Comment on Gov't. Said Poised to Create Online Privacy Watchdog

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U. S. edged lower this week, ending a six-week climb. The rate slipped to 6.78% from 6.79% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. That’s still down from a year ago, when the rate averaged 7.4%. Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners seeking to refinance their home loan to a lower rate, also eased this week.

An attorney representing two women who were witnesses in the House Ethics Committee’s investigation into now-former Rep. Matt Gaetz is calling for the release of the committee’s report, telling ABC News that one of his clients testified that she witnessed the Florida congressman having sex with a minor. NOTUS: Lawmakers want the Matt Gaetz ethics report released.

Pete Hegseth, the Army National Guard veteran and Fox News host nominated by Donald Trump to lead the Department of Defense, was flagged as a possible “Insider Threat” by a fellow service member due to a tattoo on his bicep that’s associated with white supremacist groups, the AP reports.

“President-elect Donald Trump has selected longtime aide and media personality Karoline Leavitt to be his White House press secretary and carry the message of his administration publicly as he returns to the Oval Office,” NPR reports. “At 27 years old, Leavitt will be the youngest person to hold the position of top White House spokesperson.” Politico: Karoline Leavitt returns to Trump’s White House as press secretary.

If you’re deciding between renting or buying a home, renting could be the better choice in most big cities, including Denver. A Bankrate home affordability analysis shows the monthly cost is nearly 37 percent more to buy than to rent. Renting is cheaper than buying a home in the top 50 metro areas.