Happy Wednesday! And possibly a very busy one. Here’s what’s coming up:
House lawmakers are maybe … possibly … going to vote on a new Speaker after ousting Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from the top post last week.
President Biden will make public remarks on the ongoing attacks on Israel, as Secretary of State Antony Blinken prepares to travel to the region.
Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) isn’t sweating his latest legal issues.
I’m Elizabeth Crisp, filling in for Cate, with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. Send me your tips: ecrisp@digital-stage.thehill.com and follow me on X, formerly Twitter: @elizabethcrisp.
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Republicans gather to pick new Speaker, in what could be a marathon voting spree: |
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House Republicans are meeting behind closed doors to try to pick a new Speaker, after last week’s ouster of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).
The House GOP caucus is split between two contenders: Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio).
After an awkward and historic 15 rounds of public voting and in-fighting earlier this year, McCarthy was elected to the post after the GOP took back control of the chamber.
That all fizzled after another historic feat earlier this month, when McCarthy was voted out, thanks to a rebellion from eight Republicans — spearheaded by Rep. Matt Gaetz (Fla.) after he called for a motion to vacate.
To save face for members this time around, a behind-the-scenes secret ballot process has been planned to get them on the same page before taking the vote to the House floor. Both Scalise and Jordan have been courting support for their bids. The Hill’s Emily Brooks and Mychael Schnell have more on how the race has shaped up in recent days. Of note: The whole situation is causing a lot of stress at the Capitol as another government shutdown deadline looms.
Curious about how this all goes down? Here’s a cheat sheet on one idea proposed by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas). Related: Republicans — and Democrats — have mixed opinions on House lawmakers giving McCarthy the boot, according to a new poll. (The Hill) |
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➤ THE HILL LIVE COVERAGE: |
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Santos brushes off latest legal troubles: |
Embattled Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) isn’t worried about the latest round of charges he faces, telling reporters Wednesday that he plans to “fight until the bitter end.”
“I will fight this to prove my innocence,” Santos said in a 25-minute interview in his Capitol office. “So yeah, I’m pretty much denying every last bit of charges.”
New York prosecutors announced Tuesday that Santos had been charged with 10 new criminal counts, bringing the total to 23. He reiterated Wednesday that he has no plans to step down from office or take a plea dea — and is still seeking reelection. “I have not been in discussion for a plea deal at this time,” Santos told reporters. “And the reason so, is I’m strong in my convictions that I can prove my innocence.” The new charges include identity theft and credit card fraud, all tied to his campaign. (The Hill) |
Mace made a sartorial statement, but it left people confused: |
Rep. Nancy Mace (S.C.), one of the Republicans who joined with Democrats to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) last week, donned a large red “A” on her shirt in the Capitol on Tuesday, saying she had felt mistreated since the vote.
“I’m wearing the ‘scarlet letter’ after the week that I just had, last week, being a woman up here and being demonized for my vote and for my voice,” Mace told reporters, appearing to reference the Nathaniel Hawthorne novel “The Scarlet Letter.” (The Hill) Mace said her vote was a response to McCarthy’s unkept legislative promises.
In the book, the “A” is used to label the main protagonist as an adulterer.
The choice sparked a wave of jokes on X, formerly known as Twitter, after a video was posted. |
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Biden shows support for Jewish leaders amid attacks on Israel: |
President Biden will meet with Jewish leaders and make public remarks Wednesday afternoon as attacks between Israel and the militant group Hamas continue to unfold.
More than 2,000 people have been killed collectively in the conflict after Hamas launched an attack on Israel over the weekend. Many more have been injured or taken hostage by the group, including some Americans.
“This roundtable discussion will focus on the Biden-Harris Administration’s support for Israel following the Hamas terrorist attacks and the implementation of the National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism,” the White House said in announcing the meeting.
On Tuesday, Biden pledged U.S. support for Israel. His administration gave members of Congress a confidential briefing on the latest developments Wednesday morning.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to Israel later this week. (The Hill)
Some 300,000 Israeli troops have been mobilized, in what could become a large-scale ground offensive in Gaza.
“I suspect what they’re going to do or try to do is decapitate the leadership, destroy Hamas command and control and their ability to operate as a paramilitary terrorist force,” William Roebuck, the former U.S. ambassador to Bahrain, told CNBC Wednesday. |
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Pope Francis has called on Hamas to free hostages. (The Hill) |
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Trump takes swipe at Biden over $6B Iran deal: |
Former President Trump took aim at President Biden on Wednesday, joining other Republicans in calling for the president to undo the release of Iranian funds that were part of a prisoner swap last month.
“Crooked Joe Biden must take back and freeze the 6 billion dollars right now, before it is too late,” Trump wrote Wednesday in a Truth Social post. “How could anyone be so incompetent and stupid? Biden caused this war, and it will only get worse!!!”
The Biden administration agreed to unfreeze $6 billion in Iranian assets in exchange for the freedom of five American citizens who were being wrongfully detained.
U.S. officials said the funds were to be used only for food, medicine and other humanitarian goods.
The deal prompted criticism from some Republican lawmakers, however, who argued that the money would allow Iran to shift funds around to bolster military spending and support terrorism. (The Hill) |
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The House meets at 3 p.m., and the Senate is off today. President Biden is in Washington, D.C., and Vice President Harris is heading to South Carolina. (all times Eastern) |
11:45 a.m.: Biden gave an update on his administration’s consumer protection efforts. 📺 Watch the replay here.
Noon: House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, Vice Chairman Ted Lieu, House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Gregory W. Meeks and vice ranking member Kathy Manning began a press briefing at the Capitol. 📺 Watch the replay here. 1 p.m.: Harris speaks at the College of Charleston. Details here.
1 p.m.: Press Briefing by press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and national security spokesperson John Kirby. 📺 Watch here. 2 p.m.: Biden receives the Presidential Daily Briefing. 3 p.m.: The House meets, possibly to take up a vote on the next House Speaker. 📺 Watch here.
4:15 p.m.: Biden will stop by a roundtable discussion with Jewish community leaders and deliver remarks on his unwavering support for Israel. 📺 Watch here.
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👀 The New York Times Magazine has a new deeply reported profile of Vice President Harris out this week. Some highlights: |
“In interviews with more than 75 people in the vice president’s orbit, there is little agreement about Harris at all, except an acknowledgment that she has a public perception problem, a self-fulfilling spiral of bad press and bad polls, compounded by the realities of racism and sexism.”
“[T]he people closest to Harris, the tight-knit group of Black women in national Democratic politics who helped make her Biden’s choice for vice president, are increasingly becoming incensed with how she’s being treated.”
This eye-popping gripe from an anonymous aide: “Sometimes the arguments against her feel more petty: A member of Harris’s staff remarked on the amount of down time the vice president schedules on trips, which includes an inordinate amount of time dedicated to hair care.”
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The whole thing is insightful and certainly worth a read.
🎙️ Maria Butina, the red-haired Russian operative who infiltrated GOP circles ahead of the 2016 election and took photos with a host of Republican officials, will be featured on the “Infamous” podcast this week. |
The Daily Beast got a sneak preview of the interview, which focused mainly on her grievances with her American ex-boyfriend who helped connect her with conservative circles, and recapped it here. The podcast episode is set to be released Thursday.
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