Rep. George Santos Screams at Anti-Israel Protester Inside Capitol ... 'You Are Human Scum!!!'

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MAKING A SCENE
NBC News / Fox News

Rep. George Santos went toe-to-toe with a civilian Friday on Capitol Hill over the war between Israel and Hamas -- and it got heated enough, Capitol Police had to separate the men.

The Congressman from NY charged through a hallway in the Capitol and started shouting at a man he accused of getting in his face over Israel's policies regarding Gaza and the treatment of Palestinians there. Santos went from zero to 100, quickly pointing out the man to cops.

When the man, reportedly a Jewish D.C. resident, asked Santos what he was doing about Israel's oppression of Palestinians ... Santos yelled back at him, "What about the terrorists you tried to defend in this building? It's abhorrent that you are in this building stepping up for terrorists!!!"

The man kept his hands at his side as Rep. Santos waved and pointed a finger in his face until cops stepped in between them ... but even as he stormed off, the legislator continued yelling.

At the other end of the hallway, he continued shouting -- now at reporters -- "What is happening to the people of Israel should not be defended!!! No one defending Hamas has any business in this building whether you're elected, whether you're a civilian."

Santos is all too familiar with cameras and reporters swarming around him on Capitol Hill -- but typically he's defending himself over his record of lying, but this time he was boldly and loudly on the attack.

Israel Festival Attack Boyfriend of Festivalgoer in Agony ... After Deciding Not to Go with Her

The boyfriend of a missing Israeli woman who fled the Hamas-attacked music festival made a tough last-minute call to not attend the concert with her ... and his decision is tearing him apart.

27-year-old Ohad Malul told the NY Post his 27-year-old girlfriend, Shani Kupervaser, went to the Supernova music festival near the Gaza Strip over the weekend -- Malul said he decided to skip the event, because he'd just returned from a Paris trip and was exhausted.

However, Malul now says he feels like he "needed to go and be there with her. Maybe I could have done something different" -- adding, "It’s killing me inside that I am not with her."

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FLEEING THE FESTIVAL
10/7/23

He says she told him she wouldn't go to the festival for long and that "Everything is going to be OK." The tone changed when Kupervaser sent him a message while at the festival, claiming she saw rockets flying overhead.

From there, she fled with 3 of her friends, but came under gunfire and hauled it on foot to a roadside bomb shelter with people waving them in to come take cover.

The shelter turned out to be a horrifying trap ... Malul says according to those who made it out alive, the 30 people inside seeking refuge were met with Hamas terrorists throwing grenades inside of it.

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STANDING WITH HAMAS???
TMZ.com

Malul says 2 men inside the shelter -- including one of Kupervaser's friends -- bravely started catching the grenades and chucking them back at the terrorists ... but he has no clue if his girlfriend is alive, kidnapped, or dead.

As we reported, German artist and festivalgoer Shani Louk was one of many kidnapped from the event ... and was paraded and spat on by Hamas terrorists in the back of a truck.

Louk's mom revealed on Tuesday that she learned Shani was still alive, despite the death and horrors so many are facing in Israel ... and she pleaded with German officials to help get her daughter back safely.

Israel Americans Go Missing After Hamas Attacks

There's at least half a dozen American citizens who are unaccounted for in Israel following deadly attacks from Hamas ... including a mother and daughter visiting from Illinois.

President Joe Biden says 14 Americans have already died in the Hamas terrorist attack, with the death toll already standing at 1,700 and counting.

Joe Biden
THIS IS TERRORISM

It's unclear if the six Americans reported missing in Gaza are dead or alive, but their families are holding out hope for a safe return ... and Biden says more Americans are likely among those who have been taken hostage by terrorists.

In addition to the Illinois mother and her teen daughter, there's also a 23-year-old who was at the music festival where Hamas attacked and took hostages; a soldier with the Israeli Defense Force; a 35-year-old father of two; and a 66-year-old grandmother.

