Steve Scalise drops out of Speaker’s race; GOP is back to square one
Late on Thursday, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) announced that he had dropped out of the Speaker of the House race just one day after he narrowly was chosen as the Republican nominee for the position over House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). Scalise’s early withdrawal from the race leaves the GOP without a candidate. While Scalise beat Jordan in the anonymous closed-door GOP caucus vote, it was obvious to almost everyone that it would be next to impossible for him to get the 217 votes needed to win the Speakership on the House floor. A number of Republican congress members declared on Thursday that they would not vote for him. “It’s been quite a journey,” Scalise said after leaving a conference with GOP congressmembers. “And there’s still a long way to go. I just shared with my colleagues that I’m withdrawing my name as a candidate for the speaker designee.” While the earlier caucus vote was not public, Congressmen Barry Moore (R-AL02) and Gary Palmer (R-AL06) had publicly endorsed Jordan. Jordan also had the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. It is not clear as of press time whether Jordan is still a viable candidate for this or not. Before the Caucus vote, former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-California) had said earlier in the week that he would be willing to serve if GOP members decide they want him back. McCarthy was forced out last week in a motion to oust the Speaker when eight Republicans led by Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) voted with House Democrats on a vote to oust Jordan. Adding to the drama is the fact that all of the 12 spending bills have not yet passed the House. The government is operating on a 45-day continuing resolution (CR) negotiated by McCarthy to keep the government funded. The new Speaker, whoever that is, will immediately have to swiftly negotiate a spending deal that can pass the Democrat-controlled Senate and then be signed by President Joe Biden without fracturing the GOP Caucus in the House. Moore was supposed to address the Montgomery Republican Party but could not attend due to the political crisis. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Steve Scalise faces significant opposition in speakership bid
By Casey Harper | The Center Square U.S. House Republican Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., was the leading contender to be the Speaker of the House Thursday morning, but mounting opposition is threatening his chance. House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, is a key contender as well, but at least for now, neither seems able to nab the 217 needed votes to become speaker of the House. Meanwhile, Democrats have nominated Democrat Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., to be speaker. While Republicans will likely be unwilling to support that choice, they may have to work with Democrats to find a lawmaker palatable enough to both sides. Until the House selects a speaker, no legislation can go forward. After Scalise’s nomination, there were hopes of an immediate vote but is still working to rally the 217 votes needed to become House Speaker. Republicans met again Thursday, but a vote has yet to take place. The pushback comes after Scalise received the support of a majority of his fellow House Republicans for the speaker of the House nomination during a closed-door conference meeting Wednesday. That vote was conducted by secret ballot, with Scalise narrowly besting Jordan on a vote of 113-99, according to multiple media reports. Some Republicans have taken issue with having the votes behind closed doors. “Let’s do this on the House floor instead of behind closed doors. Stop dragging it out,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “If Kevin McCarthy had to go 15 rounds then the next Speaker should be able to do the same or more if they have to.” Jordan, who has the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, still has the support of some Republicans despite Scalise’s majority win. “I will be voting for Jim Jordan to be Speaker of the House on the floor when the vote is called. In conference, Jordan received 99 votes and Scalise received 113,” Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Fla., wrote on X. “We had a chance to unify the party behind closed doors, but the Swamp and K Street lobbyists prevented that. The American people deserve a real change in leadership, not a continuation of the status quo.” And some Republicans are optimistic that Jordan could re-enter the race if Scalise fails to get momentum. “Just for clarification: I was one of the earliest endorsers for Jim Jordan for Speaker,” Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, wrote on X. “I whipped hard for his support around the Republican conference and I enthusiastically voted for Jim for speaker yesterday. Jim is a great conservative and I was proud to be one of his strongest supporters. Last night when we voted, Steve Scalise received the majority of votes. Jim Jordan withdrew his name from consideration and pledged to vote for Steve Scalise, as did I. It is now up to Scalise to get 217 votes on the floor of the House. “If Steve Scalise can’t win the Speakership, I will be aggressively urging Jim to put his name back in the race,” he added. Scalise is the current Majority Leader, so a significant leadership role in the party will immediately become vacant if he becomes speaker. U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who only narrowly won the speakership earlier this year after more than a dozen public votes, said he will not run again after being ousted