Tag Archives: Lauren Boebert

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Live updates: McCarthy’s bid for House speaker continues

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WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans flailed through a second day of multiple balloting Wednesday, unable to elect Rep. Kevin McCarthy as House speaker or to come up with a new strategy to end the political chaos that has tarnished the start of their new majority.

For a fifth time, Republicans tried to vote McCarthy into the top job as the House plunged deeper into disarray. That came moments after the fourth vote showed 20 conservative holdouts still refusing to support him, unchanged from the previous time around and leaving him far short of the 218 votes typically needed to win the gavel.

“Let cooler, more rational heads prevail,” said Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, a conservative aligned with the far-right Freedom Caucus who nevertheless nominated McCarthy.

Rep. Lauren Boebert, a firm Colorado conservative, nominated Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., the chosen protest candidate of the day— and called for former President Donald Trump, the conservatives’ hero, to tell McCarthy, “`Sir, you do not have the votes and it’s time to withdraw.”

Earlier Wednesday, Trump had done the opposite, urging Republicans to vote for McCarthy. “Close the deal, take the victory, he wrote on his social media site, using all capital letters. “Do not turn a great triumph into a giant & embarrassing defeat.”

Yet the California Republican vowed to keep fighting despite losing in multiple rounds of voting that threw the new majority into tumult a day earlier. Animated private discussions broke out on the chamber floor between McCarthy supporters and detractors searching for an endgame.

The House gaveled in at noon, but no other work could be done — swearing in new members, forming committees, tackling legislation, investigating the Biden administration — until the speaker was elected.

“Sure, it looks messy,” said Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., a McCarthy ally who quickly re-nominated him for the job with a rousing speech designed to peel off detractors. But democracy is messy, he said. “The American people are in charge.”

McCarthy himself entered the chamber saying, “We’ll have another vote.”

But the dynamic proved no different from Day One, as Democrats re-upped their leader, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, for speaker, and a right-flank leader from the Freedom Caucus twice offered a challenge to McCarthy — nominating Donalds in another history making moment. Both Jeffries and Donalds are Black.

“This country needs leadership,” said Rep. Chip Roy, the Texas Republican noting the first time in history two Black Americans were nominated for the high office, and lawmakers from both parties rose to applaud.

It was the first time in 100 years that a nominee for House speaker could not take the gavel on the first vote, but McCarthy appeared undeterred. Instead, he vowed to fight to the finish.

The disorganized start to the new Congress pointed to difficulties ahead with Republicans now in control of the House.

President Joe Biden, departing the White House for a bipartisan event in Kentucky with Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, said “the rest of the world is looking” at the scene on the House floor.

“I just think it’s really embarrassing it’s taking so long,” Biden said. “I have no idea” who will prevail.

Tensions flared among the new House majority as their campaign promises stalled out. Not since 1923 has a speaker’s election gone to multiple ballots, and the longest and most grueling fight for the gavel started in late 1855 and dragged out for two months, with 133 ballots, during debates over slavery in the run-up to the Civil War.

A new generation of conservative Republicans, many aligned with Trump’s Make America Great Again agenda, want to upend business as usual in Washington, and were committed to stopping McCarthy’s rise without concessions to their priorities.

“Kevin McCarthy is not going to be a speaker,” declared Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., one of the holdouts.

As the spectacle of voting dragged on, McCarthy’s backers implored the holdouts to fall in line for the California Republican.

“We all came here to get things done,” the second-ranking Republican, Rep. Steve Scalise, said in a Tuesday speech nominating McCarthy for the vote and urging his colleagues to drop their protest.

Railing against Democratic President Joe Biden’s agenda, Scalise, himself a possible GOP compromise choice, said, “We can’t start fixing those problems until we elect Kevin McCarthy our next speaker.”

The standoff over McCarthy has been building since Republicans won the House majority in the midterm elections. While the Senate remains in Democratic hands, barely, House Republicans are eager to confront Biden after two years of the Democrats controlling both houses of Congress. The conservative Freedom Caucus led the opposition to McCarthy, believing he’s neither conservative enough nor tough enough to battle Democrats.

To win support, McCarthy has already agreed to many of the demands of the Freedom Caucus, who have been agitating for rules changes and other concessions that give rank-and-file members more influence in the legislative process. He has been here before, having bowed out of the speakers race in 2015 when he failed to win over conservatives.

