely symbolic place to come and make a speech in Damascus, is this leader of a terrorist group designated, by the United States as a terrorist... ANDREW BOYD: Correct. Correct. MARGARET BRENNAN: ... $10 million bounty on his head. ANDREW BOYD: Correct. MARGARET BRENNAN: What does that signify to you? ANDREW BOYD: Well, as Congressman Turner said, it's not going to be an easy process to undesignate Abu Mohammad al-Jolani. MARGARET BRENNAN: You – which means the U.S. can't talk to him. ANDREW BOYD: The U.S. can't talk to him. I mean, we can accommodate some sort of flexibility there, but he's not going to instantly come off the designation list. So, I mean, we will see. I mean, you have said that – that he's going to respect all the factions, the Druze, the Christian, even the Shia and Alawi, who are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Syrians. MOUAZ MOUSTAFA: I'm speaking by his actions, not by his words. ANDREW BOYD: Right. MOUAZ MOUSTAFA: Well, Aleppo, et cetera – you could talk to the bishop of Aleppo, but, yes, absolutely. ANDREW BOYD: But – but time will tell. I mean, I'm a born skeptic, as a lot of my colleagues at the agency are. We will see. MARGARET BRENNAN: Go ahead, Mouaz. MOUAZ MOUSTAFA: Yes. MARGARET BRENNAN: Tell us who is in this. You talked about it as a coalition, not just HTS. Who are these people who now seem to be in control of Syria? MOUAZ MOUSTAFA: Sure. First of all, since the whole world is boiling down the whole Syrian revolution to one faction of a coalition, or, let's say, even one person within a faction of that coalition, let's discuss that. Why was HTS put on the terrorist list? It was put on a terrorist list over an older version called Jabhat al-Nusra that had a loose affiliation with al Qaeda... MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. MOUAZ MOUSTAFA: ... not a transnational or regional terrorist thing, but an inter-Islamist whatever. I don't agree with any... ANDREW BOYD: But, Mouaz, I think Margaret's talking also as a person, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani. I mean, he was in al Qaeda in Iraq. He worked for Abu Musab al Zarqawi. He spent several years in Bucca prison as a detainee. So we're also – we're talking HTS, Jabhat al-Nusra, but also him as a person. He's designated... (CROSSTALK) MOUAZ MOUSTAFA: Sure, let's talk about him as a person. But what's hilarious about this is, right now, as millions of Syrians come back from Europe and are ready to come back home, as people have not been displaced and there has been zero reports of violations – and I was on the phone with the bishop of Aleppo. The reason I was on the phone is that President Trump and people in President Trump's camp were concerned about the Christians in Syria. Of course, there's so much focus on – any time there's something, terrorist, terrorist. MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. MOUAZ MOUSTAFA: And what ended up happening is, the bishop of Aleppo said, sir, first, it's the coalition of groups, including HTS. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. MOUAZ MOUSTAFA: And we have had electricity more now than we have under the regime, and our only fear is Russian airstrikes. So I'm glad that President Trump still – still... MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. MOUAZ MOUSTAFA: ... told Russia what it should do. MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. MOUAZ MOUSTAFA: Get out of Syria. And it has done so. MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, we will be watching to see whether that continues to be the case and what transpires and what it means... (CROSSTALK) MOUAZ MOUSTAFA: One – one last thing, Margaret. It's really important. MARGARET BRENNAN: I have to go. I'm so sorry. MOUAZ MOUSTAFA: Al Qaeda in Syria is HoR. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. MOUAZ MOUSTAFA: It's the affiliate. And HTS has defeated it and defeated ISIS. The old designation is kind of irrelevant. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. Well, we will be watching this developing story. And we will be right back. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) MARGARET BRENNAN: Tonight on 60 Minutes, a look at how the crypto industry flexed its political muscle by donating enormous sums of money to get pro- crypto candidates elected. (Begin VT) BRAD GARLINGHOUSE (CEO, Ripple): Crypto for all of us. MARGARET BRENNAN (voice-over): Brad Garlinghouse is the CEO of a company called Ripple, whose cryptocurrency, XRP, became the third largest in the world this past week. Ripple and two other companies contributed $144 million to super PACs that supported pro-crypto Republicans and Democrats. BRAD GARLINGHOUSE: Do I think we had an impact to elect a Democratic senator in Michigan, Elissa Slotkin? Yes, absolutely. Do I think we had an impact in Arizona, a Democratic senator in Arizona, Gallego? Absolutely. MARGARET BRENNAN: Overall, crypto companies contributed one-third of all direct corporate contributions to super PACs. Of the 29 Republicans and 33 Democrats the industry backed in congressional races, 85 percent won. BRAD GARLINGHOUSE: It's incredible. MARGARET BRENNAN: So you see this election as a major victory? BRAD GARLINGHOUSE: For sure. MARGARET BRENNAN: But some people will look at that and say, you teamed up and bought an election. BRAD GARLINGHOUSE: Here's the thing. Voters voted. We educated voters, as many industries do, about candidates. MARGARET BRENNAN: But you helped supercharge the candidates with the money in the coffers, right... BRAD GARLINGHOUSE: We absolutely did. MARGARET BRENNAN: ... on whatever it is they wanted to talk about. BRAD GARLINGHOUSE: That's absolutely right. (End VT) MARGARET BRENNAN: You can watch my full report tonight on 60 Minutes. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) MARGARET BRENNAN: We will be right back with a lot more Face the Nation, including our conversation with the bipartisan chairs of a congressional task force investigating what went wrong with law enforcement in the Butler, Pennsylvania, assassination attempt of former President Trump. Stay with us. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) MARGARET BRENNAN: Welcome back to Face the Nation. On Friday, we sat down with Republican Mike Kelly and Democrat Jason Crow, the leaders of the bipartisan congressional task force investigating the assassination attempts on former President Trump. We wanted to know what they learned about the challenges facing the Secret Service when it comes to keeping protectees safe. (Begin VT) REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW (D-Colorado): The area that I in particular looked at was the culture of the organization, because I was struck by the stories and the recount of the specific actions of officers and agents on the ground that day. And there were some heroic ones, but there were also a lot of examples of people that knew that something was wrong and they didn't say anything. REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY (R-Pennsylvania): Yes. MARGARET BRENNAN: Why didn't anyone say anything? Were they unaware of vulnerabilities, or is there a culture of silence, where people speaking up get smacked down for doing so? REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: That's – that is my concern, is that there's a culture of silence and that individual officers and agents are not empowered to say something is wrong. MARGARET BRENNAN: Congressman Kelly, on that point, I mean, some of this sounds like management 101, that this is not specific to the Secret Service. A lot of organizations have problems like what you just highlighted there. Acting Director Rowe testified Thursday he thinks the Secret Service needs to identify leaders earlier on and promote them based on ability, not just hours logged on the clock. REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY: But isn't that true of everything in life? When you look at this, when people talk about, we need better leadership than that, I was on those grounds the night before. They weren't set up at that point. They were going to work through the night to get it ready. And then you find out afterwards that there was no coordination, there was no team meeting, there was no, well, this is going to be your responsibility to know where you're supposed to be and what time you're supposed to be there. You bring local law enforcement in, but you don't – you don't include them in the planning. Or, when you do the – the interviews afterwards, well, I thought he was going to do it. No, we thought somebody else was going to do it. When you knew there was a suspicious person on the grounds – and this is a common – going back and forth now. This is where they said they weren't communicating with each other. You can't tell me that you didn't know until 10 minutes after 6:00 that you couldn't communicate. At 11 minutes after 6:00, the shooter took action. They knew an hour-and-a-half ahead of time. Out of all the thousands of the people walking around on that ter – on that property, there was a suspicious person, and they kept losing sight of him. I would have said – and I have no background in law enforcement – keep the president back until we clear the area. That's the part that doesn't make sense. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY: Because they failed from the first thing, from the picking of the site, preparing the site, to the coordination of the site, to the ability to communicate. At every step of the way, they failed. And the question is, why didn't you just say, hold up, just hold up, don't let him come out? MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, when the acting director says on Thursday of this week, we need to pick better leaders, that would suggest that the agency today does not necessarily have the leaders it needs to fix... REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY: Oh. MARGARET BRENNAN: ... all the things you just laid out. REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY: Yes. And I think, by saying what he said, that's what he meant. They don't have the leadership they need. When they morphed them into Homeland Security back in 2001, 2 – whenever it was, they took away their identity and