Tag: speaker

Speaker Johnson cheers on Senate border deal’s potential demise: 'We welcome it'

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Tuesday that House Republicans “welcome” the dysfunction wrought in the Senate over its border security and supplemental aid bill. Johnson has made no secret of his opposition to the bipartisan deal, declaring it “dead on arrival” multiple times since its release on Sunday night, including during House GOP leaders’ … Continue reading Speaker Johnson cheers on Senate border deal’s potential demise: 'We welcome it'

Federal government rests its case in ex-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder's racketeering trial

The federal government rested its case Monday in former Republican Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder’s racketeering trial after presenting jurors with reams of financial documents, emails, texts, wire-tap audio and firsthand accounts of what prosecutors allege was a $60 million bribery scheme to pass a $1 billion ratepayer-funded nuclear bailout.

The prosecution completed its work in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati five weeks to the day after opening statements in Ohio’s largest ever corruption case. Their portion took a bit longer than projected because a spate of illnesses hit the courtroom, prompting Judge Timothy Black to pause proceedings.

Lawyers for Householder, 63, and co-defendant Matt Borges, 50, a lobbyist and former state chair of the Ohio Republican Party, went immediately to work to begin their defense, calling state Sen. Bill Seitz to testify on the merits of the bailout bill at the case’s heart.

FORMER OHIO HOUSE SPEAKER LARRY HOUSEHOLDER REMAINS OPTIMISTIC AS CORRUPTION TRIAL BEGINS

Householder, once one of Ohio’s most powerful politicians, could testify on his own behalf. He has said he couldn’t wait for his defense to begin.

It’s been two-and-a-half years since Householder, Borges and three others were arrested and charged in an elaborate scheme, secretly funded by Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp., to secure Householder’s power, elect his allies, pass legislation containing a $1 billion bailout for two aging nuclear power plants, and then vex a ballot effort to overturn the bill with a dirty tricks campaign.

OHIO INMATE WHO HAS SPENT DECADES ON DEATH ROW MAY BE RELEASED ON PAROLE FOLLOWING RESENTENCING

The prosecution called two of those arrested — Juan Cespedes and Jeff Longstreth, who have both pleaded guilty — to the stand to give firsthand accounts of what they said are not ordinary political contributions, but bribes intended to secure passage of the bailout bill, known as House Bill 6. Householder’s attorneys have described his activities as nothing more than hardball politics.

Monday’s witness, political operative Tyler Fehrman, testified that Borges tried to bribe him with a $15,000 check to secure inside information about the referendum campaign on the bill that he was working for at the time. Borges’ attorneys have said the money was a loan for a friend in need.

“Matt’s requests to me were shocking,” Fehrman told jurors. “I felt like I was being taken advantage of by someone I trusted.”

Here are the six remaining holdouts preventing Kevin McCarthy from becoming House speaker

There are six remaining Republican members-elect preventing Rep.-elect Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., from becoming the next speaker of the House of Representatives following the 13th round of voting Friday.

Friday’s ballots have been the most positive for McCarthy so far in the drawn-out process of electing a new speaker, as 14 of the 20 initial members-elect opting not to support him have flipped their votes and quieted concerns he wouldn’t be able to reach the threshold required to be elected.

Those members still choosing not to vote for McCarthy include Rep.-elect Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., Rep.-elect Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., Rep.-elect Eli Crane, R-Ariz., Rep.-elect Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., Rep.-elect Bob Good, R-Va., and Rep.-elect Matt Rosendale, R-Mont.

‘SIMPLY PERSONAL’: MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE DISPELS HOPE ‘NEVER KEVIN’ HOLDOUTS WILL ACCEPT MCCARTHY CONCESSIONS

Rep.-elect Andy Harris, R-Md., was the sole holdout to flip to McCarthy in the 13th round of voting after 13 holdouts and one “present” voting member flipped their votes in the 12th round.

McCarthy received a total of 214 votes in the 13th ballot to Rep.-elect Hakeem Jeffries’, D-N.Y., 212 votes and Rep.-elect Jim Jordan’s, R-Ohio, six votes. Two Republicans were not present to cast their votes due to medical and family reasons, but are expected to return by the end of the day to cast their votes for McCarthy as the rounds of voting are likely to continue.

With those additional votes, McCarthy is expected to have 216 total votes, meaning just two of the six remaining holdouts would need to flip their support in order to reach the required threshold to be elected speaker.