“Everything’s on the table,” said ally Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C. — except, he said, having McCarthy step aside. “Not at all. That is not on the table.”

Democrats enthusiastically nominated Jeffries, who is taking over as party leader, as their choice for speaker. He won the most votes overall, 212.

If McCarthy could win 213 votes, and then persuade the remaining naysayers to simply vote present, he would be able to lower the threshold required under the rules to have the majority.

It’s a strategy former House speakers, including outgoing Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican Speaker John Boehner had used when they confronted opposition, winning the gavel with fewer than 218 votes.

One Republican, Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana, voted present on the fourth round vote, but it made little difference in the immediate outcome.

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Frisch concedes race against Boebert as it goes to recount

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DENVER (AP) — While conceding his tight U.S. House race to Republican Lauren Boebert, Democrat Adam Frisch said on Friday that his surprisingly strong campaign showed just how tired many GOP voters are of Boebert’s brash style.

The Associated Press has declared the election in Colorado’s sprawling 3rd Congressional District too close to call. AP will await the results of a potential recount to call the race. With nearly all votes counted, the incumbent Boebert leads Frisch by about 0.17 percentage points, or 554 votes out of over 327,000 votes counted.

The unexpectedly close margin for Boebert, one of Congress’s staunchest supporters of former President Donald Trump, was the latest indication that Trump’s influence on Republican voters could be waning amid a nationwide fight over the direction of the Republican Party. It is a question some Republican leaders raised in partly blaming Trump for their dismal midterm results even as the former president forged ahead in launching his 2024 presidential bid.

“America is tired of the circus, tired of the lack of respect for our institutions and democracy, and tired of the lack of civility in our discourse,” Frisch said. The Democrat added that he hasn’t ruled out another bid for the seat in 2024. Prognosticators, pundits and the political establishment had largely thought Frisch’s campaign futile, but the thin margin is its own small victory for the Democrat.

“We were written off by the political class, we were written off by the donor class and we were written off by the political media,” Frisch told the AP. “I wish more people didn’t take nine months to call me back.”

Frisch said he supports the mandatory recount but that it would be unrealistic to think it would flip enough votes for him to win. He called Boebert to concede the race.

In Colorado, a mandatory recount is triggered when the margin of votes between the top two candidates is at or below 0.5% of the leading candidate’s vote total. That margin was around 0.34% on Friday.

Frisch’s comments come after Boebert claimed victory late Thursday in a tweeted video of her standing in front of the U.S. Capitol.

“Come January, you can be certain of two things,” said Boebert before thanking her supporters, “I will be sworn in for my second term as your congresswoman and Republicans can finally turn Pelosi’s house back into the People’s House.”

In the mold of Trump, Boebert’s provocative style has galvanized anti-establishment angst and won a loyal following on the right. With frequent TV appearances and a near-household name, the campaign cash flowed in — she raised $6.6 million in the past two years, an astronomical sum for a freshman member of the House.

Frisch campaigned on a largely conservative platform and against what he dubbed Boebert’s “antics” and “angertainment.”

The former city council member in the posh town of Aspen hoped to entice disaffected Republicans and build a bi-partisan political coalition. He rarely mentioned he was a Democrat on the campaign trail and backed removing Democrat Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House, saying he wanted to lower the partisan temperature in Washington. It was an indirect dig at Boebert that resonated with voters in a highly rural district that, though conservative, have often backed pragmatists.

“We have shown the country that extremists politicians can be defeated, loud voices are not invincible, and shouting will not solve problems,” said Frisch.

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Business

Elon Musk: US needs to increase oil, gas production ‘immediately’

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Tesla CEO Elon MuskElon Reeve MuskOn The Money — Push to block Russian imports hits wall Elon Musk invites UAW to hold unionization vote at Tesla The Hill’s 12:30 Report – Sights and sounds from Biden’s State of the Union MORE urged the United States to increase its oil and gas production following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, despite the negative impact on his company.

“Hate to say it, but we need to increase oil & gas output immediately. Extraordinary times demand extraordinary measures,” Musk tweeted on Friday.

“Obviously, this would negatively affect Tesla, but sustainable energy solutions simply cannot react instantaneously to make up for Russian oil & gas exports,” he added.

Several Republicans responded to Musk, echoing their agreement. 

