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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shea Stevens.

A man once investigated by the Justice Department for possible sex trafficking has been nominated

to become U.S. Attorney General.

Republican Matt Gates was also the subject of a health ethics investigation until he resigned

from the U.S. House on Wednesday.

As NPR's Ryan Lucas reports, President-elect Trump says Gates will restore confidence in the DOJ.

So Trump made this announcement on his social media platform, Truth Social, and he called Gates, quote, a deeply gifted and tenacious attorney.

And he said that he had distinguished himself in Congress by focusing on what Trump called a desperate, needed reform at the Justice Department.

Now, Trump views the job of Attorney General as a top priority. It's maybe the most important job after Trump's own in the incoming administration.

And Trump had a rocky relationship with his attorneys general during his

first term, both Jeff Sessions and Bill Barr. He lashed out at them frequently. Sometimes he claimed

for not defending him enough. NPR's Ryan Lucas. Crisis centers serving the LGBTQ plus community

are reporting a sharp surge in calls since the election. As NPR's Windsor-Johnston report, the hotlines are overwhelmed

with young people fearing threats to their safety. James Black, CEO of the Trevor Project,

says the record number of calls to its hotline is a clear sign of how the outcome of the election

is affecting some young people. They are afraid. They're anxiety written.

We saw an overall volume increase of nearly 700%. Mia Bertrand, a 43-year-old black bisexual woman,

says the president-elect has a responsibility to serve in the best interest of all Americans.

These are people who have lives, who have loved ones, and their life is now in your hands.

FBI data show that hate crimes against the LGBTQ plus community continued to spike,

even as overall crime rates, decline.

...