The House is set to come back into session at 8 p.m. ET. You can follow along with the TPM team here. But the House may not be in session for long. Kevin McCarthy told reporters he thought it was “best” not to vote again tonight because the results would be the same (he falls short of a majority) but that talks were continuing. Not a sure bet we’ll see a quick adjournment, but that definitely looks possible.
Continue reading “What Will The Evening Hold?”Failed State
When we talk about the GOP as a failed state run by assorted warlords think about stuff like this.
Continue reading “Failed State”The Real GOP Steps Forward
Today’s and yesterday’s events were predictable, unbelievable and hilarious all at once. One increasingly common refrain from analysts and reporters is that the issue between Kevin McCarthy and his now-20-plus rebels is really personal. They don’t trust him, will never trust him. Perhaps. But this personalizing analysis ignores the larger dynamic that has been unfolding in the Republican Party for more than a decade. We might trace the roots of the present moment to Barry Goldwater, to Newt Gingrich, to the Tea Party, or to Donald Trump. But the key turning point here is 2008 and 2009 when the GOP ceased to function as a center-right party of government and became something more like the sectarian revanchist parties that have long existed on the margins of European parliamentary politics.
But the U.S. isn’t a parliamentary democracy. Its constitutional structure makes it all but inevitable that two coalitional parties will trade power back and forth. This shift in the GOP happened along with a deep fracture, and an inevitable one in an American context. The House Freedom Caucus was nominally formed in 2015. But it was an institutionalization of the Tea Party radicalism that had its roots in the shift from Republican to Democratic rule in 2008 and 2009.
Continue reading “The Real GOP Steps Forward”The House GOP’s First Order Of Business Was Removing The Metal Detectors
A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPM’s Morning Memo.
Everything You Need To Know
While it couldn’t manage to elect a speaker, the new GOP majority in the House did manage to remove immediately the magnetometers installed at the entrances to the chamber after the Jan. 6 attack:
What’s Next?
After he failed on three separate votes to win the speakership yesterday, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) will try again today when the House reconvenes at noon.
McCarthy did not consolidate support Tuesday. Punchbowl has a good rundown of the behind the scenes action.
We’re going to sidestep most of the inscrutable internal machinations because frankly there’s not much evidence that what’s happening behind closed doors is any more meaningful or less comical than what’s happening in public.
It’s So Bad That MTG Comes Off As Reasonable
Never thought I’d see the day:
- Joshua Green: “Here’s how screwed up things are in the Republican race for House speaker: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is a voice of reason.”
- MTG herself: “Republicans are the party of ‘never,’ and it’s always ‘never’ when they don’t like somebody and that’s how we failed the country.”
- Vanity Fair: “Greene, Boebert, Gaetz: The Worst People You Know Are Having A Fight”
AOC Lip-Reading Fun
Two different shots of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) chatting on the House floor with extremist Republicans caught of a lot of attention during the speaker vote:
- TPM’s Hunter Walker nailed down the details of AOC’s convo with Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ).
- Jomboy, a baseball nerd with a knack for lip-reading players and umps, even got in on the action:
Did You Know?
A fun little bit of insider knowledge about how AOC’s convos were captured on camera:
What Was Trump Up To All Day?
The former president scored a trifecta:
- declined to re-up his endorsement of Kevin McCarthy
- attacked Georgia election worker Ruby Freeman all day on his fake Twitter platform
- mocked Mitch McConnell, air-quoted Elaine Chao as McConnell’s “wife,” and re-used his favorite old racist tropes against Chao.
House Dems Gloating
They couldn’t help themselves and who can blame them. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) with the flavor of the day from the Democratic side:
This once-in-a-century humiliation of a party’s nominee for Speaker is chickens coming home to roost for McCarthy, who whitewashed right-wing insurrectionism on the House floor. Nobody’s getting killed now, but the House GOP now sleeps in the bed they made with Trump and Bannon.
Gaetz Trolls McCarthy
Everyone Got In On The Trolling
Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), who became the Senate first female president pro tempore, a role that is third in the line of presidential succession: “Well, today I’m second, because Kevin McCarthy’s not speaker.”
On A More Serious Note
Your occasional reminder that the House GOP majority’s inability and unwillingness to govern has real consequences:
Not Going As Planned
A Day In The Life Of George Santos
On any other first day of Congress, George Santos would have been the lead story. But as Kevin McCarthy foundered, Santos struggled to break through:
Still Poring Through The Jan. 6 Committee’s Work
As journalists continue to process the extraordinary volume of material released by the Jan. 6 committee, some more highlights:
- Donald Trump called Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) six times on the day before the Capitol attack.
- Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) suggested that the GOP-controlled state legislature could choose presidential electors.
- Former Michigan GOP chair slammed fake elector plan as ‘insane.’
- Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, deplored how the military was dragged into partisan fights during the Trump years.
- The most intriguing revelations from Jan. 6 transcripts
- 5 examples of how militant, conspiratorial movements have gained a toehold in mainstream GOP politics
- The best (meaning worst) of Sidney Powell
Jan. 6 Anniversary Approaches
Sweeping up a few related tidbits:
- President Biden will hold a White House event marking the Jan 6 attack.
- Official tours of the U.S. Capitol make no mention of Jan. 6.