“I couldn’t agree more,” Sen. Tim ScottTimothy (Tim) Eugene ScottThe Hill’s Morning Report – Russia’s war against Ukraine grinds on House passes bill making lynching a federal hate crime Iowa Gov. Reynolds to give GOP response to Biden State of the Union MORE (R-S.C.) tweeted in response.

“America is funding Russia’s war by buying Russian oil and gas rather than producing our own,” Rep. Lauren BoebertLauren BoebertPelosi says Boebert and Greene ‘should just shut up’ House passes bill to expand health benefits for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits The Memo: Boebert’s antics seen as new sign of politics’ decline MORE (R-Co.) also tweeted.

The tweets come against the backdrop of a bipartisan group of lawmakers signaling support for a ban on oil and energy imports from Russia. House Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiOn The Money — Job growth booms in February Russian oil company calls for peace in Ukraine in break with Putin 2024 Republicans eager to be seen as tough on Russia MORE (D-Calif.) said on Thursday that while she did not want the prices of gas to go up, she did support blocking oil imports.

“I’m all for that — ban it,” the House Speaker said. “Ban the oil coming from Russia.”

Sens. Joe ManchinJoe ManchinOn The Money — Job growth booms in February Overnight Health Care — Presented by Alexion — Manchin pitch sparks Democratic exasperation Russian oil company calls for peace in Ukraine in break with Putin MORE (D-W.Va.) and Lisa MurkowskiLisa Ann MurkowskiRussian oil company calls for peace in Ukraine in break with Putin Photos of the Week: State of the Union, Ukraine vigil and Batman On The Money — Push to block Russian imports hits wall MORE (R-Alaska) on Thursday proposed legislation to ban energy imports from Russia.

“The United States has the ability to backfill and help all of our allies around the world as they [Russia] use this energy as a weapon,” the West Virginia senator said during a Thursday press conference. “We have to make sure that we’re doing ours [energy production]. We do it cleaner than anybody else. We do it in a better fashion anybody else. And we have the ability with a reserve to do much more during this crisis.”

White House press secretary Jen PsakiJen PsakiZelensky slams NATO over refusing to implement no-fly zone over Ukraine Energy & Environment — Russian takeover sparks nuclear jitters On The Money — Job growth booms in February MORE said on Friday that the Biden administration was weighing cutting down on Russian oil imports to the United States while expressing concern over the likelihood of gas prices rising.

“We are looking at options we could take right now to cut U.S. consumption of Russian energy, but we are very focused on minimizing the impact to families,” Psaki said. “If you reduce supply in the global marketplace, you are going to raise gas prices.”



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US

Seth Meyers Takes Down Paul Gosar, the GOP’s Most ‘Unhinged’ ‘Idiot’

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It takes a lot these days to become the most odious Republican in Congress, but Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) got there this week after the House formally censured him for tweeting murder anime that targeted his colleague Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).

While President Joe Biden signed the bipartisan infrastructure bill into law this week, Meyers explained that “Republicans spent their Wednesday defending one of their most unhinged members.” In his own defense, Gosar said that if he has to follow in the footsteps of Alexander Hamilton, who was the first member of Congress to face a censure vote, “then so be it, it is done.”

“I love when these idiots try to sound smart and adopt a defiant tone by using dramatic language like ‘so be it, it is done,’” Meyers replied. “You don’t sound like a Founding Father, you sound like Cousin Greg.”

And to Republicans “complaining that this is a waste of time,” the Late Night host said, “This whole thing would have been much easier and taken up much less time if you’d just been willing to step forward and say it was a deeply stupid tweet. But to be fair, he is a deeply stupid man.”

From there, Meyers broke down some of the worst defenses from the “dumbest people in politics,” including Louie Gohmert, Lauren Boebert, and Matt Gaetz. “Our political system can’t function like this,” he said, “where one party, for all its many flaws, tries to govern responsibly and the other wants to burn everything down.”

Meyers ultimately connected the dots all the way to the anti-Democracy movement on the right, because “the same people defending Gosar are the ones who tried to overturn the election on January 6th.” Ultimately, he said that there’s “no behavior too grotesque” for the GOP to defend, whether it’s Donald Trump endorsing the idea of melting down voting machines to make prison bars or Gosar’s “deeply stupid tweet.”

