The latest on Biden's transition

The Biden transition team is talking with New York business executive Diana Taylor about a potential role in the Biden administration, according to a source familiar.

Taylor, the longtime partner of former New York City mayor and 2020 presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg, has expressed interested in SBA, but could be considered for other roles as well, according to the source.

Taylor has deep ties to the business community and previously served as the New York State Superintendent of Banks. A former Republican, Taylor registered as a Democrat in 2018.

The New York Times was the first to report the news.

President-elect Joe Biden will name Gina McCarthy as his White House climate czar, a source familiar with the decision tells CNN, making the former head of the Environmental Protection Agency his top domestic climate coordinator.

McCarthy, who currently serves as the head of the Natural Resources Defense Council, will lead Biden's newly formed Office of Domestic Climate Policy, a source said. McCarthy served as the administrator of the EPA from 2013 to 2017 under former President Barack Obama.

The move is the latest example of Biden's prioritization of the climate crisis.

Here are some key things to know about McCarthy's role and experience:

Read more here.

The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies announced Wednesday the planned limitations and guidance for President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration on Jan. 20. 

Traditionally, the committee would give out 200,000 tickets for the official ceremonies, but this year, members of Congress will be limited to themselves and one guest, according to the committee. 

"While the pandemic has forced us to limit in-person attendance, it also brings opportunities to honor our democracy in innovative ways so that Americans across the country can experience Inauguration Day from home,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar said.

Read more here.

Pete Buttigieg was just formally nominated by President-Elect Joe Biden as his transportation secretary in Wilmington, Delaware.

If confirmed by the US Senate, Buttigieg would be the first LGBTQ Cabinet secretary approved by the chamber. 

Buttigieg used part of his remarks to note the significance of his nomination and shared a personal story about his journey.

"I'm also mindful that the eyes of history are on this appointment. Knowing that this is the first time an American president has ever sent an openly LGBTQ Cabinet member to senate for confirmation," Buttigieg said. "I can remember watching the news, 17 years old, in Indiana, seeing a story about an appointee of President Clinton named to be ambassador, attacked and denied a vote in the Senate because he was gay. Ultimately able to serve only by recess appointment. At the time, I had no aspirations of being appointed by a president to anything. At that age I was hoping to be an airline pilot and I was a long way from coming out even to myself," he said.

Buttigieg said that when watching that story, he learned about some of the "limits that exist in this country" when it comes to who "is allowed to belong."

The transportation secretary nominee said he hopes his nomination today will inspire young people who are in a similar place as he was.

Buttigieg thanked Biden for honoring his "commitment to diversity."

Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, President-Elect Biden's nominee for transportation secretary, said his focus would be on growth and equity all while "rising to the climate challenge."

"This administration can deliver policies and resources that will create jobs, rise to the climate challenge, and equitably serve all Americans," Buttigieg said. "Step one in building back better literally is to build."

Buttigieg talked about how transportation and infrastructure should be used to bring people together and boost the economy – in stride with the Biden administration's message of healing.

Buttigieg cited his own experience in South Bend, Indiana, saying infrastructure "was at the heart of our vision" to get the city out of a recession.

"We reimagined how vehicles and people move through the city, unlocking new economic vibrancy in our urban core. We built up partnerships to improve rail service to public/private partnership that put our city at the cutting edge of bicycle mobility," he said.

President-elect Joe Biden is formally introducing former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg as his nominee for transportation secretary at an event happening now in Wilmington, Delaware.

If confirmed by the US Senate, Buttigieg would be the first LGBTQ Cabinet secretary approved by the chamber. 

The President-elect praised the diversity of his Cabinet nominees so far.

"And by the end of this process, this Cabinet will be the most representative of any Cabinet in American history. We'll have more people of color than any Cabinet ever, we'll have more women than any Cabinet ever. We'll have a Cabinet of barrier breakers. A Cabinet of firsts," Biden said.

Buttigieg's selection also represents the first time the President-elect has tapped one of his former Democratic presidential opponents to join his administration as a Cabinet secretary.

