Change in 24-hour notification rule concerns some activists
Some conservative activists have expressed concerns about a proposed rule change in the Alabama House of Representatives rules that would change the amount of time that the public and House members receive before a House Committee can consider a bill. Under the rules used during the last four years, a House committee had to give 24 hours public notice before a bill could be considered in committee. The new rule would change that to just four hours. Some conservative groups have expressed alarm that this will limit the public’s input in the legislative process. Alabama Today spoke with a member of the House off the record about the proposed rule change. The member pointed out that the 24-hour rule was regularly worked around by the House to begin with. While the rule was on the books, how the House actually operated is that a committee chairperson would ask to be recognized on the floor of the House at some point during floor proceedings. The chair would then ask the body for a motion “to suspend the rules” so that the committee could meet and consider legislation. Sometimes those meetings would occur later that day, and sometimes those committee meetings would be held while the body was in session. Sometimes, the committee met immediately. This interpretation of how the House (and the State Senate) functions is correct. Committees often meet inside that 24-hour notice window, often inside a four-hour window, and sometimes with just five minutes’ notice. Capitol Press Corps members would have to pick up their laptops and scramble from the House floor press room to the committee meeting somewhere on the eight floors of the State House building. A motion to suspend the rules so that a committee can meet is a regular occurrence and is usually made by voice vote without opposition. Alabama Today was told that the GOP nominee for the Speaker of the Alabama House, Rep. Nathaniel Ledbetter, and the new House Majority Leader, Rep. Scott Stadthagen, have heard the concerns of members and the public and are reportedly concerned about the overuse of the motion to suspend the rules to avoid the notification requirement and the change from 24-hour notice to four hours notice was proposed with the intent of continuing to provide House committees with the flexibility to operate, but while having some real world actual public notice requirements. Members have been asked by the leadership to refrain from speaking publicly on the proposed rules changes so that leadership can more thoroughly explain this and other proposals. Changing the rules of a legislative body is a normal part of the legislative process. Every four years, the Alabama House and Senate review their rules and attempt to update them during the organizational session of the Alabama Legislature at the start of a new quadrennium. The U.S. House of Representatives is about to consider its own new set of House rules for the 118th Congress that differ somewhat from the rules put in place by the 117th Congress. At the federal level, there has been a change in the Speaker of the House from Nancy Pelosi to Kevin McCarthy. In the Alabama House of Representatives, Ledbetter is the presumed Speaker replacement for Rep. Mac McCutcheon, who retired from the Legislature. Since Republicans have a 77 to 28 majority in the Alabama House of Representatives, the Republican choice for Speaker will likely be the new Speaker. State Rep. Chris Pringle is the GOP choice to be the Speaker Pro Tem., replacing Rep. Victor Gaston, who also retired. The House will vote on new leadership and changes to the rules when it meets on Tuesday for the organizational session. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Kevin McCarthy elected the 55th Speaker of the House
Congressman Kevin McCarthy became the 55th Speaker of the House early Saturday on the 15th ballot. McCarthy prevailed 216 to 212 for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Six hardline Republican dissidents voted present, lowering the threshold needed to win to just 215 votes. Democratic incumbent Donald McEachin lost his battle with cancer after re-election; thus, the number of Congress members in the body is 434 instead of 435. “You know – my father always told me: It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish,” McCarthy said in his acceptance speech. “And now we need to finish strong for the American people. If the son of a fireman and grandchild of immigrants can rise to the highest position in the most important legislative body in the world. And if my colleague Hakeem Jeffries, with his life story, can rise to lead his party, then opportunity and democracy still thrive in America.” “As Speaker of the House, my ultimate responsibility is not to my party, my conference, or even our Congress. My responsibility – our responsibility – is to our country,” McCarthy said. “Two months ago, you voted for a new direction for our country. You embraced our Commitment to America. And now, we are going to keep our commitment to you. It’s a commitment for an economy that is strong – where you can fill up your tank and feed your family, where paychecks grow, not shrink. A commitment for a nation that’s safe – where communities are protected, law enforcement is respected, and criminals are prosecuted. A commitment for a future that is built on freedom – where children come first and are taught to dream big because, in America, dreams can still come true. A commitment for a government that is accountable – where Americans get the answers they want, need, and deserve.” “Our system is built on checks and balances,” McCarthy continued. “It’s time for us to be the check and provide some balance to the President’s policies. There is nothing more important than making it possible for American families to live and enjoy the lives they deserve. That is why we commit to stop wasteful Washington spending to lower the price of groceries, gas, cars, and housing and stop the rising national debt. We pledge to cut the regulatory burden, lower energy costs for families, and create good-paying jobs for workers by unleashing reliable, abundant American-made energy. Our first bill will repeal funding for 87,000 new IRS agents. Because the government should be here to help you, not go after you. We’re going to pass bills to fix the nation’s urgent challenges – from the wide open southern border to America-Last energy policies to woke indoctrination in our schools. We will also address America’s long-term challenges: the debt and the Chinese Communist Party. Congress must speak with one voice on both of these issues.” Alabama Congressman Mike Rogers drew national headlines during the 14th vote when he had to be restrained by incoming National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Chairman Rep. Richard Hudson from coming after Rep. Matt Gaetz, who had voted present on the 14th vote and refused to change his vote to in favor of McCarthy. Rogers has called the dissident Republicans who opposed McCarthy and the will of 90% of the House Republican Caucus “legislative terrorists.” Rogers is expected to be the Chairman of the