For more, listen and subscribe to The Last Laugh podcast.

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Report: Rally organizers say GOP lawmakers worked on Jan. 6 protests

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Two people who helped plan the pro-Trump rallies that took place in Washington, D.C., ahead of the Capitol riot on Jan. 6 say members of Congress and the White House helped plan the protest that turned violent.

The two people spoke to Rolling Stone for a report published Sunday evening. Neither of the sources were identified, though Rolling Stone described one as a “rally organizer” and another as a “planner.”

Rolling Stone reported the two are also talking to the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack.

The sources said they took part in “dozens” of planning briefings before the Jan. 6 rally where Trump spoke. That rally ended with protesters marching to the Capitol, where they overwhelmed Capitol Police and invaded the building, interrupting the counting of Electoral College votes by a joint session of Congress. Five deaths were connected the the violence.

The two sources for the Rolling Stone piece said the members who either participated in the work or sent top staffers included GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor GreeneMarjorie Taylor GreeneGOP efforts to downplay danger of Capitol riot increase The Memo: What now for anti-Trump Republicans? Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene says she’s meeting with Trump ‘soon’ in Florida MORE (Ga.), Paul GosarPaul Anthony GosarThree key behind-the-scenes figures in Jan. 6 probe GOP’s embrace of Trump’s false claims creates new perils Domestic extremists return to the Capitol MORE (Ariz.), Lauren BoebertLauren BoebertRepublicans’ mantra should have been ‘Stop the Spread’ Democrats fret as longshot candidates pull money, attention Colorado remap plan creates new competitive district MORE (Colo.), Mo BrooksMorris (Mo) Jackson BrooksThree key behind-the-scenes figures in Jan. 6 probe Black Hawk pilot shot down in Somalia jumps into Alabama Senate race Democratic retirements could make a tough midterm year even worse MORE (Ala.), Madison Cawthorn (N.C.), Andy Biggs (Ariz.) and Louie GohmertLouis (Louie) Buller GohmertHouse passes bill to end crack and powder cocaine sentencing disparity Republicans keep distance from ‘Justice for J6’ rally Security forces under pressure to prevent repeat of Jan. 6 MORE (Texas.).

Both organizers also told the magazine that Mark MeadowsMark MeadowsThree key behind-the-scenes figures in Jan. 6 probe Meadows hires former deputy AG to represent him in Jan. 6 probe: report The Hill’s 12:30 Report – Presented by Altria – White House tackles how to vaccinate children ages 5+ MORE, who was serving as then-President TrumpDonald TrumpSix big off-year elections you might be missing Twitter suspends GOP Rep. Banks for misgendering trans health official Meghan McCain to Trump: ‘Thanks for the publicity’ MORE’s chief of staff, played a significant role in discussions regarding the protests ahead of Jan. 6.

One of the planners said “Meadows was 100 percent made aware of what was going on,” adding that he was “a regular figure in these really tiny groups of national organizers.”

The sources also said concerns were raised to Meadows that the “Stop the Steal” protest could turn violent.

Meadows has been subpoenaed by the Jan. 6 panel. The committee said he is, “so far, engaging with the Select Committee.”

Rolling Stone reported that Gosar floated the possibility of a “blanket pardon” that could be available for those planning the protests, with one of the two sources saying that “our impression was that it was a done deal.”

“That he’d spoken to the president about it in the Oval … in a meeting about pardons and that our names came up. They were working on submitting the paperwork and getting members of the House Freedom Caucus to sign on as a show of support,” the source added.

The source said Gosar offered “several assurances” about the pardons.

Gosar’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill and did not comment for the Rolling Stone piece.

Greene’s office responded to Rolling Stone’s report in a statement to The Hill, contending that the congresswoman and her staff were solely focused on objecting to the certification of the Electoral College vote and “had nothing to do with the planning of any protest.”

Her office also pointed to Democratic lawmakers who “tried to prevent President Trump’s election win from being certified.”

“No one cares about Jan. 6 when gas prices are skyrocketing, grocery store shelves are empty, unemployment is skyrocketing, businesses are going bankrupt, our border is being invaded, children are forced to wear masks, vaccine mandates are getting workers fired, and 13 members of our military are murdered by the Taliban and Americans are left stranded in Afghanistan,” her office added.

