janea4old

. . . does the speaker have to be a member of the House? The Constitution is silent on that question, saying simply, "The House of Representatives shall chuse (sic) their Speaker and other Officers." https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/can-outsider-be-speaker-house-n441926 "the Speaker—who has always been (but is not required to be) a House Member" https://history.house.gov/People/Office/Speakers-Intro/ EVERY Speaker of the House in US history has been a member of the House. Update: Gaetz formally nominated Trump to be Speaker. Really.

Other news: Hillary Clinton will become a professor focusing on international affairs at Columbia University. Columbia said Clinton will work with the School of International and Public Affairs students starting in fall 2023. Her work will include efforts to renew democracy and to engage women and young people. https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/hillary-clinton-joins-columbia-u-as-global-affairs-professor/ Maura Healey, the first woman and first open member of the LGBTQ community to be elected governor of Massachusetts, was sworn into office at the Statehouse Thursday, pledging to lead "with empathy and with equity". https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/first-woman-elected-massachusetts-governor-sworn-in/

TENTH vote for Speaker of the House Nobody received more than half the votes, so nobody elected. People formally nominated for this vote: Republican Kevin McCarthy Democrat Hakeem Jeffries Byron Donalds (Republican from Florida) Kevin Hern (Republican from Oklahoma) Results of tenth vote: 200 - Republican Kevin McCarthy 212 - Democrat Hakeem Jeffries 13 - Byron Donalds (Republican from Florida) 7 - Kevin Hern (Republican from Oklahoma) Those who voted for Hern: Brecheen, Boebert, Gaetz, Andy Biggs (AZ), Eli Crane (AZ), Andy Harris (Maryland), Matt Rosendale (Montana) (but Hern voted for McCarthy) 1 vote as "present" (by Victoria Spartz of Indiana) 1 person did NOT vote: Ken Buck of Colorado 434 total. NOTE: Ken Buck didn't vote in rounds nine and ten because he had to leave for a medical appointment.

According to the NY Times, a nominee could win the speakership with fewer than 218 votes by persuading lawmakers who do not want to support him/her ... choose instead vote "present" or to not vote at all. I thought it required 218 votes which is more than 50% of the seats. But apparently I was mistaken. The winner is whoever receives more than 50% of those who cast a vote for a person. ("Present" doesn't count as a vote for a person.) This is one reason why the Dems remain and keep voting.

Ninth vote for Speaker of the House People formally nominated for this vote: Republican Kevin McCarthy Democrat Hakeem Jeffries Byron Donalds (Republican from Florida) Kevin Hern (Republican from Oklahoma) Results of ninth vote: McCarthy down one vote from prior votes. 200 - Republican Kevin McCarthy 212 - Democrat Hakeem Jeffries 17 - Byron Donalds (Republican from Florida) 3 votes for Kevin Hern (Republican from Oklahoma) Those who voted for Hern: Joshua Brecheen of Oklahoma Lauren Boebert of Colorado Matt Gaetz of Florida (but Hern voted for McCarthy) 1 vote as "present" (by Victoria Spartz of Indiana) 1 person did NOT vote: Ken Buck of Colorado 434 total. Note: Gaetz switched from Trump to Hern. Trump now at zero. Due to Ken Buck not voting, McCarthy is down from 201 to 200.

Eighth vote results: Nobody got the 218 votes required to win Speaker. McCarthy, Jeffries, and Donalds were nominated. 201 - Republican Kevin McCarthy 212 - Democrat Hakeem Jeffries 17 - Byron Donalds (Republican from Florida) 1 vote for Donald Trump (by Matt Gaetz) 2 votes for Kevin Hern (Republican from Oklahoma) Those who voted for Hern: Joshua Brecheen of Oklahoma Lauren Boebert of Colorado (but Hern voted for McCarthy) 1 vote as "present" (by Victoria Spartz of Indiana) 434 total. (There are 435 seats but one member from Virginia died and there will be a special election to fill his seat in February).

House Democrats news conference, earlier this morning today January 5, before the day's voting began...

Seventh vote results: Nobody got the 218 votes required to win Speaker. 201 - Repub. Kevin McCarthy 212 - Dem. Hakeem Jeffries 19 - Byron Donalds (Republican from Florida) 1 vote for Donald Trump (by Matt Gaetz) 1 vote as "present" (by Victoria Spartz of Indiana) 434 total. (There are 435 seats but one member from Virginia died and there will be a special election to fill his seat in February). (Byron Donalds has served only two years in the House.) ___________ These are the same results as the prior few votes - except that Gaetz switched from Byron Donalds to Donald Trump.

For Speaker of the House: they are now conducting the seventh vote in three days. For the rollcall vote, each member's name is called by the Clerk, and then the member stands up and says their choice. Gaetz just stood up and said "Trump". Really.

Thursday Jan 5. Today's Speaker selection session began at noon Eastern time. They just finished the speeches to nominate the same three people.

From this To this: to this To this:

^ tweet from C-SPAN director of editorial operations

Yes Getty Images was on the House floor and that's George Santos and Marjorie Taylor Greene. https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/rep-elect-george-santos-stands-with-to-rep-elect-marjorie-news-photo/1454256589?phrase=george santos

20 votes for Byron Donalds. Byron Donalds has served only two years in the House. They're promoting (using) him because he's Black and very right wing. The Freedom Caucuas nominator had the gall to mention Frederick Douglass.

C-SPAN likes to go in and show close-ups (without audio) of various congresspersons chatting between votes. But that's not allowed when Congress is formally in session. This isn't the case during Speaker elections. C-SPAN has been showing all sorts of (no audio) conversations in the past two days. Fascinating. People have been tweeting out the closeups of the congresspersons and others have been tweeting out replies with humorous guesses as to what they are saying.

Normally, the Speaker would call to adjourn for the day, but there is no Speaker...

Sixth vote - results same as fourth and fifth votes. Nobody got the 218 votes required to win Speaker. 201 - Repub. Kevin McCarthy 212 - Dem. Hakeem Jeffries 20 - Byron Donalds (Republican from Florida) 0 - Others 1 vote as "present"( Victoria Spartz of Indiana was the one who voted "present".) 434 total. Byron Donalds has served only two years in the House.

What's scary is that the Republicans who oppose McCarthy say he's not conservative enough.

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs (D): In one of her first official actions, Hobbs signed an executive order setting in motion a process to update the state’s policies barring discrimination in state employment and contracting. Hobbs is adding new protections based on gender identity, political affiliation, military service or veteran status, marital status, culture and other characteristics. https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/democrat-katie-hobbs-to-take-office-as-arizona-governor/ Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) on Tuesday in her first official act as governor moved to strengthen worker protections for LGBTQ state employees and contractors, signing an executive order that expressly prohibits workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/3798816-hobbs-signs-executive-order-protecting-lgbtq-state-employees-from-discrimination/

Fifth vote results same as fourth vote. Nobody got the 218 votes required to win Speaker. 201 - Repub. Kevin McCarthy 212 - Dem. Hakeem Jeffries 20 - Byron Donalds (Republican from Florida) 0 - Others 1 vote as "present"( Victoria Spartz of Indiana was the one who voted "present".) 434 total.

No. 100 years ago (1923) was the last time it took more than one vote, but that was only 9 votes. It was 1855 when it took 133 votes. Here is the list of all the times it's taken more than one vote: From the US House's history page: https://history.house.gov/People/Office/Speakers-Multiple-Ballots/#