The News

The Honey browser extension, a tool widely promoted by social media influencers for finding discounts, is facing allegations of misleading practices. YouTuber MegaLag claimed in a recent video that Honey, owned by PayPal, selectively displays discount codes at checkout, prioritizing those that benefit its business partners over better deals available to users.

MegaLag explained that Honey sometimes shows smaller discounts, such as 5% off, even when more significant savings, like 30%, are available. This practice reportedly occurs because Honey partners with businesses that dictate which codes are promoted, potentially costing consumers money. He further alleged that these actions contradict the extension’s promise to provide the best deals automatically.

The accusations extend to how Honey affects influencers. MegaLag claimed the extension reattributes sales made through affiliate links, ensuring Honey, not the influencers, receives credit for the sale. This denies influencers the commissions they would typically earn for driving purchases, undermining their revenue streams.

These revelations sparked backlash on social media. Users on X, formerly known as Twitter, criticized Honey for what they perceive as predatory practices. One user warned, “If you’re using the Honey browser extension, remove it. This is predatory and bad for customers, brands, and content creators.” Another highlighted previous security concerns raised by Amazon about Honey, stating, “Now this video from MegaLag shows in detail how Honey is outright stealing commissions from YouTubers.”

Honey and PayPal have yet to comment on these allegations. The controversy has reignited concerns about the transparency of browser extensions and their impact on consumers and content creators alike. This case serves as a reminder for consumers to remain vigilant when using browser tools that claim to enhance their shopping experience.

 Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican who briefly stood to become President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be attorney general, was found by congressional ethics investigators to have paid numerous women — including a 17-year-old girl — for sex, and to have purchased and used illegal drugs, including from his Capitol Hill office, according to a final draft of a comprehensive investigative report obtained by CBS News.

Those were among the findings of the long-running investigation by the House Ethics Committee into Gaetz, which concluded the former Florida congressman violated multiple state laws related to sexual misconduct while in office.

"The Committee determined there is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House Rules and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress," the 37-page report concludes.

On Monday, Gaetz filed a lawsuit in federal court to block the release of the report, saying that he is now a private citizen and not subject to the jurisdiction of the committee.

Gaetz resigned from Congress in November after Trump announced plans to nominate him for attorney general. But facing opposition from some fellow Republicans, Gaetz withdrew from consideration a week later. The release of the ethics report, expected Monday, brings to a close — at least for now — Gaetz's incendiary tenure on Capitol Hill, where he became one of the most vocal and provocative members of the pro-Trump faction in Congress. 

Gaetz has denied any improper conduct and asserted the claims were a "smear" invented by his political enemies. The committee said the congressman refused to sit for sworn testimony, though he did submit written answers to some of the committee's questions. 

The report gives fresh voice to allegations of misconduct that have circulated around Gaetz for years, in spite of his firm denials. It draws on testimony from witnesses who told the committee they were paid to have sex with Gaetz, text messages discussing the transactions, and Venmo and PayPal receipts. 

Among the report's most lurid findings were the allegations of sex- and drug-fueled parties and travel, including a 2018 trip to the Bahamas where witnesses say he took ecstasy and had sex with four women. 

"From 2017 to 2020, Representative Gaetz made tens of thousands of dollars in payments to women that the Committee determined were likely in connection with sexual activity and/or drug use," noted the report, which lists payments totaling more than $90,000 to 12 different women.

The committee said it also received testimony that at a 2017 party, Gaetz twice had sex with "Victim A," who was 17 years old at the time and had just completed her junior year in high school.

"Victim A recalled receiving $400 in cash from Representative Gaetz that evening, which she understood to be payment for sex," the committee wrote. "Victim A said that she did not inform Representative Gaetz that she was under 18 at the time, nor did he ask her age."

In his written responses to the committee, Gaetz denied having sex with a minor. The Department of Justice previously investigated Gaetz for violating sex trafficking laws but did not bring charges. The committee said it did not find sufficient evidence Gaetz violated the federal sex trafficking statute because although he transported women across state lines for the purpose of sex, those women were all 18 or older at the time.

The report noted that while all the women who testified said the sexual encounters with Gaetz were consensual, one woman told the committee the use of drugs at the parties and events they attended may have "impair[ed their] ability to really know what was going on or fully consent."