Hilton Beckham, communications director for Biggs, said the congressman has made it clear that he was not involved with the events surrounding Jan. 6, before turning to an attack on Rolling Stone’s credibility.

“Congressman Biggs has addressed the events of Jan. 6th several times and has made his lack of involvement abundantly clear. Rolling Stone’s reputation is already tattered and the baseless claims it’s making about Congressman Biggs from ‘anonymous sources’ only calls its credibility further into question,” Beckham told The Hill in a statement.

The Hill has reached out to Meadows and the GOP lawmakers mentioned in Rolling Stone’s report for comment.

The two sources the magazine that they have informally been in contact with the panel thus far but that they intend to testify in a public setting.

“I have no problem openly testifying,” one organizer told the magazine.

The Hill has reached out to the Jan. 6 select committee for comment.

Updated at 12:49 p.m.



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Watchdog group seeks ethics probe over McCarthy’s Jan. 6 comments

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A public interest group is calling for an ethics investigation into House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthyKevin McCarthyCharlotte Observer calls for GOP to censure Cawthorn over ‘bloodshed’ remark Cheney elevated as vice chair of Jan. 6 committee Hillicon Valley — Industry groups want more time to report cybersecurity incidents MORE (R-Calif.) after he told communications companies that the GOP “will not forget” if they turn phone and email records over to the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

The complaint from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) argues that both McCarthy and Rep. Marjorie Taylor GreeneMarjorie Taylor GreeneGOP efforts to downplay danger of Capitol riot increase The Memo: What now for anti-Trump Republicans? Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene says she’s meeting with Trump ‘soon’ in Florida MORE (R-Ga.) violated House rules by threatening to retaliate against companies that comply with legal requests.

The House committee investigating the attack on the Capitol sent letters to 35 tech and communications firms Monday asking for a trove of documents, including for personal communications of those involved with the “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6 — a group likely to include lawmakers.

“If these companies comply with the Democrat order to turn over private information, they are in violation of federal law and subject to losing their ability to operate in the United States,” McCarthy wrote.

“If companies still choose to violate federal law, a Republican majority will not forget and will stand with Americans to hold them fully accountable under the law,” he said.

McCarthy did not cite which law prohibits telecommunications companies from complying with the committee’s request.

While communications companies often seek to alert those whose records will be turned over, it’s not clear if complying with the request would violate the law given Congress’s investigative authority.

“House rules require members to uphold the laws of the United States and to conduct themselves at all times in a manner that reflects creditably on the House. The threats of Reps. McCarthy and Greene do neither. Threatening retaliation for complying with legally valid document demands and preservation requests appears to violate 18 U.S.C. § 1505, which prohibits obstructing congressional investigations, and does not reflect creditably on the House,” CREW President Noah Bookbinder wrote in a complaint filed with the Office of Congressional Ethics.

Like McCarthy, Greene told Fox News this week that companies would face ramifications for compliance with the requests.

“If these telecommunications companies, if they go along with this, they will be shut down. And that’s a promise,” she told Fox’s Tucker CarlsonTucker CarlsonAustralian reporter clashes with Sidney Powell over 2020 election claims Ominous warnings from Afghanistan’s last men standing Fox News requires employees to provide vaccination status MORE on Tuesday. 

