Tag: Steve Scalise

What to know about Trump’s draft proposal to curtail state AI regulations

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President Donald Trump is considering pressuring states to stop regulating artificial intelligence in a draft executive order obtained Thursday by The Associated Press, as some in Congress also consider whether to temporarily block states from regulating AI.

Trump and some Republicans argue that the limited regulations already enacted by states, and others that might follow, will dampen innovation and growth for the technology.

Critics from both political parties — as well as civil liberties and consumer rights groups — worry that banning state regulation would amount to a favor for big AI companies who enjoy little to no oversight.

While the draft executive order could change, here’s what to know about states’ AI regulations and what Trump is proposing.

What state-level regulations exist and why

Four states — Colorado, California, Utah and Texas — have passed laws that set some rules for AI across the private sector, according to the International Association of Privacy Professionals.

Those laws include limiting the collection of certain personal information and requiring more transparency from companies.

The laws are in response to AI that already pervades everyday life. The technology helps make consequential decisions for Americans, including who gets a job interview, an apartment lease, a home loan and even certain medical care. But research has shown that it can make mistakes in those decisions, including by prioritizing a particular gender or race.

“It’s not a matter of AI makes mistakes and humans never do,” said Calli Schroeder, director of the AI & Human Rights Program at the public interest group EPIC.

“With a human, I can say, ‘Hey, explain, how did you come to that conclusion, what factors did you consider?’” she continued. “With an AI, I can’t ask any of that, and I can’t find that out. And frankly, half the time the programmers of the AI couldn’t answer that question.”

States’ more ambitious AI regulation proposals require private companies to provide transparency and assess the possible risks of discrimination from their AI programs.

Beyond those more sweeping rules, many states have regulated parts of AI: barring the use of deepfakes in elections and to create nonconsensual porn, for example, or putting rules in place around the government’s own use of AI.

What Trump and some Republicans want to do

The draft executive order would direct federal agencies to identify burdensome state AI regulations and pressure states to not enact them, including by withholding federal funding or challenging the state laws in court.

It would also begin a process to develop a lighter-touch regulatory framework for the whole country that would override state AI laws.

Trump’s argument is that the patchwork of regulations across 50 states impedes AI companies’ growth, and allows China to catch up to the U.S. in the AI race. The president has also said state regulations are producing “Woke AI.”

The draft executive order that was leaked could change and should not be taken as final, said a senior Trump administration official who requested anonymity to describe internal White House discussions.

The official said the tentative plan is for Trump to sign the order Friday.

Separately, House Republican leadership is already discussing a proposal to temporarily block states from regulating AI, the chamber’s majority leader, Steve Scalise, told Punchbowl News this week.

It’s yet unclear what that proposal would look like, or which AI regulations it would override.

TechNet, which advocates for tech companies including Google and Amazon, has previously argued that pausing state regulations would benefit smaller AI companies still getting on their feet and allow time for lawmakers develop a country-wide regulatory framework that “balances innovation with accountability.”

Why attempts at federal regulation have failed

Some Republicans in Congress have previously tried and failed to ban states from regulating AI.

Part of the challenge is that opposition is coming from their party’s own ranks.

Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, said a federal law barring state regulation of AI was “Not acceptable” in a post on X this week.

DeSantis argued that the move would be a “subsidy to Big Tech” and would stop states from protecting against a list of things, including “predatory applications that target children” and “online censorship of political speech.”

A federal ban on states regulating AI is also unpopular, said Cody Venzke, senior policy council at the ACLU’s National Political Advocacy Department.

“The American people do not want AI to be discriminatory, to be unsafe, to be hallucinatory,” he said. “So I don’t think anyone is interested in winning the AI race if it means AI that is not trustworthy.”

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November 21, 2025
House expected to vote on bill forcing release of Jeffrey Epstein case files

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The House is expected to vote Tuesday on legislation to force the Justice Department to publicly release its files on the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, the culmination of a monthslong effort that has overcome opposition from President Donald Trump and Republican leadership.When a small bipartisan group of House lawmakers introduced a petition in July to maneuver around House Speaker Mike Johnson’s control of which bills see the House floor, it appeared a long-shot effort, especially as Trump urged his supporters to dismiss the matter as a “hoax.” But both Trump and Johnson failed in their efforts to prevent the vote.Now the president has bowed to the growing momentum behind the bill and even said Republicans should vote for it. His blessing all but ensures that the House will pass the bill with an overwhelming margin, putting further pressure on the Senate to take it up.Trump on Monday said he would sign the bill if it passes both chambers of Congress, adding, “Let the Senate look at it.”Tuesday’s vote also provides a further boost to the demands that the Justice Department release its case files on Epstein, a well-connected financier who killed himself in a Manhattan jail while awaiting trial in 2019 on charges he sexually abused and trafficked underage girls.A separate investigation conducted by the House Oversight Committee has released thousands of pages of emails and other documents from Epstein’s estate, showing his connections to global leaders, Wall Street powerbrokers, influential political figures and Trump himself.Trump’s reversal on the Epstein filesTrump has said he cut ties with Epstein years ago, but tried for months to move past the demands for disclosure. On Monday, he told reporters that Epstein was connected to more Democrats and that he didn’t want the Epstein files to “detract from the great success of the Republican Party.”Still, many in the Republican base have continued to demand the release of the files. Adding to that pressure, several survivors of Epstein’s abuse will appear on Capitol Hill Tuesday morning to push for release of the files. They also met with Johnson and rallied outside the Capitol in September, but have had to wait two months for the vote.That’s because Johnson kept the House closed for legislative business for nearly two months and also refused to swear-in Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva of Arizona during the government shutdown. After winning a special election on Sept. 23, Grijalva had pledged to provide the crucial 218th vote to the petition for the Epstein files bill. But only after she was sworn into office last week could she sign her name to the discharge petition to give it majority support in the 435-member House.It quickly became apparent the bill would pass, and both Johnson and Trump began to fold. Trump on Sunday said Republicans should vote for the bill.Rep. Thomas Massie, the Kentucky Republican who sponsored the bill alongside Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, said Trump “got tired of me winning. He wanted to join.”How Johnson is handling the billRather than waiting until next week for the discharge position to officially take effect, Johnson is moving to hold the vote this week. He indicated the legislation will be brought to the House floor under a procedure that requires a two-thirds majority.“I think it’s going to be an important vote to continue to show the transparency that we’ve delivered,” House Republican leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said Monday night.House Democrats celebrated the vote as a rare win for the minority.“It’s a complete and total surrender, because as Democrats we made clear from the very beginning, the survivors and the American people deserve full and complete transparency as it relates to the lives that were ruined by Jeffrey Epstein,” said House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries.What will the Senate do?Still, it’s not clear how the Senate will handle the bill.Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has previously been circumspect when asked about the legislation and instead said he trusted the Justice Department to release information on the Epstein investigation.But what the Justice Department has released so far under Trump was mostly already public. The bill would go further, forcing the release within 30 days of all files and communications related to Epstein, as well as any information about the investigation into his death in federal prison. Information about Epstein’s victims or continuing federal investigations would be allowed to be redacted, but not information due to “embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary.”Johnson also suggested that he would like to see the Senate amend the bill to protect the information of “victims and whistleblowers.”But Massie said the Senate should take into account the public clamor that forced both Trump and Johnson to back down.“If it’s anything but a genuine effort to make it better and stronger, it’ll backfire on the senators if they muck it up,” Massie said.___Associated Press writers Kevin Freking and Matt Brown contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON —

The House is expected to vote Tuesday on legislation to force the Justice Department to publicly release its files on the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, the culmination of a monthslong effort that has overcome opposition from President Donald Trump and Republican leadership.

When a small bipartisan group of House lawmakers introduced a petition in July to maneuver around House Speaker Mike Johnson’s control of which bills see the House floor, it appeared a long-shot effort, especially as Trump urged his supporters to dismiss the matter as a “hoax.” But both Trump and Johnson failed in their efforts to prevent the vote.

Now the president has bowed to the growing momentum behind the bill and even said Republicans should vote for it. His blessing all but ensures that the House will pass the bill with an overwhelming margin, putting further pressure on the Senate to take it up.

Trump on Monday said he would sign the bill if it passes both chambers of Congress, adding, “Let the Senate look at it.”

Tuesday’s vote also provides a further boost to the demands that the Justice Department release its case files on Epstein, a well-connected financier who killed himself in a Manhattan jail while awaiting trial in 2019 on charges he sexually abused and trafficked underage girls.

A separate investigation conducted by the House Oversight Committee has released thousands of pages of emails and other documents from Epstein’s estate, showing his connections to global leaders, Wall Street powerbrokers, influential political figures and Trump himself.

Trump’s reversal on the Epstein files

Trump has said he cut ties with Epstein years ago, but tried for months to move past the demands for disclosure. On Monday, he told reporters that Epstein was connected to more Democrats and that he didn’t want the Epstein files to “detract from the great success of the Republican Party.”

Still, many in the Republican base have continued to demand the release of the files. Adding to that pressure, several survivors of Epstein’s abuse will appear on Capitol Hill Tuesday morning to push for release of the files. They also met with Johnson and rallied outside the Capitol in September, but have had to wait two months for the vote.

That’s because Johnson kept the House closed for legislative business for nearly two months and also refused to swear-in Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva of Arizona during the government shutdown. After winning a special election on Sept. 23, Grijalva had pledged to provide the crucial 218th vote to the petition for the Epstein files bill. But only after she was sworn into office last week could she sign her name to the discharge petition to give it majority support in the 435-member House.

It quickly became apparent the bill would pass, and both Johnson and Trump began to fold. Trump on Sunday said Republicans should vote for the bill.

Rep. Thomas Massie, the Kentucky Republican who sponsored the bill alongside Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, said Trump “got tired of me winning. He wanted to join.”

How Johnson is handling the bill

Rather than waiting until next week for the discharge position to officially take effect, Johnson is moving to hold the vote this week. He indicated the legislation will be brought to the House floor under a procedure that requires a two-thirds majority.

“I think it’s going to be an important vote to continue to show the transparency that we’ve delivered,” House Republican leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said Monday night.

House Democrats celebrated the vote as a rare win for the minority.

“It’s a complete and total surrender, because as Democrats we made clear from the very beginning, the survivors and the American people deserve full and complete transparency as it relates to the lives that were ruined by Jeffrey Epstein,” said House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries.

What will the Senate do?

Still, it’s not clear how the Senate will handle the bill.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has previously been circumspect when asked about the legislation and instead said he trusted the Justice Department to release information on the Epstein investigation.

But what the Justice Department has released so far under Trump was mostly already public. The bill would go further, forcing the release within 30 days of all files and communications related to Epstein, as well as any information about the investigation into his death in federal prison. Information about Epstein’s victims or continuing federal investigations would be allowed to be redacted, but not information due to “embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary.”

Johnson also suggested that he would like to see the Senate amend the bill to protect the information of “victims and whistleblowers.”

But Massie said the Senate should take into account the public clamor that forced both Trump and Johnson to back down.

“If it’s anything but a genuine effort to make it better and stronger, it’ll backfire on the senators if they muck it up,” Massie said.

___

Associated Press writers Kevin Freking and Matt Brown contributed to this report.

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November 18, 2025
Shutdown Shows GOP Is Still Obsessed With Obamacare Repeal

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John McCain killing the GOP’s Obamacare repeal bill in 2017.
Photo: C-SPAN/Youtube

From the very beginning of the current federal government shutdown, the big question has been whether Democrats can convince Republicans to give them the trophy of an extension of soon-to-expire Obamacare premium subsidies that were enacted in 2021. Democratic optimism on this subject has been based on the belief that Republicans up for reelection next year really don’t want to get blamed for the huge spike in health-insurance premiums that would hit upward of 20 million mostly middle-class Americans if the subsidies expire (with the first flare-up occurring when open enrollment for Obamacare plans begins on November 1). And indeed, Punchbowl News’s soundings of the U.S. House indicate there are “somewhere between 20% and 30% of GOP lawmakers” who are “open to extending” the subsidies.

But Punchbowl’s reporting also shows why bringing along the the rest of the GOP caucus (which aside from the ever-erratic Marjorie Taylor Greene aren’t going to split the party wide open over this issue) will be extremely difficult. An interview with the No. 2 House Republican, Steve Scalise, served as a reminder that the majority of Republicans don’t just hate the expanded subsidies enacted in 2021, but Obamacare itself, and will be loathe to lift a finger to make it work better:

I know they’re [Democrats] trying to dump the problems of Obamacare off on everybody, other than the people that actually passed and voted for Obamacare. Those high premiums are a result of Democrat policies. If they really wanted to work with us on lower premiums, there are a lot of bipartisan ideas that you could come to the table and bring and do, and they’ve got to stop fighting the things that have been proven to work, as well.”

Those bipartisan ideas that Scalise is referring to include association health plans, which allow employers to join together to buy insurance plans, plus health savings accounts.