their exclusivity. When you're the best of the best, when you're the elite of the elites... MARGARET BRENNAN: Mm-hmm. REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY: ... if you lose that, then all of a sudden you just become part of a team. There was a huge mistake back when Homeland came into existence. That's not a criticism, because they did what they had to do back then. But I'm telling you, on July 13, there was a lack of professionalism, there was a lack of concern, there was a lack of coordination. And the ability to communicate is the one thing I will never understand. You knew you couldn't talk to each other. Why did you go forward? REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: I want to be really clear that there are plenty of extraordinary agents and officers in the Secret Service, right? MARGARET BRENNAN: Mm-hmm. REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: And when we talk about a failure of mission, you know, in Butler or any place else, that doesn't mean that, you know, 80, 90 percent of the – of the Secret Service agents aren't phenomenal and dedicated professionals. But there is a systematic problem here. The structure, the personnel, the staffing of the Secret Service, hasn't changed in years, at the same time as we are now asking them to do things that they didn't do a decade ago. And they are – they are fulfilling an operational tempo that requires them to be deployed... MARGARET BRENNAN: Mm-hmm. REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: ... three weeks out of a month, constantly doing events, skipping firearms training, skipping leadership development training. We are not developing their skills and their training. And I think you see the results of that. MARGARET BRENNAN: So, you made three dozen recommendations in this report on what to change, including to reduce the number of protectees. Right now, Secret Service protects not only presidential leadership, their immediate families, their spouses, their children, candidates, and anyone really the president designates. Should all of that continue? REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY: We've increased the size of protectees that are out there, including foreign assets that come here and people that bring – bring their families and things. So that's gotten so big. But, if you look at Homeland, I think – I think, when you look at Secret Service, it's about 3 percent of their overall spend. The biggest spend is on FEMA. And, now, we don't want to change anything like that. But you can't have an exclusive without funding them to the level that they need to be funded, not only in manpower and in training, but in the assets that they have to have available to them. MARGARET BRENNAN: Mm-hmm. REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: You always have to ask yourself, what are your missions and what is the thing that only you can do? Like, what is that no- fail mission? MARGARET BRENNAN: Mm-hmm. REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: In this case, with the Secret Service, that no- fail mission is to protect our highest-level candidates and our highest- level elected officials, period. All the other things, investigation of financial crimes, training and support, these are all secondary missions. So, if you're not actually adequately performing any of those missions to standard, and if you have reached a breaking point, then it's time to assess, what are those missions that need to fall off and to be transitioned elsewhere? That's my view. MARGARET BRENNAN: You, Congressman Crow, seemed very frustrated, based on the report and hearing that you have... REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: Do I seem frustrated? REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY: No, no, you're very... (CROSSTALK) (LAUGHTER) MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, with the fact that you couldn't find out more about the shooter, both in Butler and in – the potential shooter in Mar-a- Lago. REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: Yes. That's actually a really important element to the story. And people have rightful questions about it. I have questions about it. And that is, why did the shooter do this? MARGARET BRENNAN: Mm-hmm. REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: What drove him to do it? Was he a lone wolf shooter? Did he have associates or affiliates? What was his motivation? How was he radicalized? We endeavored to get answers to those questions. We submitted numerous requests to the Department of Justice and FBI. Their response is, this is an ongoing criminal investigation, and we can't give that information to Congress. That, in my view, is an unacceptable position. And here's why. MARGARET BRENNAN: For both Butler and Mar-a-Lago, that was the answer? REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: Correct. That's right. And here's why that's unacceptable. I sit on the Intelligence Committee. I have sat on the Armed Services Committee. And Congress all the time gets access to our nation's most sensitive secrets, ongoing operations, intelligence