The role of transportation secretary is expected to play a central part in Biden's push for a bipartisan infrastructure package. Buttigieg spearheaded a number of infrastructure projects as mayor, and as a presidential candidate, Buttigieg proposed a $1 trillion infrastructure plan.

The former mayor is seen as a rising star in the Democratic primary and rose to national prominence during the 2020 Democratic primary. Once an unknown mayor of a small city, Buttigieg became a top presidential contender and made history as the first LGBTQ presidential candidate to win primary delegates from a major party. 

Here's a look at who else Biden has selected for his Cabinet so far.

The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies announced Wednesday the planned limitations and guidance for President-elect Biden's inauguration on Jan. 20. 

Members will be limited to themselves and one guest, according to the committee. 

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will no longer be meeting in person with Antony Blinken, President-elect Joe Biden’s pick to be Secretary of State at the department tomorrow, sources familiar with the meeting tell CNN.

It is not clear if the meeting will happen virtually, or if Blinken will still come to the State Department to meet with other officials from Pompeo’s staff.

The State Department said Wednesday that Pompeo is in quarantine, due to close contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19.

More on the meeting: The meeting between Blinken and Pompeo was to mark the first formal recognition by President Trump's top diplomat that he is preparing to hand over the reins of American foreign policy to his successor.

CNN reported earlier this week the meeting was scheduled to last for only 15 minutes, but State Department officials viewed it as a positive step.

In addition, Pompeo’s office has canceled two holiday gathering for foreign ambassadors in Washington that were scheduled to take place at the department today and where Pompeo was scheduled to give remarks, according to an internal schedule reviewed by CNN.

Yesterday Pompeo and his wife did not attend a separate holiday party hosted at the State Department yesterday, says a source familiar with the event.

Instead, Deputy Secretary of State, Steve Biegun, attended the event and gave remarks to the family members of US diplomats who serve in dangerous locations where they cannot being their family along, the source said. At the time, no reason was given for Pompeo skipping the event.

It remains unclear when Pompeo came into contact with the person who tested positive for Covid-19 and how long he will quarantine for. It’s also unclear when Pompeo will get the Covid-19 vaccine. Yesterday the department said in a memo that certain groups of US diplomats had been prioritized to get the doses in the first tranche, but would not say if Pompeo fell into any of the prioritized categorizes.

Last week Pompeo visited the White House on Friday and also spent time with his son and his new fiancé in Washignton, DC according to photos on his personal Twitter.

Senate Homeland Security Chairman Ron Johnson, a Republican from Wisconsin, told reporters Wednesday that he does not plan to object to election results when Congress meets for a joint session on Jan. 6, while defending holding today’s hearing probing the 2020 election.

Some context: Under the rules, any House member can join a senator to raise objection to a state’s electoral college results. Doing so would spark debate and votes. The expectation isn’t that anyone could overturn the results of the election, but it would be a political spectacle.

The Wisconsin Republican also explicitly acknowledged Joe Biden as the President-elect.

When asked if he considers Biden the president elect, he replied: “Yes, the electoral college has voted, and so now he's the President-elect.

He continued, “The process has played out. Many lawsuits filed, many settled or dismissed. The collective judgment of that entire process the certification of the electors by the states and electoral college now has shown …Vice President Biden beat the president elect.”

Sen. Ron Johnson also said Wednesday he’s hoping a special counsel to investigate Hunter Biden’s taxes is “not necessary, but it might be.”

He made the comments when asked about reports that President Trump is asking about appointing a special counsel to investigate Hunter Biden’s taxes.

Speaking about the US attorney in Delaware, Johnson said, “I'm hoping he’s a person of integrity and that we can rely on him. Hopefully we can also rely on Vice President Biden not replacing that individual, but again if we don't have that assurance.. don't have that confidence, we just might need a special counsel.”

Asked how he anticipates working with Biden in the years ahead, he said “I'm happy to work in good faith because I think being President of United States is almost an impossible task.”