Greene’s records have reportedly been requested by the committee, according to CNN. The news outlet also found the committee would seek the phone records of GOP Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Paul GosarPaul Anthony GosarJan. 6 panel seeks records of those involved in ‘Stop the Steal’ rally Cawthorn calls jailed Jan. 6 rioters ‘political hostages’ Jan. 6 panel to ask for preservation of phone records of GOP lawmakers who participated in Trump rally: report MORE (Ariz.), Matt GaetzMatthew (Matt) GaetzCawthorn to introduce resolution condemning political violence after warning of ‘bloodshed’ if elections are ‘rigged’ The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by AT&T – Defiant Biden defends US exit from Afghanistan Florida developer charged in alleged M scheme to extort Gaetz’s family MORE (Fla.), Lauren BoebertLauren BoebertJan. 6 panel seeks records of those involved in ‘Stop the Steal’ rally Jan. 6 panel to ask for preservation of phone records of GOP lawmakers who participated in Trump rally: report Biden emphasizes that Afghan refugees will be vetted before entering US MORE (Colo.), Mo BrooksMorris (Mo) Jackson BrooksJan. 6 panel seeks records of those involved in ‘Stop the Steal’ rally Jan. 6 panel to ask for preservation of phone records of GOP lawmakers who participated in Trump rally: report Press: Why is Mo Brooks still in the House? MORE (Ala.), Madison Cawthorn (N.C.), Louie GohmertLouis (Louie) Buller GohmertCawthorn to introduce resolution condemning political violence after warning of ‘bloodshed’ if elections are ‘rigged’ Jan. 6 panel seeks records of those involved in ‘Stop the Steal’ rally Cawthorn calls jailed Jan. 6 rioters ‘political hostages’ MORE (Texas), Jody HiceJody Brownlow HiceJan. 6 panel seeks records of those involved in ‘Stop the Steal’ rally Jan. 6 panel to ask for preservation of phone records of GOP lawmakers who participated in Trump rally: report 57 House Republicans back Georgia against DOJ voting rights lawsuit MORE (Ga.), Scott PerryScott Gordon PerryJan. 6 panel seeks records of those involved in ‘Stop the Steal’ rally Jan. 6 panel to ask for preservation of phone records of GOP lawmakers who participated in Trump rally: report Photos of the Week: Olympic sabre semi-finals, COVID-19 vigil and a loris MORE (Pa.) and Jim JordanJames (Jim) Daniel JordanDemocrats’ Jan. 6 subpoena-palooza sets dangerous precedent Jan. 6 panel seeks records of those involved in ‘Stop the Steal’ rally Jan. 6 panel to ask for preservation of phone records of GOP lawmakers who participated in Trump rally: report MORE (Ohio), whom Republicans once tapped to serve on the committee.

Following McCarthy’s comment, the committee said it would not be deterred in its work.

“The Select Committee is investigating the violent attack on the Capitol and attempt to overturn the results of last year’s election,” a committee spokesperson said Tuesday.

“We’ve asked companies not to destroy records that may help answer questions for the American people. The committee’s efforts won’t be deterred by those who want to whitewash or cover up the events of January 6th, or obstruct our investigation.”

The Office of Congressional Ethics declined to comment while representatives for McCarthy and Greene did not immediately respond to The Hill.



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Controversy equals cash for Greene, Gaetz

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Reps. Marjorie Taylor GreeneMarjorie Taylor GreeneGOP efforts to downplay danger of Capitol riot increase The Memo: What now for anti-Trump Republicans? Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene says she’s meeting with Trump ‘soon’ in Florida MORE (R-Ga.) and Matt GaetzMatthew (Matt) GaetzCalifornia venue cancels Gaetz, Greene’s ‘America First’ rally Gaetz campaign hired law firm used by Jeffrey Epstein, campaign filing shows Britney Spears thanks fans after judge rules in favor of lawyer request MORE (R-Fla.) are among the top-ranked fundraisers in the House, according to new Federal Election Commission filings, with each bringing in more than $1 million.

Greene, who was stripped of her committee assignments earlier this year after expressing support for violence against Democrats, raised more than $1.5 million. Greene has also come under criticism from Republicans for remarks about the Holocaust.

Gaetz has been mired in controversy as investigators examine whether he violated federal sex trafficking laws. But he took in $1.4 million despite having to refund 50 campaign donations.

Those numbers are smaller than what the top House GOP leaders raked in but are a reflection of how controversy is paying off for some lawmakers who match inflammatory words with high-profile presences on cable news and social media.

“Even though they aren’t necessarily the most powerful members of Congress, they have a very high profile on social media, and that enables them to reach potential contributors,” said John J. Pitney Jr., a professor of government at Claremont McKenna College. “Before social media, before online contributions, it would have been very, very difficult for backbenchers to get that kind of visibility and raise that kind of money.”

Pitney also said that lawmakers such as Greene are taking advantage of a “permanent” campaign process in which they are constantly asking for people to donate to them, often off of their own controversies.

“The more visibility she has, the more money she can raise, and the more money she raises, the more she can buy ads,” he said, referring to Greene’s purchasing patterns.

“Outrage equals visibility,” he said.  

Green and Gaetz are among the top 10 fundraisers in the House GOP conference for the second quarter.