Judith Tai Raanan and Natalie Raanan traveled from their Chicago-area suburb to Israel last month to visit relatives, and they were reported missing during Saturday's attack and are feared to have been kidnapped by Palestinian gunmen, their family told ABC 7 Chicago.

Natalie graduated from high school this past spring and their Illinois synagogue is praying she and her mother are safe.

Hersch Goldberg-Polin was at the desert music festival that became a target for Hamas terrorists ... and his parents told the Jerusalem Post he texted them Saturday morning saying "I love you" and "I'm sorry" before going radio silent.

Hersch was born in Berkley, CA before moving to Israel with his family in 2008 ... he had just celebrated a birthday before going to the rave, where Hamas killed hundreds of festivalgoers.

Itay Chen's a 19-year-old dual citizen serving in the IDF and he's been "missing in action" from his post in Gaza since Saturday, his father told CNN.

Chen's father says his son basically vanished along with his military unit and the family is hopeful he surfaces in time to make it to his younger brother's upcoming Bar Mitzvah in Italy.

Adrienne Neta, a mother of four and grandmother of seven, is thought to have been taken hostage by Hamas ... her family told Fox News they think she was kidnapped from her home, where she's lived for decades since moving from Fresno, Calif.

Neta's family says they were on the phone with her when terrorists entered her home ... and they heard her screaming.

Sagui Dekel-Chen, a father of two with another baby on the way, was among those in his neighborhood who fought back against a terrorist onslaught before going missing.

While some of his neighbors were seen being led away by Hamas, his father says Dekel-Chen was not among the hostages and vanished without a trace ... though his wife and kids survived the attack.

'Ebony Alert' Outrage Over New System For Missing Black Kids, Women ... Law's Author Defends Change

UPDATE

12:10 PM PT -- The man behind the new "Ebony Alert" in California is defending the new law in the face of tons of online backlash ... telling us disparities and a lack of resources for missing Black kids forced lawmakers' hands.

California State Senator Steven Bradford joined us on "TMZ Live" Tuesday and told us the law was necessary because law enforcement wasn't doing its job when it came to issuing alerts for Black youths who go missing.

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TIME FOR ACTION
TMZ.com

Bradford says young Black kids make up 38 percent of the state's missing persons, despite Black people only making up 13 percent of the state population ... pointing to the data as another example of why he feels an "Ebony Alert" is needed.

There's a media component to this too ... Bradford says missing Black kids don't get nearly the amount of coverage, pointing to 2021's Gabby Petito case.

As for questions about oversight, Bradford tells us how the new system will be monitored.

The Golden State is rolling out a new system to report and find missing Black children and women ... it's completely separate from an Amber Alert and it's already causing backlash.

Folks in California are outraged over the new statewide alert system -- dubbed the "Ebony Alert" and backed by State Senator Steven Bradford -- reacting to the first-of-its-kind law as another form of segregation.

Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed a bill into law creating the "Ebony Alert," which goes into effect Jan. 1 and will be used for Black people between the ages of 12 and 25 who are missing, plus young Black women who are reported missing.

The "Ebony Alert" is similar to the Amber Alert ... as it calls for local law enforcement to notify the California Highway Patrol if they need help finding lost children ... with lawmakers saying it also encourages media to report on missing Black people.

Problem is ... the reaction on the internet is there should NOT be separate alert systems for missing children based on race, with some saying folks claiming the change is "a way for authorities to decide how fast they want to respond" and others saying some groups will straight-up ignore "Ebony Alerts" altogether.

California lawmakers are being ripped for not thinking this through, and there are people wondering if there are going to be other alerts for different races too ... with one user proposing "the 'Juan Alert' for the Hispanic people that go missing."

It's the second controversial bill Newsom signed into law recently ... joining Mario Lopez's hated "Skittles Ban."

