The Republican House is on fire, and there isn’t a firefighter amongst them
Rep. Jim Jordan kicked off the morning with a press conference so baffling that, in its aftermath, a Fox News host said, “I’m not sure what the purpose of that press conference was.”
What started as a low point for Republicans still managed to go downhill from there. CNN Host Jake Tapper was especially salty after watching the GOP spectacle throughout the week, and he pulled no punches.
Jordan and his agents of chaos brushed off threats of violence directed at his intraparty opponents and their spouses, which in turn caused even more Republicans to flee Jordan’s sinking ship. Eventually, House Republicans gathered behind closed doors for a secret vote to see if Jordan should continue as the “speaker designee,” and the answer was a resounding NO, with 86 members voting for Jordan and 112 voting for anyone else.
Meanwhile, across the aisle, House Minority Whip Katherine Clark brought Democrats to their feet with a rousing speech, once again nominating Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for speaker. Democrats continue to show fierce unity and a deep bench of strong leaders.
Donald Trump’s courtroom flailing, continued
In New York, Judge Arthur Engoron warned Trump was in danger of going to jail for contempt over a social media post disparaging court personnel, which violated a limited gag order placed on Trump. Engoron later delivered a $5,000 fine to the former president, but the shot across the bow is clear.
In Georgia, lawyer Kenneth Chesebro looked around and realized he was out on a plank by himself after Sidney Powell took a plea deal on Thursday. Jury selection was just getting underway when Chesebro’s defense met with prosecutors and hammered out a plea deal. Daily Kos’ Mark Sumner notes that Chesebro’s punishment is exceedingly light—likely due to Chesebro being a more valuable witness.
Meanwhile, Team Brandon is hitting back on social media with a greatest-hits compilation from the week.
OTHER STORIES
Rep. Ken Buck: I didn’t think leopards would eat MY lease
Ken Buck, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, says he’s getting evicted because his landlord is mad at him for not backing Jim Jordan as House speaker.
North Carolina GOP takes gerrymandering to new extremes with proposed new maps
North Carolina Republicans unveiled a new congressional map and new state-legislative maps that would rank as some of the most extreme gerrymanders in the country.
Joe Biden’s powerful speech should not be lost in the chaos of the day
What made Biden’s Oval Office speech on Thursday night a genuinely great one was that it didn’t do the easy thing. It didn’t do any of the easy things.
Gun group made impotent threat to GOP holdouts scuttling Jordan’s speaker bid
How do you get even more extreme than the NRA?
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