by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla, and a handful of other Republicans. Later, though, McCarthy softened his tone, saying he would let the conference decide. Another key issue for lawmakers to handle is whether one lawmaker will still be able to file a motion to vacate the speaker, an unusual allowance given by McCarthy to secure the needed votes after the series of speakership votes earlier this year. Gaetz used that very allowance to file the motion that led to the ousting of McCarthy that kicked off this battle for the speakership. Now, lawmakers face a looming partial government shutdown in mid-November as well as pressure to supply funds and munitions to both Ukraine and Israel, which has declared war on the terrorist group, Hamas. Scalise announced in August that he had been diagnosed with blood cancer. The current Speaker Pro Tempore is Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., who will determine the times of any speaker votes until a lawmaker secures the speakership. Gaetz echoed Greene’s call for public votes. “Let’s do the messy work of governing and leadership selection in front of the people,” he wrote on X. “Just like I voted against McCarthy time after time…in public…making my argument, others should have to reveal their thinking and be appropriately judged by their voters. We elected [and] removed McCarthy with total transparency. Let’s replace him in the same manner.” Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
House Republicans nominate Steve Scalise for speaker, faces tough vote
By Casey Harper | The Center Square U.S. House Republican Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana reportedly received the backing of a majority of his fellow House Republicans for the speaker of the House nomination during a closed conference meeting Wednesday afternoon. Now, Scalise faces a vote of the full House for the vacant position possibly this week, and his battle is far from over. Scalise needs the support of nearly all his Republican colleagues since Democrats will likely vote against his nomination. Scalise was by no means a landslide winner of the vote, which was conducted by secret ballot, winning 113-99, according to multiple media reports. In particular, House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, put his name in the hat for speaker and received some support, including the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is no stranger to wrangling Republicans in this setting. He narrowly secured the speakership for this Congress after more than a dozen public votes, but was ousted after he reached a deal with Democrats to keep the federal government open temporarily late last month. If Scalise fails to get the necessary votes, McCarthy could resurface as a contender. McCarthy said he would not run again after being ousted but later softened his tone, saying he would “let the conference decide.” Another issue at hand is whether one lawmaker will be able to file a motion to vacate the speaker, an unusual allowance given by McCarthy to secure the needed Republican votes after the marathon series of speakership votes earlier this year. U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., filed that motion, which led to the ousting of McCarthy and frustration from many of his Republican colleagues. With a partial government shutdown looming in mid-November as well as pressure to supply funds and munitions to both Ukraine and Israel given the conflicts there, House Republicans are facing increased pressure to figure things out quickly. Scalise is the current Majority Leader, so if he is able to win the speakership, a significant leadership role in the party will immediately open up. Scalise announced earlier this year that he was diagnosed with blood cancer, but he has insisted he is up to the leadership role. Until the House chooses a speaker, no legislation can proceed. The current Speaker Pro Tempore is Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., who will determine the times of any speaker votes until a speaker secures the spot. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Steve Scalise will be the GOP nominee for Speaker of the House
On Wednesday, House Republicans voted to nominate House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) as the next Speaker of the House. The GOP met in a closed-door session where the GOP House members voted for Scalise 113 to 99 over House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). Scalise’s candidacy now goes to the House floor for a vote of the full House. The previous Speaker, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-California), was ousted last week when eight disgruntled Republicans led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) voted with House Democrats to oust McCarthy. Congressman Dale Strong (R-AL05) said in a statement following Wednesday’s GOP Caucus vote, “Now more than ever, as our conference selects a new leader, Republicans must prove to the American public we can deliver on the conservative wins they expect from us.” Border security has become a much bigger issue after Saturday’s violence in Israel showed that terrorism is still a clear and present real danger in this world. “It is crucial we choose a speaker who will prioritize border security and spending cuts as non-negotiables for the Republican Conference,” Strong said. Congressman Barry Moore (R-AL02) said ahead of the vote that he would vote for former President Donald Trump on the first ballot and then Jordan on each subsequent ballot. Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL06) was also supporting Jordan. “@Jim Jordan is the strong conservative voice we need for the future. I’ll be supporting him for Speaker,” Palmer said on the social media platform X. Scalise has secured the nomination, but the difficult part will be getting all of those Republicans to vote for him on the floor of the House because even if only Gaetz and his eight rebel legislators break away, given the razor-thin majority that Republicans hold, it would be impossible for him to receive the votes that he needs to actually be installed as the Speaker of the House. The Democrats will nominate House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) for the post. “I’ve got a long history of bringing people together, uniting Republicans, focusing on the issues that we’ve got to do to address the issues we came here to do to get our country back on track,” Scalise told Fox Business in an interview on Tuesday. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