- Steven A. Sund, the Capitol Police chief during the 2021 riot, has a new book out.
Crickets On Mar-A-Lago Case
The lack of any overt developments in the Mar-a-Lago documents case continues to heighten the suspense. The only new news is that Special Counsel Jack Smith has returned to the U.S. from the Hague.
ICYMI
Nicholas Confessore on the invention of Elise Stefanik.
A Quick Check In On Dobbs Fallout
A couple of developments to flag:
- TPM alum Alice Ollstein: “The FDA on Tuesday updated a rule allowing brick-and-mortar pharmacies to dispense the abortion pill mifepristone — expanding access to the drug amid a wave of state efforts last year to impose restrictions.”
- Alice again: The Justice Department has cleared the U.S. Postal Service to deliver abortion drugs to states that have strict limits on terminating pregnancy, and has offered limited assurances that a federal law addressing the issue won’t be used to prosecute people criminally over such mailings.
- Texas Tribune: “Texas teens will now need their parents’ permission to get birth control at federally funded clinics, following a court ruling late last month.”
Arrests Made In Substation Attacks
Two men were arrested on federal criminal charges arising from the Christmas Day attacks on four power substations in Washington State.
If You Know, You Know
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After Hours Of Voting, House Adjourns Til Tomorrow With GOP Failing To Elect Speaker
Republicans officially take over the House Tuesday with a razor-thin majority. Members will vote on the House speaker and — if a speaker is elected — new and re-elected representatives will be sworn in. There is still a lot unknown about how the speakership vote will go but it is expected to be long and chaotic.
Continue reading “After Hours Of Voting, House Adjourns Til Tomorrow With GOP Failing To Elect Speaker”Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Helped Soothe Paul Gosar’s Fears About The House Speaker Vote
An interesting scene played out on the House floor as roll call voting was underway in the speaker’s race on Tuesday afternoon. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) were spotted by cameras having a friendly conversation.
Continue reading “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Helped Soothe Paul Gosar’s Fears About The House Speaker Vote”Round Two
2:46 PM: I’m realizing that putting Jordan into nomination was a bit different. It was clear that the plan was already to consolidate behind Jordan. That I think is because even though Jordan is a toxic figure on the national scene (founder of the Freedom Caucus) he seems like someone who more members might actually see as an alternative to McCarthy. Biggs is not going to be speaker. No one thinks he’s a potential speaker. But Jordan likely looks to more than 19 Republicans as an actual possible speaker. That said, it seems impossible to think Jordan ever gets 218 votes.
2:39 PM: The line has been that McCarthy and his allies are planning to simply grind the opposition down. Two votes. Ten votes. Twenty votes. However long they want to go, etc. But I think we’re already seeing that that is much easier said than done. People get tired very quickly. The mood sours quickly.
2:31 PM: Seemed significant to me that Biggs didn’t have his name put in nomination a second time. Gaetz’s speech was impromptu and disjointed, nominating Jim Jordan. But at least so far I haven’t heard any Never Kevins (how are we using this absurd phrase) switching. So maybe not that significant.
Watching it Unfold
1:30 PM: At the risk of stating the obvious, this is going worse for McCarthy than the GOP leadership thought it would even at the start of the vote. We’re currently at 17 Republicans voting against McCarthy. Hard to figure it doesn’t get to at least 20 votes.
1:22 PM: One of the core dynamics here is that McCarthy’s strategy was to give the radicals anything and everything. Because that was the case, he had nothing really left to give. That’s not the only dynamic here, but it’s an important part of this. He enabled them. They want to make trouble. And the only trouble left to make was to destroy McCarthy himself.
1:07 PM: McCarthy now losing 7 votes, and given that we’re only at F and you’ve got a number of holdouts to go that must get to at least 10, probably a few more.
12:58 PM: No surprise but with four non-McCarthy votes and a number of the top crazies still to be called, McCarthy certainly loses this first vote. Again, expected going in.
12:52 PM: Some vibrant imagery there in the nominating speeches. The arch-toady Elise Stefanik nominates McCarthy amidst a grim mood. Democrats are giddy and boisterous in nominating Hakeem Jeffries despite losing the House.
Guesswork
On the big vote, my best guess is that through some set of machinations Kevin McCarthy becomes speaker today — likely a mix of abstentions and votes secured through desperate promises. I say that for only two reasons, both flimsy and thin. One is what I’d call metaphorical body language from the top Freedom Caucus arsonists. They say they’re unmovable and yet they’re still sitting at the table holding their cards like they are. The second is that political parties usually find ways to make things work at pivotal moments — the half time entertainer at the Super Bowl never forgets their lyrics. As I said, these are both pretty thin reasons. But they’re why that is my assumption going in.
Continue reading “Guesswork”Brazilian Authorities Will Revive Santos Fraud Case After Not Knowing His Whereabouts For 14 Years
As he’s sworn-in as a lawmaker Tuesday, Representative-elect George Santos (R-NY) will have the attention of international authorities: Brazilian law enforcement has been searching for the incoming congressman for years with an embezzlement charge. They intend to revive the case after he’s sworn-in with a formal request to the DOJ, the New York Times reported.
Continue reading “Brazilian Authorities Will Revive Santos Fraud Case After Not Knowing His Whereabouts For 14 Years”