'QANON SHAMAN' I'm Still Huge Trump Supporter ... Capitol Riot Wasn't His Fault

The so-called "QAnon Shaman" remains steadfast in his support of Donald Trump ... despite doing hard time in federal prison for his part in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Jacob Chansley, easily the most recognizable Capitol rioter, says he's still on Team Trump ... and he's not blaming the former president for the insurrection, or the prison sentences he and others received.

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STILL TOUTING TRUMP
Channel 5 with Andrew Callaghan

In his first interview since being released early from prison, Chansley told Channel 5 with Andrew Callaghan the riot wasn't Trump's fault in the slightest ... he says Trump should NOT be "blamed for the actions of free citizens."

The way Chansley sees it ... the rioters made their own individual decisions to storm the Capitol and Trump had no responsibility to bail them out or pardon them before leaving office.

The one thing Trump could've done, Chansley says, was start a legal defense fund for the Capitol rioters.

As we reported ... Chansley, who stormed the Capitol in a Viking-style outfit, copped a plea deal with prosecutors and pled guilty to obstructing an official proceeding before Congress ... after initially being arrested for knowingly entering/remaining in a restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, among other counts.

Chansley was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison ... but he got out early after about 16 months, reportedly for good behavior, and now he's back home in Arizona.

And, get this ... Chansley says his time behind bars didn't change his views, it only reinforced his feeling that the government is corrupt at the highest levels.

Biden Administration Put on Notice ... After Bombshell Iran-Israel News

President Biden's administration may or may not be shocked to hear Iran was supposedly instrumental in the lead-up to the attack on Israel ... the implications of which are dire.

The Wall Street Journal published a bombshell report Sunday, citing multiple sources from within Hamas, Hezbollah and even a European official with knowledge ... all of whom say Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps worked with Hamas in planning the ambush.

This alleged coordination dates back several weeks, apparently ... with talks going as far back as August and several reported meetings taking place in Beirut between all the parties. In addition to Iran being involved, WSJ reports that Lebanon's Hezbollah was in the mix.

The intention in all this, per WSJ, was two-pronged ... Iran apparently wanted to manufacture a "multi-front threat" against Israel -- this as the country grappled with its own internal politics, while disrupting U.S.-brokered peace talks between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

When asked directly about whether the U.S. had any knowledge of Iran's alleged involvement in directing the Hamas-led attack ... Sec. of State Anthony Blinken denied knowing anything about it, saying there was no evidence on their end that was, in fact, the case.

A separate U.S. official said the same thing to the WSJ ... but the outlet is insisting people overseas are saying differently. If what they're saying is true -- it's troubling on many fronts.

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UTTER DEVASTATION

For one, it would be an indictment on U.S intelligence ... but it would also indicate that a broader conflict in the Middle East is looming -- with Israel having already gone on the record to say they would retaliate if it was found that Tehran sanctioned this Hamas move.

Time will tell if this account is confirmed ... but it sounds like this might the beginning of a volatile situation that's prolonged and ugly, with the U.S. likely getting roped in even further.

Israel 'At War' After Hamas Attacks ... Brutality Along Gaza Strip

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HOSTAGES TAKEN IN ISRAEL

Terrorists unleashed a surprise attack in Israel this weekend that has left scores of people dead -- marking what's sure to be the start of a prolonged bloodbath in the Middle East.

The radical group known as Hamas swarmed Israeli territory along the Gaza Strip and surrounding areas early Saturday morning -- this after launching countless rockets at civilian buildings and going around to wreak havoc on the streets thereafter in armed convoys.

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ISRAEL RETALIATES

There are several videos surfacing from Israel that capture the sheer brutality and horror of what's happening on the ground ... and most of them are far too graphic for publication.

What we can show, however, are key clips of Israelis being taken hostage in this hellish ordeal -- including lots of women and children who are being wrangled by Hamas members and thrown into the backs of their trucks ... getting tossed and thrashed and mistreated.