U.S. Speaker candidates agree to joint interview
By Brett Rowland | The Center Square Three contenders for the Speaker of the U.S. House have agreed to a joint TV interview. U.S. House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., and Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., who is chairman of the Republican Study Committee, will join Fox News Channel’s chief political anchor Bret Baier at 6 p.m. ET on Monday. A conference-wide vote to select who Republicans put up for speaker is expected Wednesday. Eight House Republicans voted with House Democrats to oust former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., after he struck a deal with Democrats to keep the federal government from partially shutting down. On Friday, former President Donald Trump endorsed Jordan to be the next speaker. Just hours after being voted out of his leadership position, McCarthy said he would not run for the position again. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Steve Scalise, Jim Jordan announce bids to replace Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House
By Casey Harper | The Center Square House Judiciary Chair Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La, both announced Wednesday their bid to replace Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., as Speaker of the House. A vote for a new Speaker is reportedly not expected until Oct. 11, giving lawmakers about a week to plan their next move. McCarthy, who was pushed out after striking a deal with Democrats to keep the government open, said he does not plan to run again for the position. “I think Matt has planned this all along,” McCarthy told reporters. “It didn’t matter what transpired. He would’ve done it if we were in shutdown or not.” Scalise’s and Jordan’s announcement comes after a handful of House Republicans joined Democrats to oust Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., from his role as Speaker of the House, the first time Congress has ever done so. Now, the House has until mid-November to elect a new Speaker and pass some kind of spending measure or face a government shutdown. Scalise sent a letter to House Republicans asking for their support. “Our strength as a Conference comes from our unity, and we have seen when we unite as a Conference, we can deliver wins for the American people,” the letter said. “Now we need to take those unified positions and work to extract conservative wins from the Democrat Senate and White House by leveraging upcoming deadlines. While we need to be realistic about what can be achieved, if we stay united, we can preserve leverage for the House to secure tangible wins in our impending policy fights.” Jordan sent a similar letter to his fellow Republicans asking for their support. “We must address rising crime in major cities and reject soft-on-crime, pro-criminal policies,” the letter said. “We must get our fiscal house in order and reduce spending so that we can leave more to the next generation than a crushing deficit. We must do our constitutional oversight of the federal bureaucracy to ensure they work for the American people not the other way around. And we must continue working to secure the border and protect our national security. “I respectfully ask for your support for Speaker of the House of Representatives,” the letter added. Jordan’s move was welcomed by some Republicans like Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who filed the motion to oust McCarthy. “We should get to electing a new, more conservative and more trustworthy Speaker immediately,” Gaetz wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “I’m calling on [Patrick McHenry] who is currently the Speaker Pro Tem, to reconsider the decision that he just made to send everyone in Congress home for a week. This is not the time to go home for a week. We should stay and elect a new Speaker.” Other potential frontrunners to replace McCarthy include Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., and Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla, who suggested he might run. Some lawmakers spoke out to make clear they are not running. “While I appreciate the confidence of some colleagues and their request that I step into the Speaker race, my team and I have been doing important work on the Homeland Security Committee – and we still have much more to do to hold President [Joe] Biden and Secretary [Alejandro] Mayorkas for one of the worst national security failures in the history of the country,” Rep. Mark Green, chair of the Homeland Security Committee, wrote on X. “Therefore, I am not throwing my name into the race,” he added. With the existing divide in the party, it may be impossible for any Speaker to be successful. “The most important issue facing the next House speaker is soaring federal debt pushing the nation to the brink of fiscal disaster,” Chris Edwards, an expert at the Cato Institute, told The Center Square. “Interest rates on 10-year government bonds have shot up far above projections to 4.8 percent and rising, which will raise the burden of accumulated debt to crushing levels. “America needs a new House speaker – and presidential candidates – who put spending restraint and debt reduction as top national priorities,” he added. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