Another woman told the committee, "When I look back on certain moments, I feel violated."

The report found "substantial evidence" Gaetz engaged in rampant illicit drug use. The committee said it obtained text messages he sent where he referred to drugs as "party favors," "rolls" or "vitamins." It also said he created a fake email from his Capitol Hill office "for the purpose of purchasing marijuana." The report noted that Gaetz had denied using illicit drugs in his written answers to the committee. 

In addition to sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, the report also accused Gaetz of accepting gifts of luxury travel in excess of permissible limits with the 2018 trip to the Bahamas. And, it said he arranged for his chief of staff to assist a woman with whom he had engaged in sexual activity in obtaining a passport, falsely indicating to the State Department that she was one of his constituents.

Gaetz told conservative personality Charlie Kirk last month that he plans to spend the coming years "fighting for President Trump." 

"I think that eight years is probably enough time in the United States Congress," Gaetz said, though last week, he floated in a post on X the idea of returning to participate in the election for House speaker.

The House Ethics Committee had initially voted to keep the report under wraps, but reversed course in a secret vote earlier this month. Two Republican members of the committee were among those who voted for its release, according to two sources familiar with the vote. The committee has 10 members, evenly split between Republicans and Democrats.

 The Cowboys’ season ended before they had even had a chance to play this week. While nobody actually expected them to reach the postseason, Dallas was mathematically eliminated from playoff contention early on Sunday, when Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels threw a go-ahead touchdown with six seconds left to upset the Eagles.

A few hours later, the Cowboys kicked off a prime time showdown against a Buccaneers team with plenty left to play for, but it was the Cowboys who looked like a team trying to prove something. This game came right down to the wire, but when all was said and done the Cowboys emerged victorious with one of their toughest wins of the year.

Things couldn’t have started out better for Dallas, who began the game on offense. Cooper Rush came out with his hair on fire, completing all six of his passes on the opening drive for 21 yards, navigating the team down into field goal range. Brandon Aubrey nailed a 58-yarder with ease to put them up 3-0.

Then it was the defense’s turn. Baker Mayfield managed to pick up a first down early, but Mike Zimmer’s creative pressure schemes proved to be too much, forcing errant throws from the Texas native on third and fourth down. Just like that, the defense forced a turnover on downs.

Rush and the offense took over right at midfield and ripped off two big plays in short order. KaVontae Turpin took a handoff for 12 yards before Rush hit Brandin Cooks on the move for 29 yards. A few plays later, Jalen Tolbert made an impressive toe-tap touchdown and the Cowboys were up 10-0.

The two teams traded punts after that before Tampa Bay managed to get a touchdown finally. But Aubrey hit a 49-yarder to extend the lead to 13-7. Their defense forced another punt, and the offense started moving down the field with haste. Two ridiculous plays from CeeDee Lamb set up an easy one-yard touchdown scamper for Ezekiel Elliott.

The Buccaneers managed to match that with a touchdown of their own, but the Cowboys were left with 48 seconds and all three timeouts before halftime. A big catch-and-run from Jake Ferguson just about put them in field goal range right away, and Aubrey nailed a 58-yard field goal to give the Cowboys a two-score lead, up 23-14 at halftime.

The third quarter went by with both teams notching just a field goal, and an impressive endzone interception from Jourdan Lewis with six and a half minutes left in the game seemed to ice things. But Rush nearly threw a pick on the first play, and then Dallas had their next two run plays gain eight yards and fall short of the first down, bringing up a punt.

Tampa Bay got the ball back with four and a half minutes remaining, and Mayfield went supernova. He racked up 75 passing yards with a 100% completion rate and also scrambled for a first down, finding a wide open receiver in the endzone with two and a half minutes left.

With two timeouts and the two minute warning remaining, Tampa Bay opted for a regular kickoff instead of the onside kick. The Cowboys tried to catch the Buccaneers off guard with a jet sweep to Turpin, but he was stopped for a loss of one yard. Two quick passes helped burn the two timeouts, but Dallas was forced to punt with 1:52 remaining.

Suddenly, it looked as if the Buccaneers might pull this thing off. Then came one of the most chaotic plays that can only be seen: