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Fmr. President Obama rallies support for Harris at Night 2 of DNC

August 21, 2024
Former President Barack Obama headlined night two of the DNC, rallying support behind Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency. And Russian officials say Moscow came under the largest attack by Ukrainian drones since the war began over two years ago. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024.

Former President Obama rallies support for Harris at Night 2 of DNC

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will formally accept the nomination for vice president at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago Wednesday night. Among those set to speak on night three of the DNC is former President Bill Clinton.

Tuesday, Aug. 20, was a night of Democratic Party star power — including speeches from the Obamas.

Former President Barack Obama closed out the night by rallying up the crowd and throwing his full support behind Vice President Kamala Harris while speaking out against her opponent, former President Donald Trump.

“We do not need four more years of bluster and bumbling and chaos,” Obama said. “We have seen that movie before, and we all know that the sequel is usually worse. America is ready for a new chapter. America is ready for a better story. We are ready for a President Kamala Harris.”

While the DNC speeches were unfolding, Harris was about 90 miles away from the convention campaigning in Milwaukee. She took a brief pause to make a virtual appearance by live stream into the DNC Tuesday night.

Her running mate, Gov. Walz, will headline night three with a primetime speech Wednesday night.

Running mate says RFK Jr. can stay in the race or back Trump

Former President Donald Trump is continuing a rally blitz across battleground states. He spent Tuesday, Aug. 20, campaigning in Michigan with an emphasis on crime and inflation.

On Wednesday, Trump will join his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, in North Carolina.

This comes as it looks like Trump could potentially pick up an endorsement from Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s running mate, Nicole Shanahan. Shanahan said on a podcast they have two options: stay in the race or join forces with Trump to avoid a Kamala Harris presidency.

RFK Jr. has yet to comment on this direction of his campaign, but said Tuesday he is open to talks with other political parties with similar goals.

https://twitter.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/1825940353557356549

A CNN reporter asked Trump whether he would consider RFK Jr. for a spot in his administration following the news of the potential endorsement. Trump said he is open to the idea.

Matt Gaetz defeats McCarthy-backed candidate in Florida primary

Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, R, won his primary Tuesday, Aug. 20. He defeated Navy veteran Aaron Dimmock, the candidate backed by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-La., in the deep-red 1st district of the Florida panhandle.

McCarthy and his allies had targeted Gaetz as well as three other Republicans who voted to oust him from the speakership late last year.

McCarthy did claim one win — helping to defeat House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good, R, in Virginia earlier this summer. However, South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace and Arizona Rep. Eli Crane won each of their races despite the opposition from McCarthy.

New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez officially resigns after bribery conviction

New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, D, has officially resigned. Tuesday, Aug, 20, was his last day in office.

It comes just over a month after a jury convicted him on federal bribery charges.

The state’s Democratic governor is tapping former top aide George Helmy to succeed the three-term incumbent until the November election results for the Senate seat are certified. It’s a high stakes race, with Democrats holding a narrow majority in the Senate.

Russia says it fought off Ukraine’s largest drone attack yet on Moscow

Russian officials said they shot down at least 12 Ukrainian drones targeting Moscow late Aug. 20 night and early Aug. 21 morning, local time. Russia said it was part of one of the largest drone attacks since the Russia-Ukraine War began in 2022.

While it’s not clear how many drones were launched in total, Russia said it took out more than 45 over various regions.

https://twitter.com/Telegraph/status/1826193084830363658

The attacks come as Russia is advancing in eastern Ukraine while also trying to fight off Ukraine’s incursion into the Kursk region — which is the biggest foreign attack on Russian territory since World War II.

Federal judge blocks FTC’s rule banning noncompete agreements

The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) plan to ban noncompete agreements in the workplace is no longer happening — at least for now. On Tuesday, Aug. 20, a federal judge in Texas blocked the new rule that would have made it easier for employees to quit a job and go work for a competitor or start a competing business.

The judge ruled the FTC “exceeded its statutory authority” in making its decision back in April and said the ban would cause irreparable harm. The FTC has previously said noncompete agreements restrict workers’ freedoms and suppress wages.

The rule was to take effect on Sept. 4. An FTC spokesperson said the agency is considering appealing the judge’s decision.
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Americans want Congress to make a deal; House leaves for Thanksgiving

November 15, 2023
After failing to move forward on 2024 funding bills, the House of Representatives left Washington on Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 15, for a week-and-a-half long Thanksgiving recess. Meanwhile, a new poll has revealed that Americans want more results and less rhetoric.

According to the NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist National Poll, 67% of Americans want Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to compromise, compared to 27% who said Johnson should stand on principle even if it means a gridlock in Congress.

Straight Arrow News asked some of the most conservative members who have been voting against government spending bills what they think.

“I think the only principles we should talk about is the fact that our government is $33 trillion in debt,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said. “So that’s pretty much a no brainer. It’s not a revenue problem in Washington, it’s a spending problem. And we need to do better for the American people.”

We’re fiscally going off a cliff right now, and if we don’t address that, we won’t have anything. The whole system will collapse and that, we need to address that. That needs to be our priority.
Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn.

“We’re fiscally going off a cliff right now, and if we don’t address that, we won’t have anything.” Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., said. “The whole system will collapse and that, we need to address that. That needs to be our priority.”

On Wednesday, the gridlock continued when members of the House Freedom Caucus blocked further consideration of the bill to fund the departments of Justice, Commerce and other agencies in 2024.

“[This] is a response to our dissatisfaction and our unwillingness to comply and play a part in this failure theater where we act like we’re actually going to do things when we have the opportunity to do things on these spending bills, and then we don’t do them,” Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., told reporters.

Some Republicans aren’t voting for the funding bills because they don’t think it reduces spending enough. However, GOP leaders think they can’t rely on support from Democrats, saying the Left believes Republicans are trying to cut spending too much.

“Our caucus still has questions about what that path ahead is,” Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., said, according to C-SPAN. “They’re marking up bills that have dramatic cuts to programs that we care about.”

The Marist poll also found that if the government shut down, 49% of Americans would blame congressional Republicans, while 43% would blame congressional Democrats and President Joe Biden.
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Senate leaders: House spending bills violate agreement, will lead to shutdown

September 1, 2023
It’s September. That means Congress has until the end of the month to pass 12 appropriations bills; otherwise the government will shutdown Oct. 1 at midnight. However, there’s a big divide between what conservative members in the House of Representatives are willing to spend and everyone else.

It goes back to May when Republicans and the Biden administration made a deal on the debt ceiling which allowed the government to borrow more money to pay its bills in exchange reduced overall spending. The deal also set a guideline for next year’s budget.

“The House then turned around and passed spending levels that were below that level. Without stating an opinion about that, that’s not going to be replicated in the Senate,” Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., explained.

Earlier in the year, McConnell supported House Republicans’ efforts to negotiate with the Biden administration on the debt ceiling. During an event in Kentucky, he described the current state of the government funding negotiations as “a pretty big mess.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., was also blunt.

“We cannot afford the brinkmanship or hostage-taking we saw from House Republicans earlier this year when they pushed our country to the brink of default to appease the most extreme members of their party.” Schumer wrote in a letter to Senate Democrats that was obtained by Politico. “The only way to avoid a shutdown is through bipartisanship.”

Senate negotiations are being led by Sens. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Susan Collins, R-Maine. In the House, the conservative Freedom Caucus is leading the way.

“We’re given the solemn responsibility of using taxpayer dollars, or in this case often borrowed dollars, to fund the government,” Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, told Spectrum. “If there’s going to be a shutdown it’s going to be because Democrats don’t want to sit down at the table and work with us and co-equal branches of government to get the job done.”

Even if the House and Senate separately pass all 12 bills this month, they still have to iron out the differences before the bills can be signed into law. Those conferences are time consuming. McConnell predicted the impasse will lead to a continuing resolution to keep the government open until December while the differences are settled.

The Freedom Caucus said it won’t support a continuing resolution unless it includes certain added measures like a border bill and rescinds a Pentagon abortion policy that offers paid leave and travel expense reimbursement for service members who travel out of state to get an abortion. But if the continuing resolution is a bipartisan measure, it will have enough votes to pass without them.
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House needs to pass 11 bills in 12 days to prevent gov’t shutdown after recess

July 27, 2023

The House of Representatives left Washington for its August recess and members don’t come back until Sept. 12. When they return, they will have 12 scheduled work days to pass 11 bills in order to avoid a government shutdown.

Government funding expires Sept. 30. So far, the House has passed only the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs funding bill, one of the 12 appropriations bills it has to pass every year to fund the government.

“We’re going to continue negotiations during August to make sure that we get back to funding the priorities of the nation,” Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., said during a debate on the House floor.

WATCH: U.S. House colloquy between @SteveScalise and @WhipKClark as members prepare to depart for August recess. pic.twitter.com/uU5kdDo3WO
— CSPAN (@cspan) July 27, 2023

Democrats said the House should stay in Washington to work out the differences and get it done.

“The Republican conference is saying they’re sending us home for six weeks without funding the government. That we have one bill, one bill out of 12 completed because extremists are holding your conference hostage,” Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., said in response to Scalise.

The Senate is also leaving for the month of August. It will have 17 work days to avoid a shutdown when senators return. Once both chambers pass their own versions of the 12 appropriations bills, they will have to go to conference to iron out the differences before those bills can be signed by the president.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., told reporters he’s already in contact with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to start as soon as possible.

“Leader Schumer had the same commitment that I had. Let’s get this work done and let’s try to get it done before September 30,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy expressed confidence in the House’s ability to deliver. He even criticized people who don’t think they can do it and described what he called “the five stages of the D.C. press cycle of doubt.”

“We will never give up on the American people. We made a commitment to them and we continue to keep it time and again,” McCarthy said.

But Democrats are expressing concern about the House Freedom Caucus, a group of fiscally conservative Republicans. Its members have threatened to withhold their votes if the bills don’t cut spending down to FY2022 levels.

Freedom Caucus members said they want at least 72 hours to review each of the bills. They are adamant that spending must not increase the current $32 trillion deficit. The group said it will do everything it can to block bills that increase the nation’s debt.

“We should not fear a government shutdown,” Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., said. “Most of what we do up here is bad anyway.”

“Extreme MAGA Republicans are marching the American people and the Congress toward a government shutdown. It’s in their DNA,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said.

There is another option to avoid a shutdown. Congress can pass what’s called a continuing resolution to keep the government open for a short period of time while finishing the appropriations process. But many lawmakers opposed to that, so it’s not a simple solution.
House Freedom Caucus doesn’t fear gov’t shutdown as deadline approaches

July 25, 2023
Congress must approve a government funding bill by Sept. 30 or the federal government will shutdown. While it may be two months away, both the House and Senate are about to spend the entire month of August in recess. Congressional leadership is working to take action as soon as possible.

Congress needs to pass 12 appropriations bills every year. Those bills cover the federal government’s departments, agencies and programs.

The House of Representatives may consider two of those bills during the week of July 23:
- Agriculture, rural development and the FDA.
- Military construction and Veterans Affairs.
But this legislation could pit House Republicans against each other in a race against the clock.

The Freedom Caucus, a group of the chamber’s most conservative members, wants to review all 12 bills at the same time so they can ensure that spending has been cut to 2022 levels, or $1.41 trillion.

“If the leadership believes that they’re going to be able to trickle these out two at a time, three a week, four a week, that’s just not going to be feasible. Because we will never be able to see what the total spending is until the very end,” Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., told reporters.

The Freedom Caucus can exert great influence over the final product by threatening to withhold dozens of votes needed for approval. Caucus members predict that Congress will ultimately pass a continuing resolution to keep funding the government at its current level until a deal can be finalized.

“I am not worried about a government shutdown at this point. I think that they’ll continue on, and then try to take it, run it out till December to be honest with you,” Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., said.

“We should not fear a government shutdown. Most of what we do up here is bad anyway,” Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., said.

Congress also needs to fully approve the National Defense Authorization Act which funds the military. The House passed its version and the Senate is working to do that this week. But the chambers will have to meet at the negotiating table to iron out the differences between their two versions. That will be a difficult task because the House version, passed along party lines, includes what Republicans describe as “anti-woke” measures regarding abortion funding and diversity, equity and inclusion.
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Former VP Mike Pence announces 2024 presidential bid: June 7 rundown

June 7, 2023

The field of GOP candidates for the 2024 presidential election continues to expand, as former Vice President Mike Pence has officially announced his bid for the White House. And pharmaceutical giant Merck has filed a lawsuit against the federal government over the Biden administration’s drug pricing plan. These stories and more highlight the rundown for Wednesday, June 7, 2023.

Former VP Mike Pence announces 2024 presidential campaign

Former Vice President Mike Pence officially launched his 2024 presidential campaign Wednesday, June 7, with the release of a video announcing his bid for the White House. In the video, Pence directed his criticism toward President Joe Biden and Democrats, while emphasizing the importance of patriotism.

Pence’s decision to run against former President Donald Trump makes him the first running-mate in eight decades to challenge the president he served with. The last instance of such a contest occurred in 1940 when President Franklin Roosevelt was unsuccessfully challenged by his vice president, John Nance Garner III.

Pope Francis hospitalized, will undergo intestinal surgery

Pope Francis has been hospitalized and will undergo intestinal surgery, which is expected to require several days of recovery. The surgery aims to repair a hernia in his abdomen. The Vatican has reported that the procedure was arranged within the last few days.

Prior to the surgery on Wednesday morning, Francis was seen at Saint Peter’s Square waving to crowds, displaying good spirits. However, his condition soon worsened and necessitated medical attention, leading to the decision for him to undergo surgery.

This is not the first time this year that the 86-year-old pontiff has faced health concerns. In March, Francis spent three days in the hospital due to a bout of bronchitis.

Deadly shooting at high school graduation in Virginia

A deadly shooting incident took place following a high school graduation ceremony in Richmond, Virginia. The incident unfolded outside a downtown theater, causing panic and prompting hundreds of people to flee the area.

Law enforcement authorities confirmed that two individuals lost their lives in the shooting, including an 18-year-old student who had just graduated and a 36-year-old man. Additionally, five other individuals sustained gunshot wounds. Of particular concern is a 31-year-old gunshot victim who is currently hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.

Amid the chaotic scene, with graduation attendees scrambling to find safety, a 9-year-old girl was unfortunately struck by a car. Reports indicate that she is expected to recover from her injuries.

In connection with the incident, police detained a 19-year-old suspect who attempted to flee the scene while carrying four handguns. It is believed that the suspect was an acquaintance with at least one of the victims. He is expected to face charges of two counts of second-degree murder.

In response to these events, the school district has made the decision to cancel all remaining graduation ceremonies scheduled for this week.

Controversy among Republicans over debt ceiling bill

The nation narrowly averted a potential default on its debt this week as a last-minute bill was signed to raise the country’s debt limit. However, the passage of the bill faced opposition from a group of conservative lawmakers, leading to internal strife within the Republican Party.

Following the debt ceiling vote, 11 Republican House members are now in open revolt against House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., in response to the debt ceiling bill. This rebellion is led by vocal members of the House Freedom Caucus. The controversy arose when a routine procedural vote failed to pass, causing delays in the day’s schedule and slowing progress on various GOP bills, including legislation concerning gas stoves. Notably, this is the first time in nearly two decades that the procedural vote has failed.

The Republican-majority chamber has experienced a rocky start, facing challenges in electing a House speaker and now witnessing internal divisions that have stalled their own agenda.

Pharmaceutical giant Merck files lawsuit against federal government

Pharmaceutical company Merck has taken legal action against the federal government regarding its proposed plan to allow Medicare to negotiate prices for a select group of drugs. Merck’s lawsuit, filed in response to the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, characterizes the plan as “extortion” and deems it unconstitutional. The company argues that the government’s request to adhere to government-set prices without receiving adequate compensation infringes upon their rights.

The drug pricing plan, aimed at reducing healthcare costs and improving affordability, has garnered criticism from some patient advocacy groups. These groups have voiced their opposition to Merck’s lawsuit, emphasizing the importance of affordable medication for patients in need.

In response to the legal challenge, the secretary of Health and Human Services expressed confidence in the legality of the plan, asserting that “the law is on our side.”

Canadian wildfires result in poor air quality alerts across parts of the US

New York and several other parts of the United States are experiencing a haze in the skies, caused by the ongoing wildfires raging in Canada. Photographs emerging from New York and other affected areas capture the visible impact of the fires, as millions of people find themselves under poor air-quality alerts.

Canada is currently grappling with over 400 active wildfires, with the resulting smoke drifting into the northern and eastern parts of the U.S. The smoke has led to reduced visibility, creating a hazy glow in the affected regions. In some areas, residents have reported being able to smell the smoke in the air.

Responding to the deteriorating air quality, New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued an air quality health advisory. The advisory specifically urged individuals with asthma and respiratory conditions to remain indoors, at least until midnight tonight, to minimize their exposure to the compromised air quality.

Apple introduces AI-powered auto-correct feature for iPhone users

Users of the Apple iPhone can look forward to an enhanced auto-correct feature in the near future as Apple plans to incorporate artificial intelligence technology to personalize the experience. This new development aims to learn user habits and adjust words accordingly, providing a more tailored and accurate auto-correct feature.

One of the primary improvements users can expect is the correction of frequently misspelled words. With AI assistance, the auto-correct feature will have a better understanding of individual typing patterns, reducing errors caused by common mistakes.

The AI-powered auto-correct will also be designed to recognize intentional typing choices. It will respect user preferences and refrain from automatically changing words that individuals intentionally type, including commonly used curse words.

Apple plans to introduce this AI-assisted auto-correct feature in the upcoming iOS 17 update, scheduled for release in the fall.
Freedom Caucus won’t back ousting McCarthy over debt ceiling — for now

May 30, 2023
The House Freedom Caucus, the same group of conservative Republicans who made it so difficult for Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., to win his speaker vote, said they will not try to oust McCarthy while the debt limit talks are ongoing. But what happens after this negotiation ends is another story.

When the group was asked whether using what’s called a “motion to vacate the chair” is on the table, only Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., raised his hand to say yes. But multiple members of the conference are openly expressing frustration with the speaker.

“McCarthy has lost trust in how this has been handled,” Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., told reporters.

Norman dismissed talks of trying to push McCarthy out.

But just before a caucus press conference, Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said in an interview with conservative commentator Glenn Beck that if the newly negotiated debt limit bill passes, “we’re going to have to then regroup and figure out the whole leadership arrangement again.”

The caucus chairman also said they will reevaluate.

“We are focused, I’ll let each member speak for themselves. But for me, I’m focused on defeating this bill. What happens post that and the agreements that we have, we will decide once we we’ve determined the disposition of this bill and its finality,” Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., said.

When Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., was asked, he said he doesn’t see that happening.

McCarthy made multiple concessions to House conservatives to win his speaker vote this January. Those concessions included a rule allowing any single member to bring forward a vote of no confidence in his leadership.

They’re now threatening to do exactly that if what’s approved is too far removed from the Limit, Save, Grow Act House Republicans passed in April.
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McCarthy vows to look at both Biden and Trump classified documents

January 18, 2023

“Yes, Yes, Yes.” That’s how House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., responded when asked if Republican-controlled congressional committees will look into the classified documents cases of both President Biden and former President Trump.

McCarthy said the House has an obligation to oversee the Justice Department and he has expressed concern that President Biden and Trump are not receiving equal treatment.

“They put a special prosecutor but only after people raised the issue. But are the same amount of agents investigating this that are investigating President Trump? Is the same push behind it? It just does not seem fair,” McCarthy told reporters at the Capitol Tuesday.

Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed special counsels to lead the Justice Department’s investigations. Jack Smith, who just returned from The Hague after prosecuting war crimes in Kosovo, will investigate Trump. Robert Hur, who was appointed by Trump to serve as the United States Attorney for Maryland, will investigate Biden.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer already put in a request with White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain for documents and communications related to the Biden case. He’ll be joined on the Oversight Committee by members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, who used their vote for speaker as leverage to get the appointments.

The list includes Reps. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., Byron Donalds, R-Fla., Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., and Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga. Gosar and Greene were both stripped of their committee assignments by Democrats. Now, with the House in Republican control, they have one of the most sought after positions.

“Joe Biden, be prepared. We are going to uncover every corrupt business dealing, every foreign entanglement, every abuse of power, and every check cut for The Big Guy,” Greene said in a statement.

Greene was also appointed to the Homeland Security Committee, giving her two plum seats.
Former Rep. Reid Ribble: House speaker vote ‘has gotten personal’

January 5, 2023

The House of Representatives entered its third day of voting to select its next speaker on Thursday. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., made fresh concessions overnight to the group of House Republicans who have kept him from securing the position in hopes of hitting the 218-vote threshold.

McCarthy agreed to reduce the number of House members needed to bring a vote to remove the speaker from five to one, according to reports. He also agreed to put more members of the Freedom Caucus on the Rules Committee, a powerful group that determines how legislation will be handled prior to being sent to the House floor for a vote.

Former Rep. Reid Ribble, R-Wis., spoke with Straight Arrow News about the situation.

“There’s nothing that’s going to change. There are too many people that are completely locked in,” Ribble said. “There’s nothing that Kevin can give them beyond what he’s already offered that will move them to vote for him.”

Ribble said concessions on the motion to vacate could be a miscalculation on McCarthy’s part.

“I think it’s a mistake for Kevin to, to give them that, I think that there ought to be a threshold of maybe 15 or 20% of the majority to have a motion to vacate the chair,” he said. “But once you start negotiating with people who were not negotiating back with good faith, you’ve already lost the battle.”

While there has been discussion about the possibility of any Democrats ending the stalemate by supporting McCarthy, Ribble doesn’t see that happening, unless they simply give up on the process.

“The only way I think Democrats would actually help somebody win other than Kevin or even help Kevin win is simply by not showing up for the vote, they finally get tired of the circus,” Ribble added. “They just don’t come to the floor when a vote is called. And then the threshold required for Kevin McCarthy to become speaker goes down.”
McCarthy: Some demanded House committee positions for Speaker vote

January 3, 2023

The House of Representatives failed to elect a Speaker during its initial vote Tuesday. This is the first time since 1923 that the House did not select a leader on the first ballot.

The final count was 203 for Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., 212 for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., 10 for Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz. and 9 for others. All 212 Democrats voted for Jeffries while all 19 defections from McCarthy were Republicans.

With Republicans holding a majority in the House, Rep. McCarthy has been campaigning for the top job in the chamber. But members of the House Freedom Caucus refuse to vote for him. Caucus members tried to get McCarthy to appoint them to powerful committee positions in exchange for their vote.

“Last night I was presented the only way to have 218 votes if I provided certain members with certain positions, certain gavels to take over a committee, to have certain budgets,” Rep. McCarthy said. “And it even came to a position where one Matt Gaetz said I don’t care if we go to a plurality and we elect Hakeem Jeffries and it hurts the new front line members not to get re-elected.”

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-GA, said there has been fierce debate about writing House rules and the party platform but appeared to indicate some members of her party went too far when they tried using committee positions as a negotiating tool.

“I find out that it’s my Freedom Caucus colleagues and my supposed friends that went and did that and they asked nothing for me. Nothing. That’s what I found out in there, I am furious,” Rep. Greene said.

Representatives will now move to a second ballot, and they will continue voting until a Speaker candidate receives 218 votes. By law, the House of Representatives is not allowed to do anything until it elects a speaker, including swearing in members.