powerful House Armed Services Committee. What punishment will be levied against Rogers, if any, for his outburst on the floor of the House is unknown at this time. Matt Gaetz wrote on Twitter yesterday, “@RepMikeRogersAL and I have a six-year productive, working relationship. We’re going to work together wonderfully going forward. I don’t think there should be any punishment or reprisal just because he had an animated moment. He has my forgiveness.” Rogers responded to Gaetz on Twitter, stating, “@RepMattGaetz and I have a long and productive working relationship, that I am sure will continue. I regret that I briefly lost my temper on the House Floor Friday evening and appreciate Matt’s kind understanding.” All six of Alabama’s Republican Congressmen were unwavering in their steadfast support of McCarthy on all 15 of the votes in the House of Representatives that have been occurring since the start of the 118th Congress on Tuesday. Congresswoman Terri Sewell, Alabama’s only Democrat in the state’s congressional delegation – voted for Jeffries. Whatever happened between Rogers and Gaetz worked. Republicans were about to adjourn until Monday when Gaetz approached McCarthy and asked that the House hold one more vote. All six of the remaining holdouts flipped to vote present, allowing McCarthy to win on the 15th ballot. The historic drama of the 15 votes for Speaker of the House and McCarthy’s steadfast refusal to stand aside and allow someone else to run for Speaker – something he did in 2015 giving us Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, who was Speaker from 2015 to 2018 – became a selling point for the election of McCarthy. No Speaker has needed a second vote since 1923. Rep. Patrick McHenry, a longtime friend of McCarthy, gave the 15th nominating speech for McCarthy. “He’s relentless. The man does not quit,” McHenry said of McCarthy. President Joe Biden released a statement congratulating McCarthy following the early Saturday vote. “Jill and I congratulate Kevin McCarthy on his election as Speaker of the House,” Biden said. “The American people expect their leaders to govern in a way that puts their needs above all else, and that is what we need to do now. As I said after the midterms, I am prepared to work with Republicans when I can, and voters made clear that they expect Republicans to be prepared to work with me as well. Now that the leadership of the House of Representatives has been decided, it is time for that process to begin.” “Today we learned that my plan to build an economy that works from the bottom up and the middle out has achieved the lowest unemployment rate in 50 years,” Biden continued. “And that we made 2021 and 2022 the best
Matt Gaetz, Freedom Caucus held line on McCarthy speakership over seven bills
U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, was among 20 House members withholding support from new Speaker Kevin McCarthy until the California Republican would commit to bringing seven bills to a vote, as well as agreeing to other concessions. McCarthy, who was elected after 15 rounds of voting, is ranked the second-most politically left member among House Republicans, according to a govtrack.us 2020 analysis. McCarthy agreed to a list of concessions made by conservative members of the Freedom Caucus, including Gaetz, who tweeted, “this is what we’ve been fighting for.” The seven bills include one that would rescind funding for “certain balances made available to the Internal Revenue Service,” including the administration’s plan to hire 87,000 IRS agents to expand tax audits of Americans. Two bills related to abortion: one would prohibit taxpayer-funded abortions; the other would amend Title 18 of the U.S. Code to provide safeguards for children who survive abortions or attempted abortions. Two commit to border security measures: to suspend the illegal “entry of aliens” and require the national criminal background check system to notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and relevant state and local agencies whenever an illegal foreign national attempts to receive a firearm. Another bill would prohibit the Secretary of Energy from sending petroleum products from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to China. Another would amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act to direct district attorneys and prosecutors’ offices to report to the U.S. Attorney General’s office. Among the concessions agreed to, negotiated by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, include capping spending at 2022 levels for fiscal 2024, establishing a subcommittee to investigate the Justice Department, allowing more Freedom Caucus representatives on the Rules Committee, and returning to a one-member threshold for a motion to vacate the speaker’s office, which is what it was before 2019. Another concession includes the ability for any member of any party to offer amendments on the floor during appropriations, which Congress hasn’t done since May 2016. Roy said he also demanded that members of Congress have at least 72 hours to read bills before they are voted on instead of bills being “rammed through the Rules Committee and sent to the floor,” where they are expected to pass them without knowing what’s in them. Roy told CNN that what the 20 holdouts were able to accomplish was “history because this hasn’t happened in the last 100 years.” McCarthy’s election was the 15th time it took multiple votes to elect a speaker of the House, with the most contentious taking 133 votes over two months. Conservative House members also sought to hold McCarthy accountable for voting with Democrats and against conservative principles. According to Conservative Review, McCarthy earned an F grade for his voting record, which over the last six years shows a history of supporting unlimited spending of taxpayer money, increasing the debt ceiling, voting against funding border security measures, and voting for amnesty for illegal foreign nationals. The analysis evaluated key votes over the last six years, identifying 24 to give him a failing grade. According to CR’s analysis, in 2022, McCarthy voted for the NDAA without requiring the Department of Defense to rescind its COVID-19 vaccine mandate; voted to fund an initial $40 billion in aid to Ukraine without accountability for how the money is spent or stipulations that Ukraine pay it back. He has since voted to send an additional $45 billion to Ukraine while also cutting funding for U.S. border security. He also voted to pass a $1.5 trillion Omnibus bill “funding [Joe] Biden’s vaccine mandates,” and voted to bail out the U.S. Postal Service and “stick Medicare with the bill,” CR notes. In 2020, McCarthy voted for $1.4 trillion in special interest spending in a “so-called COVID relief bill;” to pass the NDAA without Section 230 reforms; and for the “‘gag and vote for it’ small-business-killing coronavirus emergency legislation.” In 2019, McCarthy voted to pass a $555 billion “Christmas minibus spending spree;” to suspend the debt ceiling, cancel budget caps and increase spending by $321 billion. to pass a $19 billion spending bill without funding border security and, according to Conservative Review, to “surrender on the border wall; empower drug cartels and human traffickers;” and to “reduce accountability in Congress by making federal pay mandatory spending.” Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Robert Aderholt has concerns about the deal that Kevin McCarthy has negotiated with Chip Roy
