Politics

The Associated Press reports: Protesters upset about Vivek Ramaswamy’s remarks in opposition to aid for Ukraine yelled and swore at the presidential candidate in Iowa on Thursday before jumping into a vehicle, ramming a campaign car and speeding off, according to his campaign. Ramaswamy spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said no one was in the campaign vehicle when it was hit in …

Florida Politics reports: Gov. Ron DeSantis was born and raised in Florida, and spent much of his adult life in the state. Yet in all his 45 years on the planet, he says he never met someone who was mugged on the street, drawing a dramatic contrast to California. “My wife and I were in Southern California. We’re doing different …

Courthouse News reports: North Carolina lawmakers have been exempted from public records requests, through an item in the North Carolina budget which took effect Monday at midnight and was three months late. Buried in the 625-page document allocating $30 billion in funding are provisions that shield legislators from public records requests, even once they’ve left office. Section 27.7 of the …

Politico reports: Democrat Adam Frisch’s campaign reported a massive third quarter haul of nearly $3.4 million — more than many nationally touted Democratic Senate candidates — as he seeks to win a rematch with Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) next year. Frisch’s campaign said the average donation was less than $32 and reported $4.3 million cash on hand. He lost to …

ABC News reports: After a protracted legal battle, Alabama voters will vote in their next congressional elections, in 2024, using a map that includes a second district designed to empower the state’s Black voters, a federal court ruled on Thursday. The state Legislature had been previously ordered to redraw its House districts to include “two districts in which Black voters …

NBC News reports: Rep. Jim Jordan said Thursday that he has spoken about his bid to be the next speaker with Donald Trump and that he would not support ousting Rep. Matt Gaetz from the Republican caucus even amid anger by some lawmakers after he led Kevin McCarthy’s removal. “I don’t think that’s warranted,” Jordan said. “We’ve got a four-seat …

The Hill reports: Republican senators are shocked and unnerved by the sudden collapse of Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) career in leadership and fear the turmoil in the House will put Congress on the path to a government shutdown. Senators are worried about who will succeed McCarthy and whether that successor will be so beholden to a small group of conservatives …

“It was Republicans who, even prior to that vote that weekend, failed to pass their own bills to fund the government. But if you look at the recent history of Republican speakers, the cause of death becomes a little clearer. McCarthy, ousted. Paul Ryan, quit in disgust over his right flank. John Boehner, pushed out by the Freedom Caucus. Dennis …

CNN reports: Kevin McCarthy was behind interim Speaker Patrick McHenry’s move to kick former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former Majority Leader Steny Hoyer out of their office spaces, two Republican sources told CNN. GOP Rep. Garret Graves told reporters on Wednesday that McCarthy is getting the office that McHenry has ordered her to vacate. “Look the deal is that …

The Washington Examiner reports: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) urged former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) replacement on Wednesday to eliminate the motion to vacate after the procedural tool was used to force the latter’s historic ouster. “I have no advice to give to House Republicans, except one: I hope whoever the next speaker is gets rid of the …

The Messenger reports: Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., said he will not support a new Speaker unless they commit to reforming the motion to vacate after Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was ousted from the speakership. “Nobody has my vote,” Gimenez said. “I think the one-person motion to vacate, I think it’s actually a little bit insane.” McCarthy agreed to change the …

NBC News reports: Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who became a national figure after he survived a brutal assassination attempt during a congressional baseball practice, announced Wednesday he will seek to be the next House speaker. On Wednesday morning, he was making calls seeking to shore up support for a bid to succeed ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy, according to two lawmakers …

The Daily Beast reports: A die-hard MAGA sheriff in Virginia charged with accepting bribes for deputy badges allegedly sold one to a controversial Iraqi fixer linked to Kurdistan prime minister and accused kleptocrat Masrour Barzani. That’s according to an FBI search warrant affidavit obtained by The Daily Beast, which reveals Virginia-based businessman Haval Dosky was swept up in a federal …

The New York Post reports: Following the vote to remove McCarthy, McHenry recessed the chamber “subject to the call of the chair,” which means lawmakers can reconvene at any time. During a Tuesday night meeting of the Republican conference, McHenry announced he planned to keep the House out until next week, with a candidate forum to be held Oct. 10 …

The Hill reports: Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said he will “look” at remaining in Congress after a group of Republicans voted with House Democrats Tuesday to remove him as Speaker. ‘I’ll look at that,” McCarthy said when asked at a press conference if he will remain in Congress. McCarthy did rule out considering another position with leadership. “There’s a lot …

The Washington Post reports: Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), after being removed as House speaker Tuesday, told fellow Republican lawmakers that he won’t seek the position again, according to two sources familiar with his plans who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. The vote to remove him was the first such removal in congressional history. McCarthy’s removal …

“It was just the fact that I publicly stated on your station, I think, this morning that I was praying about it and I had two paths to go, either go with my friend or go with my conscience, and I was praying that God would tell me what to do, which he does. “I pray for my wife, I …

Roll Call reports: As the House devolved into chaos Tuesday over the future of the speakership, the mood in the Senate was decidedly more buoyant as California Democrat Laphonza Butler was sworn in to replace the late Dianne Feinstein, who died last week. Butler entered the chamber to cheers from her family in the gallery, surrounded by Senate Majority Leader …

The Washington Post reports: The Republican-led House on Tuesday voted down a motion to table a resolution that would remove the California Republican from the speakership. As a result, the chamber will move forward with a vote on whether McCarthy should lose his position. His removal is being sought by hard-right members of his party and Democrats have signaled they …

Mediaite reports: Kevin McCarthy claimed he does not need to make an alliance with Congressional Democrats in order to weather Rep. Matt Gaetz’s (R-FL) attempt to oust him as Speaker of the House. As McCarthy took questions, a reporter asked, “Are you ruling out any sort of power-sharing agreement with Democrats?” in light of the current situation. McCarthy shook his …