Rep. Jim JordanJames (Jim) Daniel JordanTop House antitrust Republican forms ‘Freedom from Big Tech Caucus’ Cheney reportedly told Jim Jordan ‘you f—— did this’ during Jan. 6 riot McCarthy, GOP face a delicate dance on Jan. 6 committee MORE (R-Ohio), a former leader of the conservative House Freedom Caucus and vocal supporter of former President Donald TrumpDonald TrumpFormer surgeon general says CDC guidance on masks ‘premature’ and ‘wrong’ Biden calls on Congress to pass voting rights bills on anniversary of John Lewis’s death Cuba, Haiti pose major challenges for Florida Democrats MORE who also has an active presence on Fox News, raised more than $1 million as well. 

Minority Whip Steve ScaliseStephen (Steve) Joseph ScaliseHouse Republicans post record fundraising ahead of midterms GOP divided on anti-Biden midterm message Defense contractors ramp up donations to GOP election objectors MORE (La.) and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthyKevin McCarthyEx-Trump official: ‘No. 1 national security threat I’ve ever seen’ is GOP Top House antitrust Republican forms ‘Freedom from Big Tech Caucus’ The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Goldman Sachs – Schumer sets firm deadline on bipartisan infrastructure plan MORE (Calif.) were the House GOP’s top two fundraisers, bringing in $3.7 and $3.4 million respectively.

Another big winner was Rep. Dan CrenshawDaniel CrenshawWhite House and Congress would be wise to heed Cotton’s Navy report White House backs Gwen Berry’s right to protest amid GOP backlash Meghan McCain suggests Olympian turning away from flag gives Putin propaganda MORE (Texas), who is among the most high-profile House Republicans on cable news and social media.

He raised $3 million in the second quarter, a huge total for a rank-and-file House member, and closed the month with almost $3.9 million in the bank.

Crenshaw and other Republicans with piles of cash sank money into Facebook and other social media platforms to fundraise.

Crenshaw’s campaign paid for Facebook ads nearly every day of April and May, totaling approximately $80,000 across the quarter. A smaller $1,207 was spent on Google ads.  

Greene sank $15,000 into digital advertising on the conservative social media network Parler and $41,000 into Facebook.

Jordan raised nearly $1.6 million and has $7.3 million on hand.

First-term Rep. Lauren BoebertLauren BoebertGOP vaccine resistance poses growing challenge in pandemic fight The Memo: COVID-19 spike raises stakes for Biden, GOP Newsmax issues statement in favor of vaccines after host says they’re ‘against nature’ MORE (R-Colo.), who has won headlines and controversy recently with criticisms of federal vaccination efforts, raised nearly $1 million. 

Some Republicans who have criticized Trump also banked cash.

Rep. Liz CheneyElizabeth (Liz) Lynn CheneyCan we please have an authoritative definition of RINO? The Hill’s 12:30 Report – Presented by Facebook – Manchin on board with spending deal How Trump can win again: Become the calm, moderate candidate MORE (R-Wyo.), who was removed as a House GOP leader over her criticisms of Trump, pulled in about $1.9 million and closed the quarter with more than $2.8 million in the bank, according to the filings. 

“Trump is a tremendous motivator of campaign contributions,” Pitney said. “People give to support Trump, and they give to oppose Trump. A year ago, Liz Cheney probably wouldn’t have raised a lot of money from anti-Trump folks, but recent events have drawn a lot of money her way.” 



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World

14 Republicans vote against resolution condemning Myanmar military coup

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More than a dozen House Republicans voted Friday against a resolution condemning the military coup in Myanmar amid concerns over some of its language, drawing pushback from Democrats.

A House Democratic aide told The Hill that Republicans had raised concerns over a section of the resolution regarding election integrity, but Democrats refused to strip the language.

The measure ultimately passed the House in a broad 398-14 vote, condemning Myanmar’s military junta for overthrowing the country’s civilian government in a Feb. 1 takeover.