operations, military operations. So you can't tell me that there isn't a way to put us into a secure facility and get us information about an ongoing criminal investigation, when I regularly am receiving briefs on what our – our spies and our military special operators are doing regularly around the world. So, none of this stands to reason. And we have dedicated ourselves to continue to get those answers. And if the FBI and DOJ thinks that they can wait us out and stonewall us, they are wrong. MARGARET BRENNAN: You think they're intentionally withholding information? REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: I don't know what their intention is. I mean, I'm not a mind reader. But, you know, I have been around Congress long enough to know what – what... (CROSSTALK) REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY: When you get stonewalled. Yes. Yes. REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: When you get stonewalled. I mean, listen, this is – this is not uncommon... REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY: No. REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: ... when you're dealing with agencies and departments. It's a pretty regular method. And it's something that, you know, we encounter all the time in our oversight responsibilities. MARGARET BRENNAN: So, we don't know, or tell me if perhaps you know answer to this. REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: Yes, we're – we're in... MARGARET BRENNAN: Was there a foreign nexus? Do we know, yes or no? (CROSSTALK) REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: Americans are deluged with misinformation and disinformation that's coming from a variety of sources. And conspiracy theories sometimes take root when there's a lack of information or there's conflicting information. So our job is to try to get information out there, to be transparent, to be accessible, to tell the real story. MARGARET BRENNAN: Mm-hmm. REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: And that's why this is important. This element of that story is important, because there's a lot of conspiracies around... REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY: Absolutely. REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: ... these shootings, right? And we take that seriously. And we want to – we want to, you know, rebuff those. But, you know, in this case – and I sit on a lot of other committees with access to information – I have seen no evidence that a state actor, an adversary was responsible for either of these attempted assassination attempts. I have seen no evidence. But, you know, when you're in a position where, you know, the government says, well, it's not this, but we won't tell you what it is, right, and – and we can't tell you – we can't tell you definitively, well, you know, people respond and have questions about that. REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY: Mm-hmm. REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: And I understand that mentality. So, even though we don't have evidence of one thing, people still want to know what else it is. And I still want to know what else it is. MARGARET BRENNAN: Did he act alone? Do we know that? REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: We don't know that. MARGARET BRENNAN: Or Congress doesn't know that. REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: Yes. And, you know, it's one thing to say – and I'm going to be really clear about this. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: Because this is very, very sensitive territory... REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: Because we want to make sure we're not... MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: ... getting people spun up unnecessarily. There is no evidence of – from other sources, you know, internal government sources, from our investigation, that others were involved, that he acted with others, and that a foreign state or adversary was involved in this. But that still raises the question of, why did he do this? MARGARET BRENNAN: Mm-hmm. REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: Was just – was he just a disturbed young man who decided to take action alone? Probably. I mean, that's probably the answer. REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY: That's what it looks like now, yes. REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: Right? REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: That's what it looks like. But we need to know, right? And let's get the information out there that the government has to make sure that we can settle this. And that's – that's our obligation. MARGARET BRENNAN: Is the agency today able to do its job, if they weren't able to do it in July? REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY: We were tasked with trying to find out what happened that day, why it happened that day, and to – and to the best of our ability make sure that the Secret Service, that doesn't happen again to them. We can't guarantee that these things won't happen. MARGARET BRENNAN: Mm-hmm. REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY: Because it's a crazy world right now. But there was too much ahead of time that we did know that we didn't share. I would never let my child play near a road. And when you do, you put people in jeopardy of that and you know there's a danger there. Don't let it happen. MARGARET BRENNAN: Is there anything that you feel important to raise that we didn't talk about? REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY: We never identified as Republicans and Democrats. We – we defined as a task force to find out what happened that day. And the whole – the whole goal from day one is to restore the faith and trust and confidence that the American people must have in this agency. At this point, it's probably at the lowest ebb it's ever been. MARGARET BRENNAN: Mm-hmm. REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY: And the other thing is, I think we realize that threats are 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. You can't take a day off. You can't take a play off. You've got to be ready every single moment for anything that could possibly happen. Is that a difficult task? Yes. Is it almost impossible? Yes, there's a lot of bad actors out there. But you know what's not impossible? Our dedication to the fact that we're going to do the best we can do every single day to ensure that the American people have the faith and trust and confidence they must have in us. REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: This is a tough place to work. REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY: Oh. (LAUGHTER) REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: And there are – frankly, there are some people here that don't belong here, that I think are just here to get attention, to get, you know, clicks on social media, that aren't here to legislate. REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: But this has been one of the best experiences of my time in Congress. And I couldn't have asked for a better partner than Mike Kelly. You know, and he's a very conservative Republican, and I'm a Democrat. We're both proud of that. (LAUGHTER) REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: We're proud of our politics. And... REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY: We are. REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: And we represent our districts, right? REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY: Yes. Yes. We do. We do. REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: That's actually – that's actually the job, right? REPRESENTATIVE MIKE KELLY: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE JASON CROW: We represent the culture and the politics and the hopes and dreams of our districts. And that's what's so – so beautiful about this place when it works well. But this process – and I think this is really important for Americans to understand – this process was serious. It was bipartisan. It was – it was deep. And we did the job that we were asked to do. (End VT) MARGARET BRENNAN: You can watch our full interview on our Web site and our YouTube page. We will be right back. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) MARGARET BRENNAN: A panel of federal judges in D.C. last week upheld a new law that could effectively ban the popular social media app TikTok by mid- January if its Chinese owners do not sell it to a new buyer. Frank McCourt, the executive chairman of McCourt Global and founder of Project Liberty, is one of the potential buyers, and he joins us now. Good to see you here. FRANK MCCOURT (Executive Chairman, McCourt Global): Good morning. MARGARET BRENNAN: So, TikTok says, well, they might go to the Supreme Court on this one. If they don't, their parent company, ByteDance, has said they're not interested in selling. Do you have any indication that they will and that the incoming Trump administration would support someone like you buying it? FRANK MCCOURT: Well, yes, I think where we are now, Margaret, is, there's three options. You know, one is an appeal. Our lawyers tell us there's very little chance of a successful appeal by ByteDance, strong bipartisan legislation, a 3-0 by the three – you know, by the appellate court. So now that leaves us with two, a ban or a sale. We don't want to see it banned. I would add that President – president-elect Trump has also said he doesn't want to see it banned. So now let's talk about the sale. So we've been working for the last eight months on the assumption that the legislation would be upheld and that there would be a sale. MARGARET BRENNAN: Mm-hmm. FRANK MCCOURT: So, that's where we are right now. And we're working very, very hard to be in a position to buy the U.S. portion of TikTok... MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. FRANK MCCOURT: ... so it's not shut down. MARGARET BRENNAN: So, what is that worth to you? There are estimates it could be as high as $200 billion in worth. FRANK MCCOURT: Two hundred billion dollars would be more – more in the range of what the entirety of the platform is worth, not just the U.S. piece. MARGARET BRENNAN: Mm-hmm. FRANK