This entire week the Republicans in the House of Representatives have been squabbling over who will be the Speaker of the House. Twenty members of the House Republican Caucus have refused to support House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy even though 90% of their own caucus have supported McCarthy. In an attempt to end this Republican Party feud McCarthy has negotiated a deal with holdouts led by Congressman Chip Roy. Congressman Robert Aderholt has expressed some misgivings about the Roy-McCarthy deal. Aderholt is the Ranking Republican on the House Appropriations Committee and is expected to Chair the powerful House Committee – when the House gets through feuding and picks a Speaker. Aderholt said that the deal between McCarthy and Chip Roy is for fiscal 2024 appropriations to be at FY-22 levels. “I think for those of us who believe in a strong defense, there’s some concerns there,” Aderholt said. Congress increased federal spending in FY2023 which the 117th Congress passed as an omnibus appropriations bill before Christmas. Rolling federal spending back to 2022 levels in FY2024 – which begins October 1 would mean massive cuts to defense and other programs and would effectively reduce the size of government to below what it was in 2022 due to inflation, and pay raises to federal employees and service members. Democrats control the Senate and the Presidency making keeping such a promise highly dubious. Defense spending is up due in part to replacing all of the material that the U.S. has transferred to Ukraine for them to fight off Russian invaders. U.S. military readiness is a concern until our stockpiles return to pre-Ukraine War levels, and there is no certainty that the Ukraine War will end in the next nine months. Our commitment to Ukraine could continue well into the next fiscal year. Aderholt has been a staunch supporter of McCarthy. “He’s earned it,” Aderholt said in a statement. “No one has worked harder to take back the House than Kevin McCarthy.” All six of Alabama’s Republican Congressmen have been staunch McCarthy loyalists throughout this episode. McCarthy’s deal picked up votes from 13 GOP holdouts on a historic 12th ballot for Speaker of the House on Friday. One GOP legislator who had been voting “present” also voted for McCarthy. It still was not enough to reach the 218 votes needed to end this drama. The House voted on the open Speaker’s position multiple times on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Roy and McCarthy negotiated the deal before the House met on Friday for its 12th vote. McCarthy lost on the 13th vote as well on Friday. The negotiations are continuing between McCarthy and the remaining Republican holdouts. The body is set to return at 10:00 pm for a historic 14th ballot. This is the first time a Speaker has failed to win election on the first ballot since 1923. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Kevin McCarthy makes big gains for speaker, but still falls short
Republican leader Kevin McCarthy flipped 15 colleagues to support him in dramatic votes for House speaker on Friday, making extraordinary gains on the fourth day and the 12th and 13th ballots of a grueling standoff that was testing American democracy and the Republicans’ ability to govern. The changed votes from conservative holdouts, including the chairman of the chamber’s Freedom Caucus, put McCarthy closer to seizing the gavel for the new Congress — but not yet able. The stunning turnaround came after McCarthy agreed to many of the detractors’ demands — including the reinstatement of a longstanding House rule that would allow any single member to call a vote to oust him from office. That change and others mean the job he has fought so hard to gain will be weakened. After McCarthy won the most votes for the first time on the 12th ballot, a 13th was swiftly launched, this time just between McCarthy and the Democratic leader, with no nominated Republican challenger to siphon GOP votes away. But six GOP holdouts still cast their ballots for unnominated others, denying him the majority needed. The showdown that has stymied the new Congress came against the backdrop of the second anniversary of the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, which shook the country when a mob of then-President Donald Trump’s supporters tried to stop Congress from certifying the Republican’s 2020 election defeat to Democrat Joe Biden. A few minutes before voting began in the House chamber, Republicans tiring of the spectacle walked out when one of McCarthy’s most ardent challengers railed against the GOP leader. “We do not trust Mr. McCarthy with power,” said Republican Matt Gaetz of Florida as colleagues streamed out of the chamber in protest of his remarks. Contours of a deal with conservative holdouts who have been blocking McCarthy’s rise emerged, but an agreement had seemed still out of reach after three dismal days and 11 failed votes in a political spectacle unseen in a century. But an upbeat McCarthy told reporters as he arrived at the Capitol Friday morning, “We’re going to make progress. We’re going to shock you.” One significant former holdout, Republican Scott Perry, chairman of the conservative Freedom Caucus, tweeted after his switched vote for McCarthy: “We’re at a turning point.” But several holdouts remained. The final 12th vote tally: McCarthy, 213 votes; Democrat Hakeem Jeffries 211. Other Republicans Jim Jordan and Kevin Hern picked up protest votes. With 431 members voting, McCarthy was still a few votes short of a majority. When Rep. Mike Garcia nominated McCarthy for a 12th time, he also thanked the U.S. Capitol Police who were given a standing ovation for protecting lawmakers and the legislative seat of democracy on January 6. The agreement McCarthy presented to the holdouts from the Freedom Caucus and others centers around rules changes they have been seeking for months. Those changes would shrink the power of the speaker’s office and give rank-and-file lawmakers more influence in drafting and passing legislation. Even if McCarthy is able to secure the votes he needs, he will emerge as a weakened speaker, having given away some powers, leaving him constantly under threat of being voted out by his detractors. But he would also be potentially emboldened as a survivor of one of the more brutal fights for the gavel in U.S. history. At the core of the emerging deal is the reinstatement of a House rule that would allow a single lawmaker to make a motion to “vacate the chair,” essentially calling a vote to oust the speaker. McCarthy had resisted allowing a return to the longstanding rule that former Speaker Nancy Pelosi had done away with, because it had been held over the head of past Republican Speaker John Boehner, chasing him to early retirement. But it appears he had no other