AG Merrick Garland takes fire from Republicans
House Republicans peppered Attorney General Merrick Garland with questions during a hearing Wednesday about the probe into Hunter Biden, the president’s son. As The Center Square previously reported, two IRS whistleblowers testified before Congress that the DOJ abused its power and interfered in their inquiry into Hunter Biden’s alleged tax crimes. Notably, they testified that the investigation was slowed so that the statute of limitations could run out on some charges. Supervisory Special Agent Gary Shapley and Criminal Investigator Joseph Ziegler, both IRS employees with a combined 27 experience years at the agency, testified before Congress that Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Wolf helped block investigators’ plan for an interview of the president and a search warrant of the Biden residence in Delaware. “Everyone knows why they did it,” House Judiciary Chair Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said at the hearing. “Those tax years, that… involved the president. It’s one thing to have a gun charge in Delaware. That doesn’t involve the president of the United States. But Burisma? That goes right to the White House.” Garland seemed to preempt some of these criticisms in his opening statement, saying he was not obligated to do the bidding of the president or Congress. He declined to give specific answers to many of the Republicans’ questions, including around the federal indictment of former President Donald Trump. “Our job is to pursue justice, without fear or favor,” Garland said in his opening statement. “Our job is not to do what is politically convenient. Our job is not to take orders from the president, from Congress, or from anyone else, about who or what to criminally investigate. As the President himself has said, and I reaffirm today: I am not the president’s lawyer. I will also add I am not Congress’s prosecutor.” That reference to Congress’s prosecutor is an apparent reference to Republicans’ frustrations with the DOJ for not prosecuting Hunter Biden more aggressively. House Oversight Committee Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., has released a steady stream of evidence in recent months alleging that Hunter Biden was involved in an overseas “bribery scheme” and that his father knew about it. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who kicked off an impeachment inquiry on the same issue, pointed to about 150 U.S. Treasury Department suspicious activities reports filed by the agency around Hunter Biden’s dealings as well as bank records and the testimony from IRS whistleblowers who said the Biden family and associates received around $20 million from entities in adversarial nations. Special counsel David Weiss indicted Hunter Biden earlier this month over a gun purchase he made in 2018 after his plea deal unexpectedly fell through. Hunter Biden, who is also expected to face tax charges, was ordered by a federal magistrate judge on Wednesday to appear in court at his Oct. 3 hearing. Garland has taken fire over a string of incidents where critics say the agency has wrongly weaponized its power and targeted Americans, including working with social media groups to censor American posts and allegedly being more aggressive in prosecuting conservatives and right-leaning groups. “As someone who grew up in the Soviet Union, I’m disturbed by the fact that so many hardworking Americans—including my constituents—are afraid of political persecution by our own government,” said Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind. “Unfortunately, it does not seem like AG Garland is.” House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., recently sent a letter to the National Archives and Records Administration requesting travel records for Air Force Two after allegations that Hunter Biden may have used the vice president’s plane for his overseas deals when his father held that position in the Obama administration. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Tommy Tuberville says Joe Biden impeachment “needs to happen”
On Wednesday, U.S Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) said that although he does not like impeachment, “it needs to happen” after a meeting with House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) with Jordan and Congressman James Comer (R) presented some of the evidence that they have collected against President Joe Biden. On Tuesday, Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-California) ordered the House to open up an impeachment inquiry. Tuberville said he was “shocked” by the evidence against President Biden and his son – Hunter Biden. “I just came from a meeting with Congressman Jim Jordan and Congressman James Comer. For the first time here in the Senate, most of us just sat down and listened as they laid out the case against President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden,” said Sen. Tuberville. “You know, I am absolutely shocked by the scale of the allegations and the strength of the evidence. We ought to be ashamed. Our media ought to be ashamed. Our institutions should be ashamed of what has gone on for the last four years without being investigated. I commend Speaker McCarthy for moving forward with an impeachment inquiry. You know, I don’t like impeachments – it holds back our country. But in this case, it needs