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Open revolt: McCarthy rejected a second time — Kevin McCarthy again failed to secure the votes for speaker in a highly unusual second ballot, as his dozen-plus detractors refused to relent in their push for fresh leadership atop the party. — This time, conservative hero Rep. Jim Jordan …
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Welcome to the MAGA Crackup — The incredible shrinking Kevin McCarthy — Well, Happy New Year to you, too. — Today was supposed to be the GOP's celebration of the Red Wave, a moment of triumph and anticipation. Instead, we are likely to get a sh*tshow for the ages from an unruly …
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Daily Mail, The Triad, Mediaite, Semafor, Raw Story, New York Times and NPR


McCarthy Remains Short of Support to Become Speaker as Vote Nears — A monthslong lobbying effort has failed to yield the breakthrough the California Republican would need to cement the top job, threatening a messy floor fight just as his party is assuming control of the House.
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Why Kevin McCarthy Is So Bad at This — This article is part of The D.C. Brief, TIME's politics newsletter. Sign up here to get stories like this sent to your inbox. — When Rep. Kevin McCarthy left his downtown D.C. condo just before 8 a.m. on Tuesday, the first full day of work …
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Washington Examiner, New York Post, New Republic, Reuters, The Daily Caller, Just The News, Al Jazeera, Digby's Hullabaloo, NBC News and Washington Times


These Republicans voted against Kevin McCarthy for House speaker — The House of Representatives convened Tuesday to elect its next speaker, and for the first time in 100 years it's taken multiple rounds of ballots to make a choice. — With Republicans holding just 222 seats to the Democrats' 212 …
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McCarthy: Gaetz said 'I don't care' if Jeffries wins Speakership instead of me — House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) criticized Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) on Tuesday after he reportedly told House GOP members that he doesn't care if the chamber elects Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.) …
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The Intercept, Fox News, Washington Examiner, Insider, RedState, UPROXX, Raw Story, Political Wire and Washington Times

McCarthy Proposes Gutting Office of Congressional Ethics in Bid for Speaker — House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy spent the first two days of the new year trying to shore up GOP support for his bid to be Speaker by releasing a series of proposals aimed at winning over hard-right detractors who stand to torpedo his ascension.


Never Trumpers Understood Kevin McCarthy's Conference Better Than He Did
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The Independent and Raw Story

House speaker battle: Profanities fly as Republican factions get heated over McCarthy speakership bid
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Mother Jones, Washington Examiner, Washington Free Beacon, Breitbart, CNN, Raw Story, Denver Post, The Hill, New York Post, Mediaite, IJR, Just The News and Reuters

How the House elects its speaker, and why Tuesday's vote could make history
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Kevin McCarthy will learn his fate today
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Metal detectors removed from outside the House chamber — Metal detectors were removed from outside the House chamber with the start of the new Republican-controlled House on Tuesday. — The extra layer of security was ordered put in place by then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) …
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The Gateway Pundit
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House GOP ditches metal detectors 3 days before Capitol riot anniversary
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Madison Indigenous arts leader, activist revealed as white — Early in 2020, an Indigenous artist urged the owners of a new music venue in town to change its name. — It was called The Winnebago, after the street on which it stands. Many Indigenous people and allies let the owners …
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HotAir


Two charged with attacks on four Pierce County power substations — Attacks over the Christmas holiday caused $3 million in damage and cut power to thousands — Tacoma - Two Puyallup, Washington, men will appear in U.S. District Court in Tacoma today charged with conspiracy …


George Santos Comes to Washington. It Could Be Awkward. — On the first day of the 118th Congress, the representative-elect, a Republican who has made false claims about his background, education and finances, will bring his saga to Capitol Hill. — WASHINGTON — Representative-elect George Santos has been hard to pin down.
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Mother Jones and USA Today
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Santos vows to support McCarthy for speaker
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The Hill, Sabato's Crystal Ball, Bloomberg, CNN, Bob Gaydos and abc7NY


Kellyanne Conway Reveals Only Person Donald Trump ‘Reserves Fear For’ — Conway said she contacted Melania Trump on Jan. 6, 2021, to have her husband quell the growing mob — because Melania was the only person Trump feared. — Donald Trump feared just one person during his volatile one-term presidency: his own wife, Melania Trump.
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Law & Crime, Raw Story, UPROXX, Insider, Select Committee … and Washington Press


Biden to Renominate His Picks for Judicial and Diplomatic Posts — Nominees, including Eric Garcetti as ambassador to India, to be resubmitted after failing to win Senate confirmation last year — WASHINGTON—The White House intends to renominate dozens of presidential selections who failed …
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Los Angeles Times, Washington Free Beacon, NBC News, Associated Press, The Daily Caller, Bloomberg and Daily News, more at Techmeme »


Americans Largely Pessimistic About U.S. Prospects in 2023 — WASHINGTON, D.C. — Coming off several challenging years, Americans enter 2023 with a mostly gloomy outlook for the U.S. as majorities predict negative conditions in 12 of 13 economic, political, societal and international arenas.
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UPI, The Daily Caller, Washington Free Beacon, The Hill, New York Post and Washington Examiner


Exclusive: Donald Trump Jr. signs 7-figure podcast deal with Rumble … - Rumble went public via a blank check company merger in September that valued the platform at over $2 billion at the time. — The company has made strides in user growth, but continues to burn through cash as it launches new features and spends on marketing.
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Washington Examiner, Mock Paper Scissors, The Daily Caller, Raw Story, Mediaite, Slay News, Rumble and The Hill, more at Mediagazer »


Virgin Islands Attorney General Loses Her Job Days After Suing JPMorgan Chase in Connection with the Jeffrey Epstein Probe — The Virgin Islands top prosecutor who reached a more than $105 million settlement with Jeffrey Epstein's estate lost her job days after suing JPMorgan Chase in connection with her probe.


Colorado plans to send more migrants to New York — NEW YORK — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis plans to send migrants to major cities including New York, Mayor Eric Adams said Tuesday, warning that the nation's largest city is already struggling to deal an influx of people sent from Texas and other Republican-led states.
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No Action Taken Against Army Officer After Public Dustup with Tucker Carlson over Women Serving — The Army took no action against Maj. Gen. Patrick Donahoe and allowed him to retire Sunday, ending a controversy after the service began an investigation into the armor officer's conduct online following posts …
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Washington Examiner


Muzzled by DeSantis, Critical Race Theory Professors Cancel Courses or Modify Their Teaching — Co-published with The Atlantic … Jonathan Cox faced an agonizing decision. He was scheduled to teach two classes this past fall at the University of Central Florida that would explore colorblind racism …
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Frontpage Mag


McConnell breaks Senate record for longest serving leader — The chamber's minority leader officially beat the previous 16-year tenure of former Sen. Mike Mansfield with the opening of the new Congress Tuesday. — Mitch McConnell officially broke the record for longest serving Senate leader on Tuesday.
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Trump's Tax Returns Are Only Part of the Picture — Democrats released six years' worth of former President Donald Trump's tax returns last Friday, confirming earlier findings outlined in a pair of congressional analyses of the records: Trump took hundreds of millions of dollars …


Pro-Putin operatives in Germany work to turn Berlin against Ukraine — In Germany some are clamouring for a change in course on Ukraine. Key figures in the campaign have links to the Russian state or far right, a Reuters investigation has found. — In a square beneath the twin spires …
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New York Times, Financial Times and Wall Street Journal