The GOP lawmakers who voted against the legislation were Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Lauren Boebert (Colo.), Ken BuckKenneth (Ken) Robert BuckBipartisan group of lawmakers backs bill ‘to save local news’ An antitrust agenda that builds upon bipartisan ideas  House to launch antitrust hearings starting next week MORE (Colo.), Ted BuddTheodore (Ted) Paul BuddRepublican rips GOP lawmakers for voting by proxy from CPAC 42 GOP lawmakers press for fencing around Capitol to be removed READ: The Republicans who voted to challenge election results MORE (N.C.), Matt GaetzMatthew (Matt) GaetzCongress honors Capitol Police with Congressional Gold Medals Pandemic sparks marijuana sales boom Gaetz, Jordan ask House Judiciary to probe conservatorships, citing ‘Free Britney’ MORE (Fla.), Marjorie Taylor GreeneMarjorie Taylor GreeneRep. Marjorie Taylor Greene says she’s meeting with Trump ‘soon’ in Florida QAnon site shutters after reports identifying developer Republicans head to runoff in GA-14 MORE (Ga.), Andy HarrisAndrew (Andy) Peter HarrisHouse GOP holdouts muddle Trump vaccine message Lawmakers clash over gun prohibition in Natural Resources Committee room Boebert responds to criticism of her gun storage in Zoom background MORE (Md.), Jody HiceJody Brownlow HiceHillicon Valley: Senate Republicans call for hearing on FTC’s Obama-era Google decision | US grid at rising risk to cyberattack, says GAO | YouTube rolls out TikTok rival in the US House Republicans examine federal election funds awarded to Biden-linked firm Connolly to GOP: I won’t be lectured by those who voted to overturn the election MORE (Ga.), Thomas MassieThomas Harold MassieHouse approves bills tightening background checks on guns Can members of Congress carry firearms on the Capitol complex? Republicans rally to keep Cheney in power MORE (Ky.), Mary Miller (Ill.), Alex MooneyAlexander (Alex) Xavier MooneyRepublicans block 25th Amendment resolution to oust Trump House to vote on impeaching Trump Wednesday READ: The Republicans who voted to challenge election results MORE (W.Va.), Barry Moore (Ala.), Scott PerryScott Gordon PerryNew Democratic super PAC to target swing-district Republicans over vote to overturn election The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden: Focus on vaccine, virus, travel NYT: Rep. Perry played role in alleged Trump plan to oust acting AG MORE (Pa.) and Chip RoyCharles (Chip) Eugene RoyThe Memo: America faces long war with extremism Hogan says Chip Roy ‘should be ashamed of himself’ Meng rebukes Chip Roy in hearing on violence against Asian Americans MORE (Texas).

Biggs in a video statement Friday condemned the violence in Myanmar but emphasized that “we can’t simply be the military police for the entire world.”

“When we do that, that’s how we end up in Afghanistan for 20 years, that’s how we end up having military personnel in over 100 nations,” he said. “The resolutions won’t stop the military junta.”

The Democratic aide said House Republicans had raised concerns over language in the resolution referencing election integrity. Members of Myanmar’s ruling party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) were deposed last month, with the military claiming that last year’s general election was invalid. 

“Whereas the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] claimed they had evidence of parliamentary election fraud perpetrated by the NLD and Burma’s Union Election Commission, an allegation that contradicted the judgment of several independent election monitoring organizations that the electoral process and outcome were credible despite minor irregularities,” the House resolution states.

Rep. Andy LevinAndrew (Andy) LevinAmazon union battle comes to Washington Democrats under pressure to deliver on labor’s ‘litmus test’ bill Democrats unveil bill to end tax break for investment managers MORE (D-Mich.), the sponsor of the measure, expressed disbelief after the vote that some conservatives would object to language deeming Myanmar’s election legitimate. He said that, with the blessing of House Majority Leader Steny HoyerSteny Hamilton HoyerMcCarthy in combative exchange with CNN’s Raju on election Ex-DC police chief: Sen. Johnson comments ‘racist’ Border surge scrambles Senate immigration debate MORE (D-Md.), Democrats declined to strip the provision out, forcing Friday’s vote on a bill Democrats had hoped would skate through the House.

“I don’t mean to be naive, but this idea that we can’t say that our own election was legitimate, and we can’t talk about elections around the world because it reflects back [on our own],” Levin said. “There are still democracies hanging on by a thread in this world.” 

The vote comes as Myanmar’s military bats down pro-democracy protests with increasing force. At least 224 protesters have been killed and at least 2,258 people were arrested, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

The House resolution specifically calls on the junta to release Myanmar’s civilian leaders from detention and allow elected officials to return to their seats in parliament.

Mike Lillis and Laura Kelly contributed.



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