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NEW ROCKETS TOWARD TEL AVIV

As of this writing, the official body count on Israel's side is upwards of 150 ... and it continues to soar as the government scours through the wreckage and aftermath. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel is "at war" following the Hamas incursion -- and promised to retaliate with everything in his power to send a message of deterrence.

Israel has already begun to do that ... firing its own rockets and destroying buildings that are believed to be affiliated with Hamas militants -- and there are aerial strikes happening as well.

The fighting has only escalated since the initial onslaught ... the latest reports say a new wave of rockets have been fired from the Gaza region and are headed toward central Israel, including Tel Aviv. The U.S. is already on its toes in the wake of all this ugly news.

President Biden says he's monitoring the situation closely and prepared to help Israel with as much support as it needs -- while going on to condemn the terror attacks from Hamas.

President Biden's Dog Signs Commander Not Getting Proper Training ... Says Former Secret Service Dog Trainer

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ALL IN THE TRAINING
TMZ.com

If President Biden's dog Commander, AKA the White House biter, really is getting training -- as the administration's claimed -- he's been getting the wrong kind ... that's according to a former Secret Service officer who's dealt with other First pooches.

Marshall Mirarchi worked in the Secret Service's K-9 division for a decade -- including when Biden was VP in the Obama administration -- and he joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday to explain why he's not so sure Commander's legitimately graduated obedience school.

According to Marshall, dogs NEVER get past a point of no return -- even a recidivist like Commander -- when it comes to training. He says they can always be re-trained, although the amount of time it takes a dog to fall in line is a different story.

Regardless, Marshall thinks all signs point to Commander not getting the proper direction, and he tells us what can, and should, be done to get him White House-ready again.

He also addressed how difficult it is for WH staffers living and working with a dog that's, up to this point, very unpredictable.

As we reported, Commander was booted from the White House this week after reportedly biting a minimum of 11 people -- with at least 1 recent victim being sent to the hospital.

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THERE'S STILL HOPE
TMZ.com

BTW, we spoke with Marshall back in July -- when Commander had bitten 7 people over 4 months -- and he claimed again the dog could be re-trained ... but based on Marshall's lengthy experience, it sounds like someone dropped the ball.

PRESIDENT BIDEN First Pooch Out of White House ... Amid Commander's Biting Spree

President Biden's pooch, Commander, is in the doghouse ... he's been booted from the White House amid an alarming number of biting incidents.

The Bidens' 2-year-old German Shepherd is reported to have chomped down on way more than the 11 incidents the Secret Service acknowledges ... it's said Commander is not only biting agents but also folks who work around the White House and at the president's residence.

As a result, Commander's no longer living at the White House, according to CNN ... he's getting a change in scenery as Joe and Jill try to figure out what to do with their dog.

It's part of a troubling trend for Commander ... and now we're learning more about the severity of the bites, with CNN reporting at least one sent the victim to the hospital, and another required medical attention.

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BIDEN'S GOT A BITER
TMZ.com

The reason only 11 bites are officially on the record ... several incidents are going untreated and unreported.

Remember ... the White House Press Secretary says Commander was feeling stressed out by all the commotion and people darting back and forth in the residence of The White House and other areas as well.

Now, Commander's gotten the boot from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue like his older brother, Major ... the prez's other German Shepherd who also found himself in biting trouble.

Unclear if Commander will be back at the White House any time soon ... stay tuned.

Donald Trump Falls Off Forbes' Richest List

Donald Trump has found himself on the outs with Forbes -- at least as it pertains to its richest Americans list -- 'cause he's fallen off the top 400 club ... again.

Here's the deal ... DT was first removed from the coveted baller group in 2021 -- amid a rocky exit from the White House -- but he got back in just last year, clocking No. 343 with a then-estimated net worth of $3.2 billion ... following real estate sales and other ventures.

