A TPM Reader gave me a heads-up on this a couple days ago. And it turns out he was right.
Recently I told you that any chance Tom DeLay has of regaining the Majority Leader’s post was to have his case in Texas close to some resolution in January — before dissidents in the House GOP caucus could force new leadership elections.
That seemed very likely to happen when lawmakers came back to DC mid-January.
Of course one way to give The Hammer a bit more time is just not to let members of the House come back.
And that appears to be what they’ve decided to do.
According to Roll Call (sub.req.), Hastert and Blunt plan to keep the doors to the people’s House closed until January 31st, the day the president is scheduled to give his State of the Union address — which of course is given in the House chamber.