Long story short, the “bipartisan ideas” Scalise is touting are the same old tired proposals Republicans have been pushing for more than a decade that would make it easier for insurance companies to cherrypick young and healthy people while leaving older and sicker people a few ways to get really crappy insurance at terrible rates. Yes, Obamacare has gone from being a risky experiment that people happy with their health insurance feared to becoming a generally accepted and even popular way for government to make health care widely available and affordable. But many, perhaps most, Republicans haven’t changed their minds at all. Given half a chance, they’d try again to repeal Obamacare whether or not they had any workable replacement (pro tip: they still don’t!) to offer.

So very much has happened in the past decade that it’s easy to forget that most middle-aged Republican lawmakers cut their political teeth in the Tea Party era when Obamacare was the Great White Whale for conservatives wrathful about big and intrusive government. The big federal government shutdown of that period, in 2013, was precisely over GOP efforts to blow up Obamacare by defunding its operations. It failed. So when Donald Trump took office with a Republican trifecta in 2017, the very first order of business was Trump 1.0’s version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a budget package whose central feature was repealing Obamacare. That too, failed, which probably made a deep impression on Trump. He quickly turned his attentions to a tax cut and hasn’t tried to do a whole lot on the health-care-policy front since then, other than this year’s Medicaid cuts, which Republicans have denied are cuts at all.

Trump’s bad experience with Obamacare repeal efforts is the big reason why Democrats think the president himself may impose an Obamacare subsidy deal that enables everyone to reopen the federal government. Nobody doubts his power to do so if he chooses. But no one should doubt that the bulk of Republicans will hate this like sin and won’t accommodate it on their own.

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Ed Kilgore

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October 17, 2025
Scalise leads GOP fight at SCOTUS to stop ‘radical’ left’s ‘war on American energy’

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NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

FIRST ON FOX: More than 100 House Republican lawmakers, led by Majority Leader Steve Scalise, are calling on the Supreme Court to block climate lawsuits that they say are waging “war on American energy” and could bankrupt the industry, Fox News Digital learned.

“Every day, hardworking Americans depend on access to affordable and reliable energy,” Scalise said in comment provided to Fox News Digital Friday. “Despite this, radical environmentalists and local leftist politicians continue to wage war on American energy by going after domestic energy companies in our courtrooms, demanding they meet impossible standards or pay billions in damages. Any regulation of global greenhouse emissions falls squarely within the federal government’s jurisdiction.”

Scalise and 102 Republican lawmakers filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court — otherwise known as a “friend of the court” brief — calling for the Supreme Court to end lawsuits originating in Colorado that seek compensation from Exxon and Suncor Energy, arguing it’s a federal issue, not state.

Local jurisdictions in Boulder, Colorado, sued Exxon and Suncor Energy in 2018, claiming the companies had for years downplayed risks surrounding burning oil and gas, requesting damages from the companies under Colorado law.

EPA URGED TO AXE FUNDS FOR ‘RADICAL’ CLIMATE PROJECT ACCUSED OF TRAINING JUDGES, STATE AGS RALLY

The massive energy companies argue that the case focuses on cross-border emissions, making the matter a federal issue and not a state issue. Exxon and Suncor requested the U.S. Supreme Court take the case up after the Colorado Supreme Court ruled in May that it could move forward within state courts.

Colorado’s highest court determined in its May ruling that federal law did not block Boulder from claiming the energy companies allegedly misled the citizens.

“This ruling affirms what we’ve known all along: corporations cannot mislead the public and avoid accountability for the damages they have caused,” Boulder, Colorado, Mayor Aaron Brockett said in a statement at the time celebrating the state Supreme Court’s decision. “Our community has suffered significantly from the consequences of climate change, and today’s decision brings us one step closer to justice and the resources we need to protect our future.”

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise speaking to the media. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The lawmakers wrote that the case is one mired in national security and stability concerns, arguing it could throttle the American energy industry, “if not bankrupt it altogether.”

“Respondents, the City and County of Boulder, Colorado, would substitute their own preferred policies for those of the federal government,” the amicus brief reads. “They dress their complaint in the language of state law, but they cannot escape that every claim in some way turns on global greenhouse gas emissions. And the sheer magnitude of the damages at issue—likely tens of billions of dollars—would restructure the American energy industry if not bankrupt it altogether, especially when multiplied by the dozens of similar cases around the country.”

TOP ENERGY GROUP CALLS FOR PROBE INTO SECRETIVE ‘NATIONAL LAWFARE CAMPAIGN’ TO INFLUENCE JUDGES ON CLIMATE

“This has continued long enough. States have no authority to regulate interstate and international emissions that originate beyond their respective,” it added.

Scalise stressed in his comment provided to Fox News Digital that local “extreme political” agendas are risking U.S. national security if local governments are able to bypass federal authority and continue with the suits.

A climate protester scales the Wilson Building as part of an Earth Day rally against fossil fuels in 2022. (Getty Images)

CLIMATE LAWFARE CAMPAIGN DEALT BLOW IN SOUTH CAROLINA

“Energy security is national security — we cannot allow state and local governments to supersede federal authority and put our country at risk for their own extreme political agenda,” he said. “I’m proud to lead this amicus brief to defend domestic energy production from radical state ‘Green New Scam’ policies, uphold our balance of powers, and safeguard our energy security, and am grateful to be joined by so many of my colleagues. I urge the Supreme Court to carefully consider our arguments as they deliberate this impactful case.”

The amicus brief argued the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling allowing the suits to continue “supplants the legislative prerogative of Congress, permitting a balkanized patchwork of state and local regulation over matters of uniquely federal concern.”

The facade of the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., at dusk, illuminated by lights. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

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“This case, and others like it, threaten the abundant, reliable energy that underpins every aspect of American life, including the standard of living for ordinary Americans,” the more than 100 lawmakers wrote. “Although national energy policy is the subject of vigorous debate, it is a national issue that must be decided at the national level—by officials elected by the people of all States—not in a local jury room.”

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October 10, 2025
House Speaker Mike Johnson is negotiating with White House to advance Ukraine aid

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WASHINGTON – House Speaker Mike Johnson is negotiating with the White House as he prepares for the treacherous task of advancing wartime funding for Ukraine and Israel through the House, a top House Republican said Thursday.

House Republican Leader Steve Scalise told reporters that Johnson had been talking with White House officials about a package that would deviate from the Senate’s $95 billion foreign security package and include several Republican demands. It comes after Johnson has delayed for months on advancing aid that would provide desperately needed ammunition and weaponry for Kyiv, trying to find the right time to advance a package that will be a painful political lift.