Now in 2023, he has once more fallen off the 400 list with a current estimated net worth of $2.6 billion. You'd think all the indictments against him -- not to mention a civil trial that's taken a hard look at his wealth/property values -- would be to blame ... but not necessarily.

According to Forbes, his dip in riches is actually more attributed to a bad investment in Truth Social -- which the outlet notes has mostly failed to take off and attract a consistent user base -- as well as some of his office buildings depreciating on the market.

Trump's commercial real estate portfolio has apparently taken a major hit amid remote work and some cities seeing a trend of residents fleeing -- like SF, where he holds some assets.

In other words, it's just the regular economy that seems to have dinged him here ... and not so much the mounting legal bills. Another interesting nugget from this report -- Forbes pegs DT's liquid wealth to be in the ballpark of about $426 million, so he's far from broke.

Still, considering how obsessed Trump has proven to be with status over the years -- ya gotta figure he's peeved to have been excluded again. Better luck in 2024, we suppose? 😅

Nancy Pelosi Evicted from Capitol Office While in CA Mourning Sen. Feinstein

Rep. Nancy Pelosi says she's getting the boot from her Capitol office as a new pro tempore Speaker ascends to power -- and the eviction comes at a really inconvenient time.

The former Speaker of the House announced late Tuesday she'd gotten an email from Rep. Patrick McHenry's office -- this after he was named the GOP's interim Speaker following Kevin McCarthy's ousting -- which told her to beat it by Wednesday.

The email reportedly reads, "Going to reassign h-132 for speaker office use. Please vacate the space tomorrow." McHenry's camp is also apparently threatening to rekey the room.

The problem ... Pelosi isn't even in D.C. right now -- she's in Cali mourning the death of her close friend Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who just died last week. Pelosi's pretty peeved about being evicted, calling the move a "sharp departure from tradition" -- noting she'd given other ex-Speakers in the past their own office spaces for as long as they wanted.

She also notes she won't be able to retrieve her belongings in time seeing how she's on the West Coast and won't be back in D.C. for at least a couple days. Pelosi says this is petty.

She says, "Office space doesn’t matter to me, but it seems to be important to them. Now that the new Republican Leadership has settled this important matter, let’s hope they get to work on what’s truly important for the American people."

FWIW, Pelosi is among a select few members of Congress who had extra offices -- in addition to the one she's getting kicked out of ... she has a main one in the Cannon House office building, where the fire alarm got pulled over the weekend by a fellow Dem.

Nancy's stuff is already out in the hallway ... it'll be waiting for her when she's back.

Taylor Swift Minneapolis Mayor All in For Her Return!!! Hopes She's at Next Game

Taylor Swift has a chance to make it 3 consecutive trips to see Travis Kelce's games, and the Mayor of Minneapolis is leading the cheers for her to do so this coming weekend ... TMZ has learned.

Mayor Jacob Frey tells us he and the rest of the city are ready to welcome TayTay with open arms this Sunday, which is when the Kansas City Chiefs play the Minnesota Vikings for an afternoon match-up -- he even has an on-the-nose message to encourage her.

Frey says, "We know All Too Well the positive impact Taylor Swift has on the cities she visits -- Minneapolis is no exception."

The Mayor has fond memories of her tour stop in Minneapolis earlier this year, adding ... "Her two, sold-out concerts at U.S. Bank Stadium in June led to a record-setting tourism weekend including booked-up hotels and packed downtown restaurants... boosting our local economy beyond our Wildest Dreams."

Here's how you know Mayor Frey has his fingers crossed ... "If Taylor chooses to come back to Minneapolis [sometimes known as Swiftieapolis] this weekend, we’ll be Ready For It. It’s possible she will have to console Travis Kelce after the Vikings beat the Chiefs, but there are plenty of great spots across town for them to go on a date and lift their spirits!"

FWIW, the Swiftieapolis thing is real ... they literally changed city's name (if only for a short time), so yeah -- with his clear knowledge of Taylor's catalog -- it's fair to say Hizzoner's a full on Swiftie.