MCCOURT: And let's be clear. The Chinese government has said they're not selling the algorithm. They view that as I.P. of the country. So, Tik – U.S. TikTok is a piece of ByteDance. If it's sold, it will be sold without an algorithm. So the value will be far, far less than 200 – $200 billion. We have circled over $20 billion to be in a position, and we're very serious about raising whatever capital is required to buy the platform. And – and, to be clear... MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. FRANK MCCOURT: ... we're looking to move the 170 million users over to a new protocol, where the individuals will own and control their identity and their data. We're not looking to replicate the existing version. MARGARET BRENNAN: So, let's talk about that. As you said, 170 million Americans use TikTok, especially young people. U.S. law prohibits foreign control of mass media, but this social media space is kind of a loophole here. There aren't a lot of governing rules in this space. Do you think Congress needs to write new rules of the role – of the road to ban foreign ownership and to put restrictions on even owners like you? FRANK MCCOURT: I think we need to upgrade our regulations and our policies. There's no doubt about that. But, far more importantly, we need to fix the technology. The Internet is broken, fundamentally broken. We heard your guest earlier Representative Turner talk about the threat from China on our telecom hack, massive hack, massive threat to Americans. MARGARET BRENNAN: And they're still in the telecom system, according to U.S. intelligence. FRANK MCCOURT: Absolutely. And we heard your recent guests, Representatives Kelly and Crow, talk about the deluge of misinformation and disinformation, the fact that it's a very dangerous world right now. The reason why the Congress moved so quickly with TikTok to pass the legislation is because it is a national security threat to Americans. MARGARET BRENNAN: Mm-hmm. FRANK MCCOURT: And the reason why the judges upheld it is for that same reason. So let's turn a problem into a solution by taking advantage of this moment, move the 170 million users over to a new protocol where individuals are respected. MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you have an indication from president-elect Trump that he wants to see an American entity buy this? Because he would also have some influence in the outcome. FRANK MCCOURT: Of course, as president-elect, he'll have massive influence. But... MARGARET BRENNAN: Have you spoken to him? FRANK MCCOURT: But – but President – President Trump is a dealmaker. We know that. I'm a dealmaker, OK? I have been doing business deals my entire – my entire life. Let's make a deal where everybody wins, where China's able to sell the U.S. portion of TikTok, where American citizens are protected, and where there's – and 170 million users continue to enjoy the platform. So he has said he doesn't want it banned, which means a sale. And the legislation and the – the appellate decision require that this platform be – be owned by Americans. We have built a clean, bottom-up American stack to move this user base over, where there will be no Chinese backdoors and no ability to – to take advantage of American citizens. MARGARET BRENNAN: You – you're indicating you've built out some technology, you think, that will not allow for government surveillance? FRANK MCCOURT: Correct. MARGARET BRENNAN: But can you, if you are – whoever owns this is going to be powerful, if you get 170 million Americans on a platform, particularly young people, to consume the information on this system. So what guarantees do you make? Because Facebook and Twitter, they also harvest information about consumers. Would you? FRANK MCCOURT: Yes, well, that's exactly what we don't want to do. So the reason why we want to move people to a new stack where you can't harvest without permission, so individuals will own and control their identity and their data, permission its use, will actually have an Internet that respects people, as opposed to exploits them. Imagine empowering people. And, to be clear, Margaret, I'm not looking to be the CEO of TikTok. We call it the people's bid, because we want this to empower people and to stop this nonsense where we're exploiting people by scraping their data and taking advantage of them, and, in the case of TikTok, actually creating a national security threat. MARGARET BRENNAN: Elon Musk, who owns X, formerly known as Twitter, now has raised concerns about content moderation restricting free speech. Do you share that concern, and what restrictions would you put on paid political advertising? FRANK MCCOURT: I mentioned earlier that we need better policies, for sure, but we need better tech. Right now, we have a tech stack that's built, and these giant apps scrape our data and exploit it. Why not flip the power? Why not actually give people their data back? MARGARET BRENNAN: Mm-hmm. FRANK MCCOURT: Our data is our personhood in this age. Let us decide how to use it. Let us each decide what moderation we're comfortable with, what censorship we're comfortable with, what privacy we're comfortable with. MARGARET BRENNAN: Should – OK, so the surgeon general says you need a warning label because this is damaging the mental health of young people in this country. Should people under the age of 16 have access? FRANK MCCOURT: Under the current tech stack, I agree with the surgeon general. Under a new technology – listen, I'm a builder. My family has been building for five generations. This is an engineering problem that can be fixed. Let's take this ban of TikTok... MARGARET BRENNAN: Mm-hmm. FRANK MCCOURT: ... this massive national security problem, and turn it into a solution for Americans. Let's make it a win, a win-win. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. Well, mid-January, we will see what happens in this case. And we will watch your potential bid here. Thank you for joining us. We'll be back in a moment. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) MARGARET BRENNAN: The weeklong cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon appears to be holding, but the situation in Gaza remains dire. Here's our Debora Patta reporting from East Jerusalem. (Begin VT) DEBORA PATTA (voice-over): A massive Israeli strike caught on camera by CBS News as it ripped through the Al-Mawasi tented camp near Khan Yunis, a designated humanitarian safe zone turned into a blazing inferno. Faced with unpredictable danger, exhausted families on the move again. Israel says it was targeting two Hamas militants. But over 20 people died, among them four children and a pregnant woman. (MONA SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE) DEBORA PATTA: In Central Gaza, 13-year-old Shadi Faraj (sp?) was playing outside when he was killed. (MONA SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE) DEBORA PATTA: "This is proof of their crimes," his aunt Mona (sp?) shouted. "They just want to kill as many Palestinians as possible." In Northern Gaza, Israel has ordered everyone to leave. It is under siege. Even as Palestinians flee, they are shot at. Israel has allowed virtually no aid into the north for more than two months. In the south, this is what it looks like outside the few remaining bakeries, as people fight just for a piece of bread. Every morning, 11-year-old Zeina Juhab (sp?) braved those crowds, until one day she did not come home. She had been trampled to death. (AHMED SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE) DEBORA PATTA: "The world looks at us, and all they see are terrorists," her father, Ahmed (sp?), told us. "We're not terrorists. We just want to survive." But no one, it seems, is listening, as hunger spreads everywhere. (End VT) DEBORA PATTA: Amnesty International says there is no time to waste and has warned the U.S. to stop sending weapons to Israel because of the likelihood, Margaret, that these would be used for war crimes or genocide. MARGARET BRENNAN: That was our Debora Patta in East Jerusalem. We will be right back. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) MARGARET BRENNAN: That's it for us today. Thank you for watching. Until next week, for Face the Nation, I'm Margaret Brennan.

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LINCOLN, Neb. — The bowl drought is over for Nebraska , but an end to its streak of losing seasons is not secure. The Huskers, at 6-6, need a victory in the postseason to avoid an eighth consecutive sub-.500 finish. Nebraska was selected on Sunday to face Boston College , 7-5, in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on Dec. 28. Advertisement Get ready for the first meeting between the Huskers and the Eagles, who are led by former Penn State and Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien. The bowl game will mark Nebraska’s first since a visit to Nashville for the 2016 Music City Bowl — and an end to the longest streak without a postseason game among Power 4 teams. Here are 10 things to know about the Huskers’ postseason return. Revisiting New York: Nebraska traveled to New York for its third of 53 bowl games. In December 1962 at the close of coach Bob Devaney’s first season with the Huskers, they ended a seven-year bowl drought by playing in the Gotham Bowl. Nebraska beat Miami 36-34 — the first of 26 bowl victories for Nebraska — at the old Yankee Stadium, which was replaced by the current home of the storied MLB franchise in 2009. The Gotham Bowl, a financial failure, was never again played after 1962. Postseason college football returned to the Bronx in 2010. The Pinstripe Bowl has been contested every year since except 2020. Big Red in the Big Apple 🍎🗽 🏟️ @PinstripeBowl 📅 12.28 📍 Yankee Stadium 🕚 11 AM CST 📺 @ABC #GBR x #WhatsNExt ! pic.twitter.com/cMkjeSAZzG — Nebraska Football (@HuskerFootball) December 8, 2024 Matt Rhule’s roots: The second-year Nebraska coach was born in New York in 1975 and lived in the Big Apple until his family moved to Pennsylvania in Rhule’s teen years. He said in 2021 that he grew up “dreaming of being Bill Parcells,” the former New York Giants and Jets coach. Rhule coached the Giants’ offensive line in 2012 for Tom Coughlin before Rhule was hired one year later to his first head-coaching post at