“There’s been no agreement reached,” Scalise said. “Obviously there would have to an agreement reached not just with the White House, but with our own members.”

Johnson, R-La., is being stretched between a Republican conference deeply divided in its support for Ukraine, as well as two presidential contenders at odds over the U.S.’s posture towards the rest of the world. President Joe Biden has repeatedly chastised Republicans for not helping Ukraine, saying they are doing the bidding of Russian President Vladimir Putin and hurting U.S. security. Meanwhile, Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican candidate, has said he would negotiate an end to the conflict as he tries to push the U.S. to a more isolationist stance.

The Republican speaker is set to travel to the former president’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida on Friday to meet with Trump and has been consulting him in recent weeks on the Ukraine funding to gain his support — or at least prevent him from openly opposing the package.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin, an Oklahoma Republican who often works closely with House lawmakers, said this week he and Trump have spoken with Johnson “in depth” about how to advance Ukraine aid. It is not clear whether Trump would lend any political support, but Mullin said he was hoping to get the former president behind the package, especially now that Johnson’s job is at stake.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, has threatened to try to oust Johnson as speaker and warned that advancing funding for Ukraine would help build her case that GOP lawmakers should select a new speaker.

Meanwhile, Johnson has been in conversations with the White House about legislation that would structure some of the funding for Kyiv as loans, pave the way for the U.S. to tap frozen Russian central bank assets and include other policy changes.

Johnson has also been pushing for the Biden administration to lift a pause on approvals for Liquefied Natural Gas exports. At times, he has also demanded policy changes at the U.S. border with Mexico.

“This becomes a more dangerous world with Russia in Kyiv,” said Rep. Don Bacon, a Republican who supports aiding Ukraine. “So we’re just got to find a the smart way to get a bill passed that we can get out and back to the Senate.”

Still, Johnson is facing a practically open rebellion from a group of hardline House conservatives who are dissatisfied with the way he has led the House. With a narrow and divided majority, Johnson has been forced to work with Democrats to advance practically any major legislation.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Thursday that the “only path forward” for the House was a vote on the Senate’s national security package. He also suggested that Democrats would help Johnson hold onto the speaker’s gavel if he did so.

While Democrats have pressured Johnson to put the Senate package to a vote, they also may be divided on a vote as a growing number oppose sending Israel offensive weaponry while it engages in a campaign in Gaza that has killed thousands of civilians.

The Biden administration, which would administer any military funding, has issued stern warnings to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that future U.S. support depends on the swift implementation of new steps to protect civilians and aid workers.

“If we want to prevent handing Putin a victory in Europe, the House should do the right thing for democracy and pass the Senate’s aid package now,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a floor speech Thursday.

___

Associated Press writer Lisa Mascaro contributed.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Stephen Groves, Associated Press

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April 11, 2024
Politicians Try To Recall How Their Constituents Feel About A Ceasefire

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While it’s common knowledge that citizens have very little influence on elected officials, The Onion asked U.S. politicians how their constituents feel about a ceasefire in Gaza, and this is what they said.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)

“A cease what? I’ve never heard that word in my life.”

Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA)

Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA)

“My constituents routinely vote in favor of having blood on our hands.”

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY)

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY)

“Does AIPAC count as a constituent?”

Vice President Kamala Harris

Vice President Kamala Harris

“Am I a politician? Gee, that’s flattering.”

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)

“One more word about a ceasefire, and I’m ordering Israel to bomb south Brooklyn.”

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT)

“Oh, while I’m at work the nanny is the one who looks after the constituents.”

Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ)

“My constituents know I have been calling for a cease-ceasefire since day one.”

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)

“Representatives are public servants. That means it’s my job to listen to what my constituents have to say, internalize it, and then do whatever I want.”

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

“I have genuinely not thought about another human being since 1998.”

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC)

“When I got elected in 2014, my campaign pitch was ‘You wanna see a dead body?’”

Gov. Gavin Newsom Of California

Gov. Gavin Newsom Of California

“Constituents…constituents… Oh, you mean the blurred shapes I sometimes see before meetups with donors?”

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR)

“Hmm… What is this ‘feel’?”

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)

“My Illinois colleague Dick Durbin, who called for a ceasefire, obviously has different constituents than I do.”

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)

“I don’t know. I can’t hear frequencies coming out of the mouths of people who make below $400k.”

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX)

“They elected me to kill people, so that’s what I’m gonna do.”

Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA)

“I have but one constituent, and their name is Lockheed Martin.”

Gov. Kathy Hochul Of New York

Gov. Kathy Hochul Of New York

“I know what they want. I just think they are stupid and don’t respect them. Make sense?”

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)

“A ceasefire is a sacred bond between one man and one woman. Anything else is a sin.”

Former President Barack Obama

Former President Barack Obama

“No constituents anymore, motherfuckers! You people can’t goddamn touch me! I can say whatever the hell I want. Fuck all of you!”

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)

“My term doesn’t expire until 2068.”

Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO)

Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO)

“Constituents? Oh, do you mean money? The money says to burn it to the ground.”

Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH)

“I assume all my constituents were also given a full ride by the Federalist Society.”

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ)

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ)

“We often think about others so much that we forget to think about our own feelings. The question is, do I want a ceasefire?”

Gov. Greg Abbott Of Texas

Gov. Greg Abbott Of Texas

“Most of my constituents are guns, and they love firing. It’s the equivalent of orgasm to them.”

You’ve Made It This Far…

You’ve Made It This Far…

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November 6, 2023
Politicians Explain Why They Will Not Endorse A Ceasefire

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With the Palestinian death toll rapidly rising and conditions in Gaza deteriorating into a humanitarian crisis amid the Israeli invasion, The Onion asked politicians why they will not endorse a ceasefire, and this is what they said.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)

“I haven’t gotten to experience a world war since my boyhood.”

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA)

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA)

“I lament even those momentary pauses in violence when IDF soldiers have to stop shooting to reload.”

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)

“A ceasefire would send the message to Palestinians that we give a shit whether they live or die.”

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR)

“I have a perfect record when it comes to ethnic cleansing, and I’m not about to tarnish that now.”

Vice President Kamala Harris

Vice President Kamala Harris

“Well-behaved missiles seldom make history.”

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)

“Last I checked, there were still some Palestinian civilians left.”

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)

“An open-air prison actually sounds nice. What do I look like, some kind of abolitionist?”

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)

“That would stop the genocidal momentum the IDF has built.”

Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL)

“Because I’m making money off this. What don’t you understand?”

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)

“Shhh, keep your voice down. Saying that word in Texas is illegal.”

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)

“The people of Gaza are free to start making campaign donations whenever they please.”

Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA)

Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA)

“Poked myself in the eye with a kebab skewer. Now all must pay.”

Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN)

Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN)

“Based on the last election, I figure my presidential campaign can only be helped by the absence of a strong stance on anything.”

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH)

“Ugh, just come back to bed. Can’t we go one night without getting into a screaming match?”

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA)

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA)

“When you become a U.S. senator, they tell you that you’ll be legally castrated if you ever try to stop any wars.”

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)

“I mean, if it were up to me, they’d be air-striking the shit out of the continental U.S. as well.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

“That’s actually a good idea. If we can trick the Palestinians into thinking we’re not going to fire anymore, they’ll be easier to shoot!”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)

“The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau would never allow the U.S. to finance the Israeli military if it wasn’t perfectly safe.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)

“I don’t want to lose my widespread appeal among moderates.”

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ)

“I support firing both missiles and a message of love at Palestine.”

You’ve Made It This Far…

You’ve Made It This Far…

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October 31, 2023
Republicans Explain Why They Support An Election Denier As House Speaker

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Newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana was a vocal supporter of Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. The Onion asked House Republicans why they unanimously selected an election denier as their leader, and this is what they said.

Rep. Ron Estes (R-KS)

“Our two-party system of government works best when one party accepts election results and the other doesn’t.”

Rep. George Santos (R-NY)

Rep. George Santos (R-NY)

“Lord knows I’ve been asking my colleagues to overlook some shit.”

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA)

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA)

“Why would I abandon the strategy that got me this far?”

Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX)

“As the representative of a grossly gerrymandered district, I kind of forgot elections were a thing.”

Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX)

“It seems like he never recovered from his parents’ divorce, so I thought the speakership might cheer him up.”

Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA)

“That’s not fair. A lot of my colleagues voted for me because of how much I hate gays.”

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY)

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY)

“If America didn’t want us empowering election deniers they would have voted the right way and not forced our hand.”

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)

“Because I’m going to be raking in seven figures lobbying for Wal-Mart by next year so who gives a fuck.”

Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ)

“Anything’s better than that cuck Paul Gosar taking charge.”

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH)

“He said I could use the speaker’s office when he goes home for the night.”

Rep. Greg Pence (R-IN)

“He had the little ‘R’ next to his name.”

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO)

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO)

“How are we supposed to deny the results of the next election if we don’t have a speaker?”

Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA)

Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA)

“My entire existence is centered around not making Donald Trump mad.”

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC)

“We need to make Mr. Trump feel good. I mean, look at him: He’s mad all the time. Like, all the time! Don’t you just want to do something nice for a big ol’ grinch like that?”

Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC)

Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC)

“The beautiful thing about elections is that they’re subjective, like a work of art. They’re not determined by who had the most votes, but by which candidate spoke most eloquently to your heart.”

Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA)

Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA)

“At the end of the day, we all just want what’s best for our wealthiest constituents.”

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL)

“Because we’re laying groundwork to steal the next election. Was that not clear?”

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You’ve Made It This Far…

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October 27, 2023
A Timeline Of The GOP House Speaker Debacle

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After struggling to coalesce around a new House speaker for more than three weeks following the ouster of Kevin McCarthy, Republicans have confirmed Mike Johnson of Louisiana in the role. The Onion looks at the key moments of the GOP speakership debacle.

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October 26, 2023
Mike Johnson elected House speaker, putting Louisiana Republican in the spotlight

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Representative Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, left, speaks with Representative Kat Cammack, a Republican from Florida, outside of a House Republican caucus meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.

Al Drago | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Republican Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana was elected speaker of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, ending a three-week leadership crisis that has paralyzed Congress.

Vice chairman of the House Republican conference, Johnson had maintained a low public profile until he was thrust into the spotlight this week after securing the party’s nomination for speaker.

Johnson was elected unanimously by the 220 Republicans who voted, despite being the fourth nominee tapped by the GOP conference in two weeks, as the deeply divided party repeatedly failed to put forward a candidate who had enough support.

Every Democrat who voted Wednesday cast their ballot for Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.

Johnson managed to rally the GOP conference behind his bid after recalcitrant Republicans rejected the three previous nominees — House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio and Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota.

Johnson’s bid received a boost Wednesday from former President Donald Trump, who encouraged Republicans to vote for the Louisianan.

He also consolidated the backing of several moderate New York Republicans who had been reluctant to support some of the more hardline conservatives who sought the top job.

Johnson, who is serving his fourth term in Congress, will wield the gavel as America faces a looming government shutdown, Israel wages war on Hamas, and Ukraine struggles to beat back Russia’s invasion.

The House needs to pass spending legislation by Nov. 17 to keep the government running, and President Joe Biden has called on Congress to approve emergency security assistance for Israel and Ukraine.

Johnson voted against legislation in September that has kept the government running through November, and he has opposed assistance for Kyiv in the past. The Louisiana Republican said earlier this month that the House needs to take all necessary action to help Israel destroy Hamas.

Johnson is a social conservative who served on Trump’s legal team during the former president’s first impeachment. He previously did legal work for the Alliance Defense Freedom, an ultraconservative advocacy group that litigates to restrict abortion access and prohibit same-sex marriage.

Johnson also participated in Republican efforts to overturn Biden’s 2020 election victory.

He filed a legal brief in support of a lawsuit that sought to block the certification of Biden’s victories in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. Johnson then supported objections in Congress to the certification Arizona’s and Pennsylvania’s 2020 presidential election results.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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October 25, 2023
There Goes Another One: Tom Emmer’s Speakership Bid Is Officially Kaput

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Three weeks after a band of eight rogue lawmakers voted to strip Kevin McCarthy of the gavel, the rudderless House Republican caucus claimed another victim Tuesday evening. Republican Tom Emmer became the latest Republican to try—and fail—to win the House Speakership after five secret ballot votes and one roll-call vote, yet again leaving the conference scrambling for a leader. Emmer reportedly stepped aside in a closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill, which the Minnesota lawmaker abruptly left as his chances evaporated.

Earlier in the day, Emmer emerged as the Speaker designee after he beat out eight other candidates in the latest attempt by House Republicans to coalesce around a successor to McCarthy. But despite winning a total of 117 votes in a runoff against his colleague Mike Johnson, it quickly became clear that Emmer was short of the threshold needed to win on the House floor, leading to a brief recess.

As Republican lawmakers trickled out of the roll-call vote Tuesday afternoon, a number had expressed skepticism that the majority whip could win over the more than two dozen remaining holdouts. “You’ve got to understand, you go through the alphabet, you start at A, and you move your way forward through the alphabet. By the time it got to the letter N…we already had upwards of 20 that said that they could not support Tom Emmer for Speaker,” Texas representative Troy Nehls told reporters. “This is where we are again, back to where we started. This is where we’re at.”