Fact is, every NFL city would feel this way ... as Taylor's proven to have massive appeal in terms of media attention, and consumer spending across multiple industries, that usually translates to more traffic ... and oftentimes, more moolah, too.

The 2 NFL games she's attended have turned out to be a ratings bonanza for Fox and NBC, the networks that televised them. Next week, it's CBS's turn and it sounds like Mayor Frey wants to get in on the action as well.

The football's in TS's court!

Rep. Kevin McCarthy Voted Out as Speaker of House ... First Ever Removal, No Successor Lined Up

UPDATE

4:20 PM PT -- The House of Representatives is closing up shop for a week. Rep. Matt Gaetz says Speaker pro tem Rep. Patrick McHenry told members of Congress to go home until next Tuesday, when anyone who wants to become Speaker can state their case ... and then a vote could happen on Wednesday.

UPDATE

So, it will be at least a full week before we have a new Speaker of the House. Keep in mind, that elected official is normally third in line to the Presidency, after the VP. As it stands, Sen. Patty Murray, the President pro tem of the Senate becomes third in succession ... until there's a new Speaker.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy just got booted from his role as Speaker of the House of Representatives ... after losing a historic vote 216 to 210.

The House voted to ditch the CA Republican from the leadership position Tuesday in D.C. ... with 8 Republicans siding with Democrats and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz's call to kick him out.

This marks the first time in history a speaker has been ousted from their post in the middle of their term. It's also the first time the House took the floor for a vote that challenged the Speaker since 1910.

One person who was absent from Tuesday's voting was former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi ... who was in San Francisco mourning the death of former Senator Dianne Feinstein.

The House vote came after Gaetz filed the motion to have McCarthy removed as Speaker.

Of course, Gaetz has been threatening to bring the hammer down for a while, because he was upset with McCarthy for working with the Dems to avoid a government shutdown.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats will "continue to put people over politics. We are ready to find bipartisan common ground."

Gaetz spoke out before the crucial vote, saying, “Chaos is Speaker McCarthy. Chaos is somebody who we cannot trust with their word.”

Allies of McCarthy, like Rep. Tom Emmer, told his colleagues, "Now it’s time to stand together stronger than ever so we can get back to the work our majority was elected to do. I’m proud to support the speaker.”

For the time being, Rep. Patrick McHenry, a Republican from NC, takes over as Speaker Pro Tempore.

McHenry was on the list of Congress members McCarthy was required to provide in the case of his vacancy. It's unclear when House members will vote on a new Speaker, or if McCarthy will attempt another run at it.

Arnold Schwarzenegger I Doubt Trump's Weight Claims ... He's 'Maybe 315' Pounds!

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MORE LIKE 315!!!
ABC

Arnold Schwarzenegger is calling BS on Donald Trump's reported weight ... and while he ain't sure what the former prez's exact poundage is, Arnold's eyeballs tell him Trump missed the mark by about 100 pounds.

The actor was chatting with Jimmy Kimmel Monday night on the host's first show back since the writers' strike ended ... and since he's all about fitness, Arnold weighed in on the topic of Trump's booking records claiming he's 215 pounds.

Before he took a guess, Arnold gave Trump some advice on how he could lose weight -- a decent one-liner about going for a jog which got a big laugh from the crowd.

Jimmy asks again if Trump's Fulton County jail records are accurate when it comes to his size ... and Arnold has some pretty sarcastic responses for the potential of 215 lbs being legit. In his eyes, Trump might've put a 2 when he really meant a 3.

As you know, Trump surrendered to Fulton County authorities at the end of August and was charged for his alleged efforts to overturn Georgia's 2020 election results.

The booking docs claimed the "Blond or Strawberry" haired 77-year-old was 6'3" and 215 lbs.

On a related note ... Trump and/or his legal team had bags of McDonald's delivered Monday to a NY court where he's currently on trial for his $250 million civil fraud case.