to happen. The American people deserve the truth.” McCarthy directed the committees to open the impeachment inquiry into President Biden on Tuesday. The inquiry will center on whether Biden benefited from his son Hunter Biden’s business dealings and other issues. “These are allegations of abuse of power, obstruction, and corruption, and warrant further investigation by the House of Representatives,” Speaker McCarthy told reporters on Tuesday. “That’s why today, I am directing our House committee to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. We will go wherever the evidence takes us.” During Donald Trump’s presidency, House Democrats impeached President Trump twice, including once in the waning days of Trump’s administration. President Trump’s efforts to launch an investigation into Hunter Biden’s ethically questionable business dealings – particularly his drawing a check from Ukrainian gas giant Burisma were largely ignored, even by the FBI. When Trump asked the President of Ukraine to investigate the Bidens, then Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-California) rushed through an impeachment process against not Biden, but President Trump. Both times that Trump was impeached, the Senate didn’t have the votes to remove him. Three Presidents have been impeached by the House of Representatives, but none were ever removed from office. If the Republican-controlled House impeaches Biden, it is hard to imagine a scenario where a Democrat-controlled Senate would vote to remove Biden in the midst of an election year. Earlier in the day, Tuberville told reporters that the American people “were tired of impeachments” and that the impeachment “isn’t going anywhere in the Senate.” Alabama Today, and to our knowledge – the rest of the media – have not seen the evidence that Republicans claim they have gathered against Joe Biden. That said, it is hard to imagine impeachment being seriously considered by Senate Democrats. Given that they hold a 51 to 49 edge in the Senate, it is hard to imagine any realistic scenario where the President is convicted by the Senate – particularly with the election less than 14 months away. Tuberville was elected to the Senate in 2020. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
House Republicans launch inquiry into Georgia official behind Donald Trump indictment
Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee launched an investigation Thursday into whether the Department of Justice coordinated with the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office in Georgia on the fourth indictment of former President Donald Trump. House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, sent a letter to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis demanding all records of communication with the DOJ to determine whether it was “politically motivated.” “Turning first to the question of motivation, it is noteworthy that just four days before this indictment, you launched a new campaign fundraising website that highlighted your investigation into President Trump,” the letter said. “Additionally, the forewoman of the special grand jury you convened to investigate President Trump earlier this year bragged during an unusual media tour about her excitement at the prospect of subpoenaing President Trump and getting to swear him in.” The investigation comes the same day Trump is expected to turn himself in to the Georgia jail for processing. “Last week, the Fulton County Superior Court’s Clerk publicly released a list of criminal charges against President Trump reportedly hours before the vote of the grand jury,” the letter said. “A Fulton County court has disqualified you from targeting current Georgia Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones as part of your probe on the grounds that you actively supported and held fundraising events for his Democratic opponent. And unlike officials in other jurisdictions, Fulton County officials ‘have suggested [they] will process [the former President] as [a] typical criminal defendant[], requiring mug shots and possibly even cash bond.’” Notably, IRS whistleblowers recently testified that the DOJ interfered to protect the president’s son, Hunter Biden, in the legal investigation into his alleged tax, gun, and other crimes. Republicans kicked off a similar investigation into New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg after brought his charges against Trump. Bragg has a long history of anti-Trump comments and even ran for election on the promise to prosecute Trump. Trump faces 91 total charges across indictments in New York, Florida, Washington, D.C., and now Georgia. Those charges are related either to Trump’s handling of classified documents, his alleged payments to Stormy Daniels, or his alleged work to overturn the 2020 election results. The Georgia indictment features 41 charges against 19 of Trump’s alleged co-conspirators. Trump has blasted all the indictments, calling them a political effort against the Republican frontrunner. Trump currently holds a wide lead over his primary challengers, most of whom promised at Wednesday’s debate to still support him for president even if he is convicted. “THE INDICTMENTS AGAINST ME SHOULD BE VIEWED AS A CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION TO CROOKED JOE BIDEN AND HIS RADICAL LEFT THUGS,” Trump wrote on social media Wednesday. “THIS WILL BE THEIR UPDATED FORM OF CHEATING & ELECTION INTERFERENCE. REMEMBER, THESE ARE BIDEN INDICTMENTS, PURE & SIMPLE!” Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Donald Trump surrenders on charges of trying to overturn the 2020 election