Other Republicans had struck a more optimistic tone. “I think Emmer is showing tremendous leadership. He’s standing at the mic and people with concerns are coming forward. And he’s taking them on head-to-head,” South Dakota representative Dusty Johnson said to the scrum. Vern Buchanan also praised Emmer’s efforts to win over the holdouts after the roll-call vote. “The idea is that we don’t leave here, leave town, until we get a Speaker,” the Florida Republican said. “I’m confident we’ll get where we need to be.”

Steve Scalise—who personally knows just how difficult it is to unite his colleagues, having dropped out of the race himself—telegraphed the steep challenges Emmer faced. “We are working right now through some questions,” he said. “Obviously we want to work to make sure when we get to the floor, we have 217…. But this is an ongoing process,” Scalise added. “The first thing that Tom’s doing is hearing people out.”

But ultimately, Emmer’s best attempts to cajole the holdouts were not enough. The Minnesota lawmaker’s path to 217 was always going to be a rocky one. After all, Emmer was the fourth choice for House Speaker after McCarthy was removed and Scalise and Jim Jordan failed to secure enough GOP support to win on the floor. There was also the snag that is Donald Trump: While the former president first made a milquetoast statement regarding Emmer’s bid, he later took to Truth Social to criticize the GOP whip as a “RINO”—an acronym for “Republican in name only.” The ex-president’s allies reportedly went on to share the post with House Republicans.

Emmer’s loss is also something of a blow to Democrats. As Punchbowl News reported Tuesday morning, House Democrats were considering strategic absences to help Emmer, viewing the Minnesota Republican as the most palatable of the slate of candidates. Speaking with reporters Tuesday, Steny Hoyer—the former number two in House Democratic leadership—cast Emmer as a lesser of evils while stopping short of confirming that Democrats would be willing to throw Emmer a life vest on the House floor. “I’m not willing to make a comment until the Republican Party makes a decision,” he said.

Such discussions, it seems, were moot, anyway. After 21 days without a Speaker, House Republicans are back to square one in their leadership search as tensions within the caucus continue to boil over.

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Abigail Tracy

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October 24, 2023
Ex-GOP Congressman Delivers Damning News About Next House Speaker

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“They’re all bad,” former Rep. David Jolly (R-Fla.) said on MSNBC on Sunday.

A revolt by far-right GOP lawmakers toppled former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and has left the House without a leader for nearly three weeks.

Jolly called Jordan an “authoritarian anti-democratic crazy,” but said that McCarthy would’ve gone in that direction eventually had he kept the job.

“It’s the same with all of these candidates,” he said of the nine now seeking the gig. “They would all end up being a speaker who ultimately gets to where Jim Jordan starts. That’s the danger we face.”

See more of his conversation with MSNBC’s Alicia Menendez below:

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October 22, 2023
Senior House Republican says GOP members ready to block Jordan | CNN Politics

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CNN
—

A number of House Republicans are in talks to block Rep. Jim Jordan’s path to the speakership as the Ohio Republican tries to force a floor vote on Tuesday, according to multiple GOP sources.

One senior Republican House member who is part of the opposition to Jordan told CNN that there he believes there are roughly 40 “no” votes, and that he has personally spoken to 20 members who are willing to go to the floor and block Jordan’s path if the Ohio Republican forces a roll-call vote on Tuesday.

“The approximately 20 I’ve talked to know we must be prepared,” the member said. “We cannot let the small group dictate to the whole group. They want a minority of the majority to dictate and as a red-blooded American I refuse to be a victim.”

But another GOP source familiar with the matter says that Jordan has had positive conversations with members and believes by Tuesday evening he will be elected speaker of the House. The source said it was “likely” the vote would still happen on Tuesday and that Jordan may decide to go to multiple ballots on the floor if necessary.

Republicans are expected to meet behind closed doors Monday evening.

Yet there is still sizable opposition to Jordan. The GOP member says there are some Republicans who are critics of Jordan and not willing to back him – and there are others angry at the hardliners who took out Kevin McCarthy and sunk Majority Leader Steve Scalise and don’t want to reward those moves by electing Jordan, who is their preferred candidate.

“I know of many hard nos. …We can’t reward this behavior,” the GOP lawmaker said. “We can’t let a small group be dictators.”

The Republican conference nominated Jordan as speaker last week after Scalise dropped his bid for the role. Scalise had initially been selected by the conference as its nominee – after he defeated Jordan 113-99 in the conference’s first speaker vote – but more than a dozen Republicans said they would not vote for Scalise, forcing him to withdraw.

Now Jordan is facing the same problem from Republicans angry at McCarthy’s ouster and a small faction of the conference refusing to get behind Scalise after he won the first vote. After Jordan’s nomination, he held a second, secret vote in the conference on whether Republicans would support him on the floor. Fifty-five Republicans voted no.

To be elected speaker, a nominee must win the majority of the full House, which is currently 217 votes due to two vacancies. That means Jordan or any other Republican nominee can only afford to lose four GOP votes on the floor if every Democrat votes for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Some of Jordan’s allies have pushed for votes on the floor in order to try to call out the holdouts who aren’t behind the Ohio Republican. But Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas railed against his House GOP colleagues who plan on rallying support for Jordan’s speakership through a public pressure campaign, calling it “the dumbest thing you can do.”

“That is the dumbest way to support Jordan,” Crenshaw told Jake Tapper on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday. “As someone who wants Jim Jordan, the dumbest thing you can do is to continue pissing off those people and entrench them.”

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October 15, 2023
Republicans nominate Jim Jordan for House speaker

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Republicans nominate Jim Jordan for House speaker – CBS News

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The Republican Conference on Friday nominated Rep. Jim Jordan to be the next speaker of the House, but he must still earn the majority vote in the full chamber. This comes after the previous nominee, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, withdrew his name Thursday due to a lack of support.

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October 13, 2023
Steve Scalise drops out of House speaker race amid GOP leadership crisis

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Steve Scalise drops out of House speaker race amid GOP leadership crisis – CBS News

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Louisiana Republican Rep. Steve Scalise has withdrawn from the House speaker race, extending concerns about the duration of the legislative gridlock with a government shutdown looming. CBS News’ Scott MacFarlane reports from Capitol Hill.

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October 13, 2023
Steve Scalise withdraws bid for House speaker

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In a surprise move Thursday, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise announced that he is withdrawing his name from the race for the vacant House speaker role.