We're not sure if Arnold had that information when he guessed ... but we might wanna take another swing at it.

We covered it all on the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Meghan Markle U.S. Senate Speculation ... Lines Up w/ Gov.'s Pledge

Meghan Markle's name has reportedly been getting kicked around to fill Dianne Feinstein's Senate seat -- which makes sense ... based on what the governor has said about who's next.

This speculation comes courtesy of the Daily Mail, so take it with a grain of salt ... albeit, admittedly, an intriguing one. The UK outlet reports that "phones lit up" this weekend with chatter over the possibility of the Duchess being tapped to fill the now-vacant seat.

They also quoted one anonymous bigwig Dem donor as saying that Meg was a long shot, but that her being chosen wasn't outside the realm of possibility in these crazy times.

DM also reports MM's made it known, privately, that she has lofty political ambitions -- saying she's apparently eyeing a White House run one day ... and that she's already met with Gavin Newsom about a U.S. Senate appointment -- however, that was supposedly back in 2020, when Kamala Harris' seat was left vacant, and GN obviously didn't pick Meg to fill it.

While that was then ... the situation is quite different now, and actually appears to favor Meghan being appointed as an interim Senator -- and it's because of Newsom's own words.

A couple years ago -- when concerns over Feinstein's health first bubbled up -- Newsom told MSNBC's Joy Reid that he would appoint a Black woman to fill Feinstein's seat in the case that she retired, or other circumstances (like her sudden death). He made no bones about it.

He doubled down on that pledge just a few weeks during an interview on "Meet the Press" -- but hedged this time ... saying it would be a Black woman who hasn't already publicly announced they'll be running for the seat in the next election cycle (November 2024).

The rationale here ... at least 3 high-profile Dem politicians have already said they're vying for the seat in November -- when it's up for grabs during the election -- and Newsom says he doesn't wanna appear to favor any one of them by appointing them to fill in right now.

In other words, he basically needs someone (a Black woman, specifically) to just fill in for the time being as a figurehead -- while the real candidates take center stage next year. As Chuck Todd put it (and to which Newsom seemingly agreed) ... a "caretaker" appointment.

Rep. Barbara Lee -- who's one of the 3 leading Dem candidates who'll run for the seat, alongside Adam Schiff and Katie Porter -- called out Newsom's thinking as patronizing.

However, that type of situation is kinda exactly what Meg would need to launch herself into politics -- about 13 or so months on the job, in the national spotlight, to get a little juice for more moves down the road ... assuming she's seriously considering a life in politics.

Also, remember ... she's apparently been working with a PR company of late that was once tied directly to Michelle Obama -- so she certainly seems primed for something like this.

A lot of questions remain about a potential bid for the Senate, though ... including, what does Prince Harry have to say about it? We know he supports 100%, so he'd probably be on board if she really wanted it.

Now the question ... what might the people of California think of a possible Senator Markle??? FWIW, we've reached out to Meghan's team for comment ... no word back.

George Washington Lock Of Hair Up For $ale

George Washington's got a price on his head ... because a lock of his famous hair is on the open market.

The first president of the United States had a lock of his white hair preserved for centuries ... and now it's up for sale for $45,000.

Washington's hair lock is tied up in an oval shape and bound by a glass case, which is wrapped in pearls. There's also an engraving with his initials 'GW' on the back of the case.

The lock was given to the Derby family back in the day, as the Derbys were close with both George and his wife, Martha.

Washington's hair remained in the Derby family for several generations ... it was handed down from son to son and now it's hitting the open market through Moments In Time.

A letter dated Aug. 15, 1873, is also included with Washington's hair ... it's correspondence between the Derbys and another collector, talking about the locks.

Remember ... GW supposedly didn't wear a wig, unlike many of his contemporaries, and actually powdered his own hairdo.

Pretty cool ... and the buyer's gonna need a lot of dead presidents to take this piece of history home.