choice. The chairman of the chamber’s Freedom Caucus, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, who had been a leader in Trump’s efforts to challenge his presidential election loss to Democrat Joe Biden, appeared receptive to the proposed package, tweeting an adage from Ronald Reagan, “Trust but verify.” Other wins for the holdouts include provisions in the proposed deal to expand the number of seats available on the House Rules Committee, to mandate 72 hours for bills to be posted before votes, and to promise to try for a constitutional amendment that would impose federal limits on the number of terms a person could serve in the House and Senate. Lest hopes get ahead of reality, conservative holdout Ralph Norman of South Carolina said: “This is round one.” It could be the makings of a deal to end a standoff that has left the House unable to fully function. Members have not been sworn in, and almost no other business can happen. A memo sent out by the House’s chief administrative officer Thursday evening said that committees “shall only carry out core Constitutional responsibilities.” Payroll cannot be processed if the House isn’t functioning by January 13. After a long week of failed votes, Thursday’s tally was dismal: McCarthy lost seventh, eighth, and then historic ninth, 10th, and 11th rounds of voting, surpassing the number from 100 years ago in the last drawn-out fight to choose a speaker. The California Republican exited the chamber and quipped about the moment: “Apparently, I like to make history.” Feelings of boredom, desperation, and annoyance seemed increasingly evident. Democrats said it was time to get serious. “This sacred House of Representatives needs a leader,” said Democrat Joe Neguse of Colorado, nominating his own party’s leader, Hakeem Jeffries, as speaker. What started as a political novelty, the first time since 1923 a nominee had not won the gavel on the first vote, has devolved into a bitter Republican Party feud and deepening potential crisis. Democratic leader Jeffries of New York won the most votes on every ballot but also remained short of a majority. McCarthy ran second, gaining no ground. Pressure has grown with each passing day for McCarthy to somehow find the votes he needs or
Kevin McCarthy fails to win House Speakership after 11 votes
On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to choose its next Speaker of the House. Ninety percent of House Republicans, including all of the Congressional Republicans from Alabama, voted to make longtime House Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy the Speaker, but that was still far short of the 218 votes needed to elect McCarthy Speaker. The 11:00 am CST Speaker of the House vote was followed by four more votes before the House adjourned until Friday. The four failed Speaker votes on Thursday, followed three votes on Wednesday and three on Tuesday, for a total of 11 failed Speaker elections to this point. The small group of ultra-conservative Republicans in the House that oppose McCarthy are led by Reps. Andy Biggs, Matt Gaetz, and Bob Good. They insist that they can hold out indefinitely and will not be swayed by critics to soften their stand against McCarthy, whom they view as too moderate. Democrats, on the other hand, have voted unanimously for their new leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries. Congresswoman Terri Sewell has voted for Jeffries. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez has told reporters that House Democrats will not help elect McCarthy. Alabama’s Republican Congressmen Jerry Carl, Barry Moore, Mike Rogers, Robert Aderholt, Dale Strong, and Gary Palmer have all steadfastly supported McCarthy throughout this process. “I am supporting Kevin McCarthy in the House the entire time,” said Barry Moore in a video statement on Facebook. “We have been working on trying to get a consensus on who the Speaker will be.” “I have been with Kevin because I said I would be with Kevin,” Moore said. “I have told Kevin that he has my support.” The House cannot conduct business until it has a Speaker in place, so essentially, the first, second, and third days of the 118th Congress accomplished nothing. House committee staff may not get paid if the House does not pass rules for the 118th Congress – something that it can’t do until after the House has a Speaker. According to a memo released Thursday, the deadline for passing the rules package is next Friday. “Committees need to be aware that should a House Rules package not be adopted by end of business on January 13, no committee will be able to process payroll since the committee’s authority for the new Congress is not yet confirmed,” the memo said. Without a Speaker of the House, House Republicans’ expansive agenda can’t move forward. New members, including Alabama’s Dale Strong, have been unable to even be sworn in. The incoming chairs for the Intelligence, Armed Services, and Foreign Affairs committees are blocked from attending classified national security briefings until the rules are adopted for the 118th Congress, and committee chairs are formally appointed by the Speaker. McCarthy’s inability to even get a vote of support from the squabbling members of his own caucus has called into question whether or not he will be able to effectively lead the majority party moving forward – even if he is chosen as the next Speaker of the House. McCarthy and his allies have shown no sign of bringing forward a new candidate. McCarthy was previously passed over for Speaker in 2015 after ultraconservatives objected. Congressman Paul Ryan was chosen as Speaker then. This is the first time since 1923 that the Speaker of the House was not chosen on the first vote. There has not been this many failed votes on the Speaker since the Civil War. The House of Representatives will convene on Friday at 11:00 am CST to vote for a twelfth time. “I guarantee this much – it will be better than Nancy Pelosi,” Moore said, acknowledging that he was not sure who would ultimately get the Speakership. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Robert Aderholt plans to vote for Kevin McCarthy for Speaker