“I just shared with my colleagues that I’m withdrawing my name as a candidate for the speaker designee,” Scalise told reporters.

The Republican conference on Wednesday nominated Scalise for the speaker position, which has sat vacant since California Rep. Kevin McCarthy was ousted in a historic vote last week.

“There are still some people that have their own agendas,” Scalise said of his decision to drop out.

“This House of Representatives needs a speaker and we need to open up the House again,” the Louisiana congressman added. “But clearly, not everybody is there and they’re still schisms that have to get resolved.”

Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the chair of the powerful House Judiciary Committee, received 99 votes during Wednesday’s closed-door meeting. Scalise received 113.

Scalise refused to say Thursday if he would support Jordan’s nomination.

“You still need to get a speaker and I’m going to continue to push as hard as we can to make that happen quickly because it has to happen,” Scalise said.

He also accused some GOP members who had purportedly initially pledged their support to him of “moving the goalposts.”

“There were people that told me they were fine with me three days ago, who were moving the goalposts and making up…reasons why, that had nothing to do … they were saying … there were games being played, and I said, ‘I’m not gonna be a part of it,’” Scalise said.

What Republicans do next is unclear. Without a nominee, Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry remains in place with limited powers. Some Republicans have already left town, but a large number of GOP lawmakers are still in the conference meeting to try to determine how to move forward. Rep. Greg Murphy, of North Carolina, estimated that around 80% of the conference was continuing to meet after Scalise’s announcement.

Murphy told reporters at the Capitol that he thought Jordan should have a chance to see if he could muster the 217 votes necessary to be the nominee, but he also thinks it would “be hard” for him to reach that threshold. He said he thinks the conference will end up settling on a “compromise” candidate and suggested McHenry, Reps. Byron Donalds, of Florida; and Kevin Hern, of Oklahoma, were all “quality people,” who might be able to unite the conference.

Hern had considered running soon after McCarthy’s ouster, and said in a letter to colleagues that he “called, texted or met” with all 221 Republicans in the conference to ask what they wanted to see in their next speaker. He said that he withdrew from the race because he believed a “three-man race for Speaker will only draw this process out longer, creating further division which would make it harder for any candidate to reach 217 votes.”

With all Democrats expected to vote against the nominee, they would need 217 Republican votes in the full House to secure the position.

Scalise faced an uphill battle in getting the necessary votes, with at least 16 Republican representatives, including several of Jordan’s supporters, indicating they would not be voting for him.

Since McCarthy was removed last week, the House has been in recess, seemingly paralyzed from resuming its business until a permanent speaker is selected. Republican Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina is serving as speaker pro tempore in the interim.

On Oct. 3, the House voted by a margin of 216 to 210 to oust McCarthy. Eight far-right Republicans joined all Democrats in voting to remove him, marking the first time in American history that a House speaker has been removed in a no-confidence vote.

Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, a major critic of McCarthy, forced the vote when he put forth the motion to vacate the office of speaker. Gaetz said his decision came after McCarthy helped pass a bipartisan 45-day stopgap bill earlier this month to prevent an impending government shutdown. Gaetz claimed that McCarthy had betrayed conservatives in pushing the bill through.

— Melissa Quinn, Ellis Kim and Alan He contributed to this report.

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October 12, 2023
Scalise faces a key math problem as he struggles to collect 217 votes for speaker | CNN Politics

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CNN
—

Majority Leader Steve Scalise is scrambling to lock down the votes to become the next House speaker, but protracted opposition to the Louisiana Republican inside the GOP conference and the numerical realities of the narrowly divided chamber could ultimately derail his bid.

Several senior Republicans see little path to 217 votes, after Scalise won just 113 votes in the GOP conference, which includes three delegates who don’t have a vote on the House floor. Making up that deficit in just a matter of days is an extremely tall order – plus a number of hard-right Republicans say they are dead-set against Scalise, when he can only afford to lose four GOP votes on the floor. At least 12 GOP lawmakers have said publicly they’ll oppose Scalise’s nomination and more have expressed frustration or skepticism about his leadership, more than enough to sink his bid.

House GOP members will huddle behind closed doors Thursday afternoon, according to two sources familiar. No phones will be allowed in the meeting.

Republicans are worried that Scalise is facing grim prospects of becoming speaker, an impasse that threatens to prolong the GOP’s leadership crisis that has left the House paralyzed and unable to move on any legislation.

Late Wednesday, members of the conference were beginning to weigh how they would handle the potential collapse of his bid, with several GOP sources saying they believe they’d have to consider a new candidate who has yet to run for the speakership.

Scalise spent Wednesday after the vote meeting individually with GOP members as he and his whip operation tried to convince the holdouts to come around, the sources said. He found some success in the outreach, but it’s not yet clear whether he can win over enough Republicans to overcome the razor-thin GOP House majority.

Scalise or any other Republican candidate for speaker needs 217 votes to win the speaker’s gavel, a majority of the entire House, meaning they can only afford to lose four Republicans if every member is voting.

Rep. Jim Jordan, who lost the vote for speaker to Scalise on Wednesday, 113-99, said Thursday he wants Republicans to unite around Scalise. “I do and I’ve been clear about that since yesterday,” Jordan said.

But pressed on if he would rule out taking the job if Scalise can’t get there, Jordan didn’t give a clear answer. “I will nominate Steve on the floor and I hope we can unite around a speaker,” the Ohio Republican said.

The opposition to Scalise inside his party has thrown into doubt how Republicans will get out of their speaker conundrum that’s left them simply unable to govern.

While there was some belief on Capitol Hill that the brutal assault on Israel over the weekend might prompt Republicans to quickly select a leader – House lawmakers were given a classified briefing on Israel Wednesday before the conference vote for speaker – the deep divisions in the conference that led to Kevin McCarthy’s removal last week have now left the quest for a new speaker at a standstill.

Anger inside the conference is rising.

“These folks are destroying our conference and apparently want to be in the minority,” said Rep. Don Bacon, who represents a swing Nebraska district. “They don’t respect the customs of the House that have gone on for over two centuries.”

The House gavels back in at noon Thursday, but there’s no indication Republicans will be ready to vote on a speaker.

Scalise is facing broad skepticism inside the far-right House Freedom Caucus, a key bloc of Republicans who mostly supported the Trump-backed Jordan for speaker, multiple sources told CNN, citing a general lack of trust with Republican leadership. Scalise has been in leadership years, although he is more conservative than McCarthy.