Former President Donald Trump surrendered to Fulton County authorities Thursday on charges he tried to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Fulton County authorities charged Trump and 18 others, including former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former state Republican Party Chair David Shafer, as part of the effort. The Fulton County indictment of Trump is the fourth against the former president and the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. Trump addressed reporters on the tarmac before boarding his aircraft bound for New Jersey. “What has taken place here is a travesty of justice,” Trump said. “We did nothing wrong at all. They’re interfering with an election and there’s never been anything like it in our country before. “And we have every right, every single right to challenge an election that we think is dishonest. So we think it’s very dishonest.” Even before Trump formally surrendered to authorities at the Atlanta facility, the former president’s attorneys and prosecutors agreed to set a $200,000 bond. While Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has said she would like to see the case go to trial within six months, legal experts say that is a tall order. “The idea that this case would go to trial in six months is optimistic, and I think it’s optimistic, even if you put aside that Donald Trump is facing three other indictments,” Jonathan Entin, a professor emeritus of law and adjunct professor of political science at Case Western Reserve University, told The Center Square. Additionally, Shafer, former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and former assistant U.S. Attorney General Jeffrey Clark want the case transferred to federal court. “The Georgia indictment reflects the Sergeant Joe Friday mantra of ‘just the facts, ma’am’ and could end up being easier to prove than the latest federal indictment against Trump by avoiding trying to directly blame him for the chaos of Jan. 6,” civil rights attorney V. James DeSimone, of Los Angeles-based V. James DeSimone Law, told The Center Square via email. “The task of prosecuting 19 defendants and proving acts occurring in other states may be a daunting one,” DeSimone added. “But by charging acts in other states, the indictment demonstrates how Trump and the alleged co-conspirators developed a plan to invalidate the popular vote in a sufficient number of states to alter the results of the election. “Despite its breadth and the naming of numerous co-conspirators, Georgia’s indictment is nevertheless focused on the interference with its state elections, the oath of those in office and the established protocol for the election of the electoral voters.” Additionally, Entin said it may be challenging to seat a jury in the case, but it won’t be impossible. “Just because we have one very prominent defendant, the legal system can’t work if we say, ‘well, if you’re a high enough profile person, then you can never be tried, no matter what you do,’” Entin said. “That’s just destructive of the whole idea that we have a rule of law. There’s plenty of room for reasonable minds to differ about whether Donald Trump or any of the other defendants committed any of the crimes with which they’re charged. But that’s separate from saying, ‘Well, you know, some people are too important or too prominent to be subject to the rule of law at all.’” “So, it may take a lot of work to assemble a jury that is capable of deciding the case on the basis of the evidence and put aside whatever views they bring to the table,” Entin added. Earlier Thursday, U.S. House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, sent a letter to Willis demanding all records of communication with the DOJ to determine whether it was “politically motivated.” “Turning first to the question of motivation, it is noteworthy that just four days before this indictment, you launched a new campaign fundraising website that highlighted your investigation into President Trump,” the letter said. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Republicans investigate alleged political interference in Hunter Biden case
Two key House Committees issued subpoenas for Biden administration officials as part of an investigation into allegations of political interference on behalf of Hunter Biden, who faces an array of legal issues. Republican leadership on the House Committee on Ways and Means and House Committee on the Judiciary issued the subpoenas for IRS employees and two FBI agents. Whistleblower testimony about U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware David Weiss, who is now special counsel in the Hunter Biden case, is what sparked the lawmakers’ inquiry. In particular, whistleblowers say Weiss told personnel from the IRS and DOJ that he had tried to bring charges against Hunter Biden multiple times and in multiple jurisdictions but was denied. House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said in a joint statement that the whistleblower allegations point to “political interference in the investigation into Hunter Biden’s foreign influence peddling and tax evasion.” “Unfortunately, the Biden Administration has consistently stonewalled Congress,” the lawmakers said. “Our duty is to follow the facts wherever they may lead, and our subpoenas compelling testimony from Biden Administration officials are crucial to understanding how the President’s son received special treatment from federal prosecutors and who was the ultimate decision maker in the case.” The whistleblower testimony contradicts both Weiss and Attorney General Merrick Garland, who recently led Congress to believe that Weiss was the final decision-maker in the case. Hunter Biden is currently expected to face trial after his plea deal over tax and gun-related charges fell apart over questions of whether he would be immune to future