In the November midterms, the voters gave Republicans a small majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. The new GOP House majority should select the next Speaker of the House after four years of Nancy Pelosi. The squabbling Republicans, however apparently can’t agree on who will get to be the new Speaker. On Monday, Congressman Robert Aderholt announced that he plans to vote for Rep. Kevin McCarthy to be the next Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. “I’m planning to cast my vote for Kevin McCarthy to be the next Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives,” Aderholt said in a statement emailed to Alabama Today. “He’s earned it. No one has worked harder to take back the House than Kevin McCarthy.” “The American people elected a Republican majority in the House because they were tired of the direction of our nation and the leadership of Speaker Pelosi,” Aderholt continued. “The American people are expecting us to work to stop inflation, deal with the crisis at our southern border and hold the Biden Administration accountable. The sooner we elect a Republican Speaker, the sooner we can start.” As of press time, it was still in doubt if McCarthy could gather enough support to be elected Speaker. McCarthy did predict that Tuesday would be “a good day” when asked by reporters what he thought would happen in the Speaker’s vote. Ultra-conservatives previously opposed McCarthy in his previous bid for Speaker replacing former Speaker John Boehner. The House Caucus instead chose former Vice Presidential candidate Rep. Paul Ryan. Ryan did not run again in 2018 after disagreements with then-President Donald Trump. Club for Growth is reportedly urging members to oppose McCarthy’s bid for Speaker. Aderholt is the senior member of the Alabama congressional delegation. He has represented Alabama’s Fourth Congressional District since his election in 1996. Aderholt was the ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee during the last Congress. There are 222 Republicans in the 118th Congress to 212 Democrats. The vote for the next Speaker of the House is on Tuesday. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
January 6 panel urges Donald Trump prosecution with criminal referral
The House January 6 committee urged the Justice Department on Monday to bring criminal charges against Donald Trump for the violent 2021 Capitol insurrection, calling for accountability for the former president and “a time of reflection and reckoning.” After one of the most exhaustive and aggressive congressional probes in memory, the panel’s seven Democrats and two Republicans are recommending criminal charges against Trump and associates who helped him launch a wide-ranging pressure campaign to try to overturn his 2020 election loss. The panel also released a lengthy summary of its final report, with findings that Trump engaged in a “multi-part conspiracy” to thwart the will of voters. At a final meeting Monday, the committee alleged violations of four criminal statutes by Trump, in both the run-up to the riot and during the insurrection itself, as it recommended the former president for prosecution to the Justice Department. Among the charges they recommend for prosecution is aiding an insurrection — an effort to hold him directly accountable for his supporters who stormed the Capitol that day. The committee also voted to refer conservative lawyer John Eastman, who devised dubious legal maneuvers aimed at keeping Trump in power, for prosecution on two of the same statutes as Trump: conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstructing an official proceeding. While a criminal referral is mostly symbolic, with the Justice Department ultimately deciding whether to prosecute Trump or others, it is a decisive end to a probe that had an almost singular focus from the start. Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said Trump “broke the faith” that people have when they cast ballots in a democracy and that the criminal referrals could provide a “roadmap to justice” by using the committee’s work. “I believe nearly two years later, this is still a time of reflection and reckoning,” Thompson said. “If we are to survive as a nation of laws and democracy, this can never happen again.” Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, the panel’s Republican vice chairwoman, said in her opening remarks that every president in American history has defended the orderly transfer of power, “except one.” The committee also voted 9-0 to approve its final report, which will include findings, interview transcripts, and legislative recommendations. The full report is expected to be released on Wednesday. The report’s 154-page summary, made public as the hearing ended, found that Trump engaged in a “multi-part conspiracy” to overturn the election. While the majority of the report’s main findings are not new, it altogether represents one of the most damning portraits of an American president in recent history, laying out in great detail Trump’s broad effort to overturn his own defeat and what the lawmakers say is his direct responsibility for the insurrection of his supporters. The panel, which will dissolve on January 3 with the new Republican-led House, has conducted more than 1,000 interviews, held ten well-watched public hearings, and collected more than a million documents since it launched in July 2021. As it has gathered the massive trove of evidence, the members have become emboldened in declaring that Trump, a Republican, is to blame for the violent attack on the Capitol by his supporters almost two years ago. After beating their way past police, injuring many of them, the January 6 rioters stormed the Capitol and interrupted the certification of Joe Biden’s presidential election win, echoing Trump’s lies about widespread election fraud and sending lawmakers and others running for their lives. The attack came after weeks of Trump’s efforts to overturn his defeat — a campaign that was extensively detailed by the committee in its multiple public hearings and laid out again by lawmakers on the panel at Monday’s meeting. Many of Trump’s former aides testified about his unprecedented pressure on states, federal officials, and Mike Pence to object to Biden’s win. The committee has also described in great detail how Trump riled up the crowd at a rally that morning and then did little to stop his supporters for several hours as he watched the violence unfold on television. The panel aired some new evidence at the meeting, including a recent interview with longtime Trump aide Hope Hicks. Describing a conversation she had with Trump around that time, she said he told her that no one would care about his legacy if he lost the election. Hicks told the committee that Trump told her, “The only thing that matters is winning.” Trump’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but the former president slammed members of the committee Sunday as “thugs and scoundrels” as he has continued to falsely dispute his 2020 loss. While a so-called criminal referral has no real legal standing, it is a forceful statement by the committee and adds to political pressure already on Attorney General Merrick Garland and special counsel Jack Smith, who is conducting an investigation into January 6 and Trump’s actions. On the recommendation to charge Trump with aiding an insurrection, the committee said in the report’s summary that the former president “was directly responsible for summoning what became a violent mob” and refused repeated entreaties from his aides to condemn the rioters or to encourage them to leave. For obstructing an official proceeding, the committee cites Trump’s relentless badgering of Vice President Mike Pence and others to prevent the certification of the election results on January 6. And his repeated lies about the election and efforts to undo the results open him up to a charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States, the panel said. The final charge recommended by the panel is conspiracy to make a false statement, citing the scheme by Trump and his allies to put forward slates of fake electors in battleground states won by President Joe Biden. Among the other charges contemplated but not approved by the committee was seditious conspiracy, the same allegation Justice Department prosecutors have used to target a subset of rioters belonging to far-right groups like the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys. Thompson said after the hearing that the seditious conspiracy charge is “something that the committee didn’t come to agreement on.” The panel was formed in the summer