Jordan, who chairs the Judiciary Committee, threw his weight behind Scalise following Wednesday’s vote, saying he was encouraging his supporters to do the same. “We need a speaker and Steve is the guy for that. Like I said, I have offered to give a nominating speech for him,” the Ohio Republican told reporters Wednesday afternoon.

But there was a cohort of lawmakers who expressed staunch opposition to voting for Scalise on the House floor.

“Well, Leader Scalise won, and it’s not over. I’m still throwing my support behind Jim Jordan for speaker. I’m not going to change my vote now or any time soon on the House floor,” said GOP Rep. Max Miller of Ohio.

Scalise’s individual outreach did peel off at least one holdout. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, who initially said Wednesday that she would vote for Jordan on the floor, met with Scalise and said afterward she felt “comfortable” enough to support his speaker nomination.

While she said he did not make specific commitments, he did assure her that he’ll allow her to “aggressively” do her job on the Oversight Committee, which is part of the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.

But Luna said she would only back Scalise for the speakership on the first ballot. If it went to multiple ballots, she said, “we must find a candidate” the conference can unite behind.

Still, a number of Republicans don’t think that Jordan could be a viable alternative given that he lost to Scalise in the nominating contest, and some Republicans were irritated when he didn’t immediately close ranks behind Scalise.

“If Scalise were not to make it, the next person got less votes,” Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida said of Jordan. “And by the way, I think, more controversial. So that would not be a good thing for this place.”

Rep. Erin Houchin of Indiana said she doesn’t know if “it will be Jordan or Scalise or even someone else at this point. … I think we’re in uncharted territory, and it’s gonna be very hard to predict.”

Another GOP member said that it would have to be a new candidate altogether, something that would take longer to sort out.

“Steve is nowhere near 217,” said the Republican member.

Leaving the floor without a vote Wednesday, interim Speaker Patrick McHenry tried to be optimistic the House GOP conference would solve the impasse soon.

Asked if there could be a floor vote Thursday, the North Carolina Republican said, “That’s the hope.”

Could anyone get the 217 votes required? He had the same response: “That’s the hope.”

This story and headline have been updated to include additional developments.

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October 12, 2023
These House Republicans say they won’t vote for Steve Scalise as House speaker
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House GOP unsure about timing of speaker vote

House Republicans unsure how quickly they can elect speaker

11:08
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Republican of Louisiana, has won the nomination of his party to be the next House speaker, but must win an election on the House floor to win the office.

If all lawmakers are present and all vote, Scalise can only afford to lose four Republicans out of the 217 in the conference. Democrats are expected to vote against Scalise.

In the secret ballot election held in the GOP conference Wednesday, Scalise won 113, while his opponent, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, won 99. Many of those who supported Jordan have agreed to vote for Scalise on the House floor, but the number who oppose him exceeds the number he can lose.

The vote by the full House was originally scheduled to take place at 3 p.m. Wednesday but has been postponed.

Here are the Republicans who say they will not vote for Scalise:

Rep. Lauren Boebert, of Colorado, tweeted, “I will be voting for Jim Jordan to be Speaker of the House on the floor when the vote is called.”

Rep. Michael Cloud, of Texas, tweeted, “While I respect Steve Scalise, the underhanded efforts to rush this vote to the floor without getting full buy-in from the conference is extremely ill-advised and I will not be supporting the nomination on the floor, absent a further discussion.”

Rep. Carlos Gimenez, of Florida, said, “I’ve always said I’m a McCarthy guy so until he says, hey, don’t vote for anybody else… ’til he comes to me and says that, I’m voting for McCarthy.”

Rep. Bob Good, of Virginia, tweeted: “I am still supporting Jordan. The country cannot afford the status quo.”

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, of Georgia tweeted, “Jim Jordan is the fighter we need to be Speaker of the House in this time of national crisis.”

Rep. Nancy Mace, of South Carolina, told CNN, “I plan on voting for Jim Jordan on the floor. I’ve been very vocal about this over the last couple of days.” She also explained, “I personally cannot, in good conscience, vote for someone who attended a white supremacist conference and compared himself to David Duke. I would be doing an enormous disservice to the voters I represent in South Carolina if I were to do that.” Scalise apologized in 2014 for giving a speech in 2002 to the European-American Unity and Rights Organization (EURO), which was founded by white supremacist and former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke.

Rep. Max Miller, of Ohio, told reporters, “I’m still putting my support behind Jim Jordan for Speaker. I’m not going to change my vote now or anytime soon on the House floor.”

Rep. Chip Roy, of Texas, took issue with the attempt to schedule a speedy vote shortly after the conference nominated Scalise. “I will not be voting for @SteveScalise on the floor this afternoon,” he tweeted. “The House GOP should NOT have called a vote at 300pm after finishing the vote at 130pm in Conference. That is unacceptable & purposeful.”

Rep. Lloyd Smucker, of Pennsylvania, tweeted, “The House GOP Conference is broken. So we oust Kevin McCarthy and all other leaders are rewarded with promotions?… We need to chart a different path forward. In the meantime, I plan to vote for Jim Jordan on the floor.”

Rep. George Santos of New York, tweeted Wednesday night, “It’s just past 9:40pm and I have yet to hear from the Speaker-Designate. So I’ve made my decision and after 10 months and having had 0 contact or outreach from him, I’ve come to the conclusion that my VOTE doesn’t matter to him. I’m now declaring I’m an ANYONE but Scalise and come hell or high water I won’t change my mind.”

There are also a couple of lawmakers who have not committed to supporting Scalise yet:

Rep. Thomas Massie, of Kentucky, told CBS News, “I’m still very reluctant.”

Rep. Mike Turner, of Ohio, told CNN, “He came out with 110 votes; he needs 217. He’s going to have to give us a message or understanding of how he’s going to bridge that gap.”

Alan He, Alejandro Alvarez and Jack Turman contributed to this report.

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October 11, 2023
House Republicans nominate Steve Scalise as next speaker

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House Republicans nominate Steve Scalise as next speaker – CBS News

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Following Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s historic ouster last week as House speaker, House Republicans on Wednesday nominated House Majority Leader Steve Scalise to replace him. However, Scalise still needs enough votes from the full House to secure the position.

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October 11, 2023
House Republicans unsure how quickly they can elect speaker

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House Republicans unsure how quickly they can elect speaker – CBS News

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Republican lawmakers on Wednesday selected Majority Leader Steve Scalise as their nominee for speaker of the House, but a floor vote remains in a state of suspended animation as Scalise works to build support in the divided conference. CBS News congressional correspondent Nikole Killion has more. Plus, CBS News foreign correspondent Imtiaz Tyab discusses the latest on the Israel-Hamas war.

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October 11, 2023