If it's Wednesday, former Congressman Matt Gates back on the hill today, trying to win enough support to be the next Attorney General.

As the House Ethics Committee meets, decide whether to release a potentially damning report on his conduct.

Plus, Republican Senator Kevin Kramer meets the press after spending the day with President

elect Trump and warning publicly that Matt Gates has a steep hill climb to win his support

for confirmation.

And defense secretary Lloyd Austin sits down exclusively with NBC News for his first one-on-one

interview since the election, responding to Trump's pick to run the Pentagon

saying women should not serve in combat roles.

Welcome to meet the press. I'm Yami, I'm Michelle Sender in Washington. Right now, there is a full court

press underway on Capitol Hill to mobilize support for President-elect Donald Trump's most

polarizing cabinet picks. And this afternoon, the House Ethics Committee met to debate

whether to release a potentially damning report on one of those picks, former

Congressman Matt Gates. Moments ago, the Republican chair of the committee, Congressman Michael

Guest, left that meeting, swarmed by reporters telling them there's been no agreement on

releasing the report. He would provide no other details about the discussions. But on his

way into the meeting, Congressman Guest suggested the committee has a multiple

paths to choose from.

To me, there are two separate issues.

One is a public release of everything we have at this point.

Another would be some sort of transmittal to the Senate Judiciary Committee once the nomination becomes

official.

That comes even as some Republican senators dismiss the importance of the report itself.

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