Temple. In 2020, before the Carolina Panthers hired Rhule from Baylor, he was considered a favorite for the open position with the Giants. GO DEEPER Nebraska coach Matt Rhule on his program after national signing day Pack a coat: Bowl trips for Nebraska and its fans traditionally provide relief from the winter cold. Aside from its 1962 visit to New York, the Huskers have not played in the postseason at a destination north of Santa Clara, Calif. Thirty-four of its 53 bowl games were played in California, Texas, Arizona or Florida. Advertisement Nebraska’s Gotham Bowl was played in frigid weather that contributed to a sparse crowd. Still, the Pinstripe Bowl features a postseason flavor. The teams are scheduled to visit Radio City Music Hall, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum and the New York Stock Exchange. Big Ten success: This year marks the 10th consecutive Pinstripe Bowl featuring a participant from the Big Ten. Big Ten teams have won seven consecutive and eight of their nine appearances. Rutgers beat Miami 31-24 last year before a crowd of 35,314. The largest crowd to attend a Pinstripe Bowl was 49,012 in 2014 when Penn State beat Boston College 31-30 in overtime. BC is back: This appearance will mark Boston College’s third since 2014 at Yankee Stadium. The Eagles also were beaten in the 2017 Pinstripe Bowl, 27-20 against Iowa . The Eagles this year finished 4-4 in the ACC. They’ve won three of four games, losing only to College Football Playoff participant SMU , since a three-game losing streak in October. Boston College ranks 22nd nationally in rushing defense and 20th in turnover margin. First-team All-ACC defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku leads the FBS with 16.5 sacks. GO DEEPER Bill O'Brien is where he is supposed to be. Boston College is abuzz about it O’Brien against Nebraska: The 55-year-old Boston College coach lost twice against Nebraska and Bo Pelini while at Penn State in 2012 and 2013. O’Brien, after seven years in the NFL , spent two seasons as offensive coordinator at Alabama. He received consideration in 2022 from former Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts in the search to replace fired coach Scott Frost. O’Brien coordinated the offense last year for the New England Patriots before landing back in college with Boston College. The meeting between O’Brien and Rhule will mark the second in college football this year between former NFL head coaches. The first came in Nebraska’s October victory against Rutgers and Greg Schiano. Advertisement A jump start on 2025: Rhule said last week that he doesn’t expect any bowl game opt-outs at Nebraska, other than the players who enter the transfer portal. Defensive lineman Ty Robinson , a projected NFL Draft pick in April, for instance, expressed to Rhule that he wants to play in the bowl game. That said, Rhule plans to use this month on the practice field to prepare young players for next season. The Huskers will practice this week and next week in Lincoln and host potential transfers on official visits during the weekend ahead. Rhule said that Nebraska expects to add as many as 15 players from the portal. An eye on the portal: While attention turns to Boston College and the bowl plans, managing the roster consumes plenty of time in December. The portal opens on Monday for non-graduates to enter. Since the end of the regular season, 13 Huskers have declared their intentions to hit the portal — running backs Gabe Ervin and Emmett Johnson , wide receiver Dae’Vonn Hall, linebackers Stefon Thompson , Mikai Gbayor and Princewill Umanmielen , defensive linemen Jimari Butler , James Williams , Kai Wallin and Vincent Jackson , defensive backs Mason Jones and Dwight Bootle and quarterback Daniel Kaelin . There will be more. If Nebraska adds 15 transfers, more than 40 additional players must exit for the Huskers to meet the 105-player limit in effect for 2025. GO DEEPER Tony White's departure is just the first domino to fall in a long month ahead for Nebraska No impact on redshirts: Nebraska completed the regular season with seven true freshmen who burned redshirt seasons by playing in more than four games — quarterback Dylan Raiola , wide receivers Jacory Barney and Carter Nelson , linebackers Willis McGahee and Vincent Shavers, defensive end Keona Davis and defensive back Mario Buford . Bowl games have no impact on the four-game rule. As a result, defensive backs Donovan Jones and Amare Sanders and second-year defensive lineman Riley Van Poppel , all of whom have played in four games, can participate in the bowl game and maintain their redshirt status. Arrival of early enrollees: Most of Nebraska’s early enrollees in recent years got to Lincoln in January. This year, more than half of the Huskers’ 20-player signing class will arrive this month. Recruits who’ve graduated from high school are allowed to participate in pre-bowl practice sessions, though they cannot play in the game. Rhule said that his chief of staff, Susan Elza, has been working on a plan to take the early enrollees with Nebraska’s travel party to the bowl game. (Photo: Vincent Carchietta / USA Today)