Kevin McCarthy’s race for speaker risks upending House on Day One
In his quest to rise to House speaker, Kevin McCarthy is charging straight into history — potentially becoming the first nominee in 100 years unable to win the job on a first-round floor vote. The increasingly real prospect of a messy fight over the speaker’s gavel on Day One of the new Congress on Jan. 3 is worrying House Republicans, who are bracing for the spectacle. They have been meeting endlessly in private at the Capitol, trying to resolve the standoff. Taking hold of a perilously slim 222-seat Republican majority in the 435-member House and facing a handful of defectors, McCarthy is working furiously to reach the 218-vote threshold typically needed to become speaker. “The fear is that if we stumble out of the gate,” said Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., a McCarthy ally, then the voters who sent the Republicans to Washington “will revolt over that and they will feel let down.” Not since the disputed election of 1923 has a candidate for House speaker faced the public scrutiny of convening a new session of Congress only to have it descend into political chaos, with one vote after another, until a new speaker is chosen. At that time, it eventually took a grueling nine ballots to secure the gavel. McCarthy, a Republican from Bakersfield, California, who was first elected in 2006 and who remains allied with Donald Trump, has signaled he is willing to go as long as it takes in a floor vote to secure the speaker’s job he has wanted for years. The former president has endorsed McCarthy and is said to be making calls on McCarthy’s behalf. McCarthy has given no indication he would step aside, as he did in 2015 when it was clear he did not have the support. But McCarthy also is acknowledging the holdouts won’t budge. “It’s all in jeopardy,” McCarthy said Friday in an interview with conservative Hugh Hewitt. The dilemma reflects not just McCarthy’s uncertain stature among his peers but also the shifting political norms in Congress as party leaders who once wielded immense power — the names of Cannon, Rayburn, and now Pelosi adorn House meeting rooms and office buildings — are seeing it slip away in the 21st century. Rank-and-file lawmakers have become political stars on their own terms, able to shape their brands on social media and raise their own money for campaigns. House members are less reliant than they once were on the party leaders to dole out favors in exchange for support. The test for McCarthy, if he is able to shore up the votes on Jan. 3 or in the days that follow, will be whether he emerges a weakened speaker, forced to pay an enormous price for the gavel, or whether the potentially brutal power struggle emboldens his new leadership. “Does he want to go down as the first speaker candidate in 100 years to go to the floor and have to essentially, you know, give up?” said Jeffrey A. Jenkins, a professor at the University of Southern California and co-author of “Fighting for the Speakership.” “But if he pulls this rabbit out of the hat, you know, maybe he actually has more of the right stuff.” Republicans met in private this past week for another lengthy session as McCarthy’s detractors, largely a handful of conservative stalwarts from the Freedom Caucus, demand changes to House rules that would diminish the power of the speaker’s office. The Freedom Caucus members and others want assurances they will be able to help draft legislation from the ground up and have opportunities to amend bills during the floor debates. They want enforcement of the 72-hour rule that requires bills to be presented for review before voting. Outgoing Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and the past two Republican speakers, John Boehner and Paul Ryan, faced similar challenges, but they were able to rely on the currency of their position to hand out favors, negotiate deals, and otherwise win over opponents to keep them in line — for a time. Boehner and Ryan ended up retiring early. But the central demand by McCarthy’s opponents’ could go too far: They want to reinstate a House rule that allows any single lawmaker to file a motion to “vacate the chair,” essentially allowing a floor vote to boot the speaker from office. The early leaders of the Freedom Caucus, under BC, the former North Carolina congressman turned Trump’s chief of staff, wielded the little-used procedure as a threat over Boehner and later, over Ryan. It wasn’t until Pelosi seized the gavel the second time, in 2019, that House Democrats voted to do away with the rule and require a majority vote of the caucus to mount a floor vote challenge to the speaker. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said the 200-year-old rule was good enough for Thomas Jefferson, so it’s one he would like to see in place. “We’re still a long way from fixing this institution the way it needs to be fixed,” Roy told reporters Thursday at the Capitol. What’s unclear for McCarthy is even if he gives in to the various demands being made by the conservatives, whether that will be enough for them to drop their opposition to his leadership. Several House Republicans said they do not believe McCarthy will ever be able to overcome the detractors. “I don’t believe he’s going to get to 218 votes,” said Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., among the holdouts. “And so I look forward to when that recognition sets in and, for the good of the country, for the good of the Congress, he steps aside, and we can consider other candidates.” The opposition to McCarthy has promoted a counteroffensive from other groups of House Republicans who are becoming more vocal in their support of the GOP leader — and more concerned about the fallout if the start of the new Congress descends into an internal party fight. Rep. David Joyce, R-Ohio, who leads the Republican Governance Group, was wearing an “O.K.” button on his lapel — meaning, “Only Kevin,” he explained. Some have
Bill protecting same-sex, interracial unions clears Congress