prosecution for other alleged crimes. The subpoenas come after two IRS whistleblowers testified before the House Oversight Committee in July, saying that the DOJ acted improperly in the Hunter Biden investigation. As The Center Square previously reported, the testimony came from Supervisory Special Agent Gary Shapley and Criminal Investigator Joseph Ziegler, both IRS employees with a total 27 years of experience at the agency. They said that Hunter Biden’s preferential treatment was unlike than other cases in their decades of experience. Notably, they testified that Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Wolf helped prevent investigators from conducting an interview with President Joe Biden along with a search warrant of the Biden residence in Delaware. The pair also testified that they tried to report the alleged abuse of power using the standard channels but ultimately felt compelled to blow the whistle. Ziegler said in his testimony that there was abuse of authority, ethical violations and “gross mismanagement” in the Hunter Biden case and called for a special counsel to investigate. Shapley testified that in the Hunter Biden case, evidence was kept hidden from investigators and that decisions were repeatedly made that benefited Hunter Biden and the president. Shapley called it an “undeniable pattern of preferential treatment and obstruction of the normal investigative process.” Smith and Jordan said they tried normal interview requests with the IRS and FBI employees but were denied. How the federal employees will respond to the subpoenas remains to be seen. In the past, Trump administration officials ignored Congressional subpoenas. “Americans deserve to know the truth, especially now that Attorney General Garland has appointed as special counsel the same U.S. Attorney who oversaw Hunter Biden’s sweetheart plea deal and botched the investigation into his alleged tax crimes,” Smith and Jordan said. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Barry Moore questions Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on border policies
Congressman Barry Moore (R-AL02) questioned Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas during a House Judiciary Committee Department of Homeland Security oversight hearing. Moore questioned Secretary Mayorkas about the border situation. Rep. Moore supports Articles of Impeachment against Secretary Mayorkas due to his failure to uphold the law at our southern border. “I am certainly appalled at what’s happening at the southern border, and I know my constituents are too,” Moore said. “Your border policies make every state a border state. I said my constituents are appalled at what’s happening — I know a family that has personally suffered the consequences of your actions. In my district, the Second Congressional District in Alabama, the Autauga County Sheriff’s Department arrested Grevi Geovani Rivera-Zavala, a 29-year-old illegal alien from Honduras, for the rape of a teenage girl in Prattville, Alabama. Zavala identified as a minor. Why do you think it is that we are finding so many ID cards thrown down south of the border? If people are coming here for asylum, why don’t they want us to know what they are up to?” “Congressman, I am sorry to learn of the tragedy that occurred to your constituent,” Sec. Mayorkas answered. “I understand that sir, but we’ve been apologizing to people for a long time. Even when the other party was in charge — we are continuing to apologize to parents for losing their children to fentanyl, for people getting raped in restrooms, and for people killing others with cars when they can’t even [legally] hold a driver’s license,” said Rep. Moore. “So, who is [going to take responsibility] for these tragedies? Is that you, Mr. Mayorkas? Is that President [Joe] Biden?” “Congressman, the criminal is responsible,” Mayorkas answered. “I look forward to working with you to address the scourge of fentanyl that is causing so much devastation and death. I look forward to working with you to fix what is wrong with our broken immigration system.” Before the oversight hearing, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) sent a letter to Sec. Mayorkas requested that the Secretary be ready to discuss in detail several aspects of the Administration’s immigration policies. Chairman Jordan asked the Secretary to provide the following data at Wednesday’s hearing: Since January 20, 2021, the total number of inadmissible aliens who have been encountered by CBP along the southwest border and (a) who were released into the United States, and (b) who have remained in DHS detention and have not been released. The number and percentage of those aliens in request 1 who claimed a fear of persecution for purposes of asylum and received a fear determination. The number and percentage of those aliens in request 2 who received a negative fear determination. The number and percentage of those aliens in request 3 who have been removed from the U.S. The number and percentage of those aliens in request 2 who received a positive fear determination. The number and percentage of those aliens in request 5 who have been placed in removal proceedings. The number and percentage of those aliens in request 6 whose claims have been adjudicated on the merits. The number and percentage of those aliens in request 7 who have received a final order of removal. The number and percentage of those aliens in request 8 who have been removed from the U.S. Republicans have been very concerned about the issues on the border. There is growing momentum among House Republicans to bring articles of impeachment against Mayorkas. Barry Moore represents Alabama’s Second Congressional District. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
