Republicans

The Washington Examiner reports: Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz plans to rally with local Republicans in Cheyenne on Thursday to urge the Wyoming Republican congresswoman to step down as a result of her voting in favor of Trump’s second impeachment and accusing him of “betrayal” to the office of the presidency. In a tweet promoting the event, Gaetz said, “I …

Mediaite reports: Senator Rand Paul refused to say the election was not stolen as ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos confronted him on This Week over the “big lie” pushed by the former president and his supporters. Stephanopoulos started off by directly asking, “This election was not stolen. Do you accept that fact?” Paul dodged and said, “The debate over whether or …

Salon reports: In his first run for Congress, Cotton leaned heavily on his military service, claiming to have been “a U.S. Army Ranger in Iraq and Afghanistan,” and, in a campaign ad, to have “volunteered to be an Army Ranger.” In reality, Cotton was never part of the 75th Ranger Regiment, the elite unit that plans and conducts joint special …

The Houston Chronicle reports: Texas Republicans defended their new slogan on Friday, dismissing claims that it has ties to an internet-driven conspiracy theory whose adherents President Donald Trump has praised in recent days. The slogan, “We are the storm,” uses nearly identical language to a popular rallying cry among followers of the debunked theory, known as QAnon. “The slogan can …

The Daily Beast reports: Two weeks after riling up a crowd of Trump supporters with claims of election fraud ahead of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, GOP Rep. Madison Cawthorn tried to rehabilitate his stance on the presidential election on Saturday night—only to have his entire argument fall apart in spectacular fashion. Pressed by CNN’s Pamela Brown to explain what …

The New York Times reports: When Representative Scott Perry joined his colleagues in a monthslong campaign to undermine the results of the presidential election, promoting “Stop the Steal” events and supporting an attempt to overturn millions of legally cast votes, he often took a back seat to higher-profile loyalists in President Donald J. Trump’s orbit. But Mr. Perry, an outspoken …

The New York Times reports: Arizona Republicans are poised to censure three of their own party’s most high-profile members in the state: Gov. Doug Ducey, former Senator Jeff Flake and Cindy McCain, the widow of former Senator John McCain. Though largely symbolic, the political scolding that is expected during a meeting of the state G.O.P. on Saturday underscores a widening …

The Austin Statesman reports: Following through on his promise to sue the Biden administration early and often, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday asked a federal judge to block a new policy that pauses most deportations for the next 100 days. The policy, which went into effect Friday, was announced by acting Homeland Security Secretary David Pekoske as part …

The Los Angeles Times reports: House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Thursday that former President Trump’s words at a rally did not incite the violent mob that invaded the U.S. Capitol earlier this month, contradicting his previous comments that Trump bore responsibility for the insurrection that resulted in five deaths. “I don’t believe he provoked it if you listen to …

Colorado Public Radio reports: Republican Representative Lauren Boebert has introduced her first three bills in Congress. All three take aim at President Biden’s recent executives orders. The first bill would prevent the U.S. from spending any money to rejoin the Paris Climate agreement unless the Senate ratifies the agreement. The second bill would prevent funds going to the World Health …

The Nation reports: Multiple outlets reported that before he ran for office, Cawthorn was training for the 2020 Paralympic Games. There is little detail, but according to Micah Bock, Cawthorn’s campaign communications director, he intended to compete in the 400-meter dash at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Cawthorn frequently said on social media that he was “training” for the …

CNN reports: US Capitol Police are investigating an incident in which a Republican lawmaker was stopped from bringing a concealed gun onto the House floor on Thursday, sources told CNN, the first time a member of Congress has been discovered with a firearm by the metal detectors now set up outside the legislative chamber. Rep. Andy Harris, of Maryland, set …

ABC News reports: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell plans to present a proposal to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to delay the start of the impeachment trial of former President Trump until February, multiple sources familiar with the plan tell CBS News. This would give impeachment managers and Mr. Trump’s defense at least a week to prepare. McConnell floated the proposal …

The Washington Post reports: Seven Democratic senators on Thursday lodged an ethics complaint against two of their Republican colleagues, Sens. Ted Cruz (Tex.) and Josh Hawley (Mo.), for their actions ahead of the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol by a pro-Trump mob. In a letter to Sens. Christopher A. Coons (D-Del.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.), the chair and vice-chair …

The Dallas Morning News reports: A federal investigation against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton remains in play after his name was absent Wednesday from a last-minute list of pardons in the waning hours of Donald Trump’s presidency. The investigation centers on allegations that Paxton committed bribery, abuse of office and other crimes. Paxton’s top deputies reported him to the FBI …

Fox News reports: Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., one of the top Republicans in the House of Representatives, has a primary challenger for the 2022 election after voting to impeach President Donald Trump. Wyoming state Sen. Anthony Bouchard threw his hat in the ring, according to a statement of candidacy filed Wednesday with the Federal Election Commission. Bouchard has represented District …

The Washington Post reports: A group of 17 House Republican freshmen, led by Rep. Beth Van Duyne (Tex.) wrote to Biden on Wednesday, congratulating him on his presidency and offering to work with him on issues where they can find common ground. “After two impeachments, lengthy inter-branch investigations, and, most recently, the horrific attack on our nation’s capital, it is …

The Washington Post reports: Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) blocked the Senate from giving Biden’s choice for homeland security secretary a quick confirmation, forcing him to go through the full committee vetting process, because of Hawley’s objections to Biden’s immigration policies. There was a desire to have Alejandro N. Mayorkas in place quickly because of the importance of the post. Hawley …

The Washington Post reports: “I think it was a terrorist attack on the Capitol, and it was despicable, and anyone who committed acts of violence should be fully prosecuted and should go jail for a long time,” Cruz told the Washington Examiner when asked about the young men who went through his desk. Video shot by a New Yorker reporter …

Media Matters reports: In a previously unreported interaction, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) agreed with a 2018 Facebook comment that the deadly mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, was actually a “false flag” planned event. In a separate Facebook post in 2018, Greene also claimed: “I am told that Nancy Pelosi tells Hillary Clinton several …