The House gave final approval Thursday to legislation protecting same-sex marriages, a monumental step in a decadeslong battle for nationwide recognition that reflects a stark turnaround in societal attitudes. President Joe Biden has said he will promptly sign the measure, which requires all states to recognize same-sex marriages. It is a relief for hundreds of thousands of couples who have married since the Supreme Court’s 2015 decision that legalized those marriages and have worried about what would happen if the ruling were overturned. In a statement after the vote, Biden called the legislation a “critical step to ensure that Americans have the right to marry the person they love.” He said the legislation provides “hope and dignity to millions of young people across this country who can grow up knowing that their government will recognize and respect the families they build.” The bipartisan legislation, which passed 258-169 with 39 Republican votes, would also protect interracial unions by requiring states to recognize legal marriages regardless of “sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin.” After months of negotiations, the Senate passed the bill last week with 12 Republican votes. Democrats moved the bill quickly through the House and Senate after the Supreme Court’s decision in June that overturned the federal right to an abortion — including a concurring opinion from Justice Clarence Thomas that suggested the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision legalizing same-sex marriage could also be reconsidered. While many Republicans predicted that was unlikely to happen, and said the bill was unnecessary, Democrats and GOP supporters of the bill said it shouldn’t be left to chance. “We need it,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who presided over the vote as one of her last acts in leadership before stepping aside in January. “It is magic.” The bill is “a glorious triumph of love and freedom,” Pelosi said, tearing up as she celebrated its passage. In debate before the vote, several gay members of Congress talked about what a federal law would mean for them and their families. Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., said he and his husband should be able to visit each other in the hospital just like any other married couple and receive spousal benefits “regardless of if your spouse’s name is Samuel or Samantha.” Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., said he was set to marry “the love of my life” next year, and it is “unthinkable” that his marriage might not be recognized in some states if Obergefell were to be overturned. “The idea of marriage equality used to be a far-fetched idea,” said Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I. “Now it’s the law of the land and supported by the vast majority of Americans.” The legislation lost some Republican support since July, when 47 Republicans voted for it — a robust and unexpected show of support that kick-started serious negotiations in the Senate. But most of those lawmakers held firm, with a cross-section of the party, from conservatives to moderates, voting for the bill. House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy voted against it. “To me, this is really just standing with the Constitution,” said Republican Rep. Ann Wagner of Missouri, who voted for the bill both times. She pushed back on GOP arguments that it would affect the religious rights of those who don’t believe in same-sex marriage. “No one’s religious liberties are affected in any way, shape, or form,” Wagner said. Republican Rep. Chris Stewart of Utah said he was “proud to once again vote in favor of protecting our LGBTQ and religious friends and neighbors.” He praised Senate changes to the bill, ensuring that it would not affect current rights of religious institutions and groups. “Civil rights are not a finite resource, we do not have to take from one group to give to another,” Stewart said. The legislation would not require states to allow same-sex couples to marry, as Obergefell now does. But it would require states to recognize all marriages that were legal where they were performed and protect current same-sex unions if the Supreme Court decision were overturned. While it’s not everything advocates may have wanted, passage of the legislation represents a watershed moment. Just a decade ago, many Republicans openly campaigned on blocking same-sex marriages; today, more than two-thirds of the public support them. Still, most Republicans opposed the legislation, and some conservative advocacy groups lobbied aggressively against it in recent weeks, arguing that it doesn’t do enough to protect those who want to refuse services for same-sex couples. “God’s perfect design is indeed marriage between one man and one woman for life,” said Rep. Bob Good, R-Va, before the vote. “And it doesn’t matter what you think or what I think; that’s what the Bible says.” Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Mo., choked up as she begged colleagues to vote against the bill, which she said undermines “natural marriage” between a man and a woman. “I’ll tell you my priorities,” Hartzler said. “Protect religious liberty, protect people of faith and protect Americans who believe in the true meaning of marriage.” Democrats in the Senate, led by Wisconsin’s Tammy Baldwin and Arizona’s Kyrsten Sinema, worked with supportive Republican senators to address those GOP concerns by negotiating changes to clarify that the legislation does not impair the rights of private individuals or businesses. The amended bill would also make clear that a marriage is between two people, an effort to ward off some far-right criticism that the legislation could endorse polygamy. In the end, several religious groups, including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, came out in support of the bill. The Mormon church said it would support rights for same-sex couples as long as they didn’t infringe upon religious groups’ right to believe as they choose. Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who led negotiations with Baldwin and Sinema in the Senate, attended a ceremony after the House vote with Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. “When I think about this bill, I think about how much it matters to people in each of our lives, our family members, our coworkers, our
Donald Trump’s Constitution remarks put Mitch McConnell, GOP on defense
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday that anyone who thinks the Constitution should be suspended would have a “very hard time” becoming president in the United States, trying to distance himself from Donald Trump’s new White House bid. It’s the second time McConnell has been forced to open his weekly press conference preemptively responding to questions about the former president’s remarks and behavior. Last week, it was over Trump’s dinner meeting with a white nationalist Holocaust denier. “Let me just say that anyone seeking the presidency who thinks the Constitution can somehow be suspended or not followed, it seems to me, would have a very hard time being sworn in as President of the United States,” McConnell said at the Capitol. The remarks come as Trump, who announced he is running again for the presidency in 2024, is putting his party into the familiar position of responding to his ideas, statements, and outbursts, forcing Republicans to publicly answer for his behavior. Trump, over the weekend, called for “the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution” after new revelations of what he said was Twitter’s unfair treatment of him during the 2020 presidential election that he lost to Joe Biden. Reaction from Republicans has been critical, even as many GOP officials remain unwilling to directly confront Trump as the leader of their party. Speaking Tuesday in South Carolina, Mike Pence, Trump’s former vice president, said, “I think anyone who serves in public office, anyone who aspires to serve in public office or serve again in public office should make it clear that they will support and defend the Constitution of the United States.” McConnell, as the Republican leader trying to steer his party in a post-Trump era — the two have not spoken since McConnell agreed to the Electoral College tally for Biden at the end of 2020 — faces an endless task of reacting to the former president’s outbursts. Still, McConnell deflected questions over whether he could support Trump if he becomes the Republican Party’s 2024 presidential nominee. Instead, the Senate GOP leader reiterated the difficulty of taking the oath, which requires the president-elect to defend the Constitution. “It would be pretty hard to be sworn into the presidency if you’re not willing to uphold the Constitution,” McConnell said. Over the weekend, Trump latched on to a report from new Twitter owner Elon Musk suggesting favoritism on the social media platform during the 2020 presidential race. Twitter was asked to moderate content about Biden’s family, particularly his son, Hunter Biden, that Republicans wanted to amplify in their attacks against the Democrat. Trump, on his social media app, had said that, “Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution.” He later accused the media of distorting his comments and “trying to convince the American People that I said I wanted to ‘terminate’ the Constitution.” Two weeks ago, Trump came under criticism for having dinner with Nick Fuentes, a known white nationalist and Holocaust denier. Trump said he was unaware of Fuentes’ beliefs. Republicans have been unable to firmly reject Trump as their potential nominee, even as many of them try to distance themselves from his recent activities. House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy, who is in line to become the House speaker when Republicans take control in the new year, has yet to fully weigh in on Trump’s latest comments. Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, a staunch Trump critic, tweeted directly at McCarthy to respond: “This week Trump said we should terminate all rules, regulations etc ‘even those in the Constitution’ to overturn the election. Are you so utterly without principle that you won’t condemn this either?” Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Alabama Democrats praise Nancy Pelosi’s leadership
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced on Thursday that she will step down next year from her position leading the Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Pelosi made the announcement the day after election results showing that Republicans will control the lower House of Congress once the new Congress convenes on January 3. Pelosi is stepping down from her top leadership role but will remain in Congress next year. “I will not seek reelection to Democratic leadership in the next Congress,” she said. “For me, the hour has come for a new generation to lead the Democratic caucus that I so deeply respect.” Alabama Democrats praised Pelosi’s leadership. Alabama Democratic Party Chairman Randy Kelley said that the move by Pelosi surprised him. “It really hit me hard,” Kelley told Alabama Today in a phone interview. “She has done a fantastic job. Whomever succeeds her will have big shoes to fill.” Congresswoman Terri Sewell praised Pelosi in a press release. “Speaker Nancy Pelosi is a true public servant whose tenure as Speaker of the House will be remembered as one of the most effective examples of leadership in modern history. For two decades, she has led the Democratic Caucus with dignity and grace, breaking down barriers for women and girls and putting the needs of the American people above all,” stated Sewell. “I have been honored to partner with Speaker Pelosi to advance the needs of Alabama’s 7th Congressional District, including our work to pass H.R. 4, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act,” Sewell continued. “While she will no longer lead our caucus, I have no doubt that Speaker Pelosi will remain a powerful force for good in our party and our nation. I look forward to continuing to serve alongside her.” Pelosi became Speaker of the House for the first time following the 2006 election. 2008 saw the election of Barack Obama to the presidency – giving Democrats control of both branches of Congress and the Presidency for the first time since 1994. Pelosi helped pass the Obama agenda, including the Affordable Care Act of 2010 – Obamacare. The Tea Party movement that arose to oppose Obamacare gave Republicans control of the House of Representatives in a massive “red wave” election in 2010. Despite the setback, Pelosi remained as the leader of the diminished House Democrats. In 2016 New York City billionaire Donald Trump won the Whitehouse, giving Republicans control of the government again. In 2018 Americans voted blue in large numbers giving Democrats control of the House again. Pelosi made history during the next two and a half years by impeaching Trump, not once but twice. In 2020 voters gave Democrats control of the Senate and elected Joe Biden over Trump. Pelosi helped Biden pass the CARES Act, the infrastructure bill, and the Inflation Reduction act. Despite this, or perhaps because of this legislative success, voters gave the GOP narrow control of the House of Representatives on November 8. Election results by November 16 showed that Republicans would indeed lead the House going forward and that a Republican – likely Rep. Kevin McCarthy – would be the next Speaker of the House. “She has done an exemplary job,” Kelley said. “She helped pass the infrastructure bill and the CARES Act.” The number two Democrat in the House – Rep. Steny Hoyer, is also stepping down from his leadership position, meaning there could be a wide-open contest on who will lead the Democrats moving forward. “I really have not gotten any idea who should fill that role,” Kelley said when asked who he felt should be the Democratic leader going forward. “I won’t get into trouble by naming somebody.” With Republicans now in control of the House, there is speculation that it might become more difficult for Biden to advance his agenda. “I think there is some (Republicans) who have done everything they could to stop his agenda,” Kelly said. “He has been very effective at passing his agenda, though.” Kelly said that the next two years will become essentially one long presidential campaign. “This is basically two years of campaigning for the President’s race in 2024,” Kelly said. “The Republicans will do everything they can to sabotage his presidency. The good news is that the Democrats held onto control of the Senate, and there certainly was no “red wave” as many of the prognosticators had predicted.” Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi, is still recovering from a beating by an assailant with a hammer. Stepping down from leadership will allow her to spend more time with him as his recovery continues. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
