(WASHINGTON) — Former President Donald Trump looked to create some separation between him and a lawyer he had said worked for him — amid his legal trouble in Georgia, as he continues to deny all wrongdoing.
Meanwhile, some of the 2024 Republican presidential candidates weighed in on the Israel-Hamas war, urging the White House to do more while pushing back on a proposal to tie together aid for Ukraine and Israel.
Here are takeaways from the campaign trail on Sunday.
From ‘wonderful lawyer’ to ‘NOT MY ATTORNEY’
After Sidney Powell, an attorney who vocally backed Trump’s baseless election fraud conspiracies, last week pleaded guilty in the Fulton County, Georgia, election subversion case, Trump took to social media claiming that she was never his lawyer and went on to repeat false claims about the 2020 race.
“Despite the Fake News reports to the contrary, and without even reaching out to ask the Trump Campaign, MS. POWELL WAS NOT MY ATTORNEY, AND NEVER WAS,” Trump posted on social media.
That post flies in the face of a November 2020 announcement from Trump in which he named Powell as an addition to his legal team, however. He tweeted on Nov. 14, 2020, that Powell was “added to our other wonderful lawyers and representatives.”
Powell has admitted to six misdemeanor charges in the Georgia case over efforts to overturn Trump’s loss there. As part of the agreement, Powell must “testify truthfully about any co-defendants” involved in the case, according to the judge. Trump, a co-defendant, has pleaded not guilty to his own charges.
Untangling Ukraine and Israel?
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, the only federal officeholder running for the GOP’s 2024 presidential nomination, said on ABC’s This Week that he would not support the White House’s push for a legislative package that includes military aid for Ukraine and Israel — though he supports sending help to each country.
“I believe that leveraging the challenges in the war with Israel to get more assistance for Ukraine at that level of $60 billion is too much, and we need to have a single focus on bringing Congress together behind the support for Israel,” Scott said.
He said he opposed the current plan because tying the two countries together could hinder aid going to Israel given broader Republican debates over how much to help Kyiv.
“Israel is at the beginning of a long, protracted war,” he said. “I think we are much better off, better served as a nation, focusing our resources and our attention immediately on Israel, and continuing to provide the kind of level of accountability and responsibility the American people want to see as it relates to the resources for Ukraine.”
The White House’s proposal includes $61 billion for Ukraine; $14 billion for Israel; $7 billion for Taiwan and other Indo-Pacific allies; $9 billion for humanitarian aid in Ukraine, Israel and Gaza; and $14 billion for southern border security with Mexico.
Christie calls for more help for Americans in Gaza
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, another Republican presidential contender, said the White House should do all it can to help get American citizens out of the Gaza Strip ahead of an expected invasion by Israel into the Palestinian territory controlled by Hamas, which launched a terror attack on Israel earlier this month.
“Look, there are people coming in and out of Israel right now. I see members of Congress and leaving and going to Israel. If we can get them out of there, we should be able to get our own citizens out of Israel and Gaza if they want to leave. It’s shouldn’t be that hard, and I don’t know why the president is having such a hard time doing It,” Christie said during a stop in South Carolina.
“There is no higher priority than the safety of U.S. citizens abroad,” the State Department told ABC News in a recent statement.
Christie said in South Carolina that he did not think the U.S. should be taking refugees from the territory — a view shared by other 2024 candidates.
“There’s plenty of folks in the region who should be willing to help in that circumstance if it’s needed, but I don’t think it should be us,” he said.
Down, but not out
Former Vice President Mike Pence noted the challenges he faces in the GOP presidential primary polls but wouldn’t say if he’s ready to drop out of the race.
“Well, we’re working very hard to qualify for the [next] debate, and it will be down in Miami. Lots of people are going to Mikepence2024.com and making a contribution to give us the numbers and contributions that we need to qualify, but you know, I will tell you, look, I don’t have the most money in this campaign, but I do have the most experience. I mean, it’s the reason why I’m running,” he said on NBC’s Meet the Press, referencing next month’s debate, for which he hasn’t yet qualified.
Pence has been mired in the low single digits in most national and statewide polling, according to 538, and financial disclosures show his war chest pales in comparison to other contenders like Trump.
ABC News’ Libby Cathey, Abby Cruz, Lalee Ibssa, Soo Rin Kim and Olivia Rubin contributed to this report.
(WASHINGTON) — Nine Republicans are officially running for speaker after almost three weeks of chaos without a leader in the House.
House Republicans will hear from each candidate in a closed-door forum on Monday night. An internal secret-ballot vote will then be held on Tuesday morning, with the goal of selecting a lawmaker to be the party’s nominee for speaker — followed by a floor vote on electing that person as early as later Tuesday.
Republicans have done this twice since Kevin McCarthy was deposed as speaker in early October. The two previous lawmakers, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, could not unify the party enough to be elected as McCarthy’s successor, leaving one half of Congress in unprecedented limbo.
According to House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, the following candidates are now running for speaker:
Jack Bergman of Michigan
Serving in his fourth term, Rep. Jack Bergman is a retired lieutenant general who spent decades in the Marine Corps.
“My hat is in the ring, and I feel confident I can win the votes where others could not,” Bergman announced on X on Friday afternoon. “I have no special interests to serve; I’m only in this to do what’s best for our Nation and to steady the ship for the 118th Congress.”
He has a relatively low profile in the chamber, with assignments on the Armed Services, Budget and Veterans’ Affairs committees.
Byron Donalds of Florida
Rep. Byron Donalds is serving his second term after coming up through the Florida state Legislature. He has deep ties to Donald Trump and is a favorite of the hard-line House Freedom Caucus. He is one of four Black House Republicans, was the GOP’s leadership representative for the freshman class of the 117th Congress and is lauded for his communication skills.
“BYRON RUNNING FOR SPEAKER” — a brief press release from his office announced on Friday.
Donalds then released a full statement later on Friday explaining why he wants to be speaker, including, as he said on social media, to “advance our conservative agenda,” “secure our border” and more.
Tom Emmer of Minnesota
After serving as the No. 3 Republican behind McCarthy and Scalise, Emmer is seen as an emerging contender. As the House majority whip, he is in charge of organizing other Republicans to pass key legislation.
Emmer announced his bid in a letter to colleagues on Saturday. He said on X that he was running “to bring our conference together and get back to work.”
He has picked up McCarthy’s endorsement and, having previously served as the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), the fundraising arm of House Republicans, he has more extensive relationships in the party than some other contenders.
However, he is deeply disliked by some of Trump’s supporters because he did not vote against certifying the 2020 presidential election results shortly after the Jan. 6 riot.
Emmer is serving his fifth term, with a seat on the House Financial Services Committee.
Kevin Hern of Oklahoma
Rep. Kevin Hern had previously flirted with the speakership following McCarthy being voted out but chose not to run against Jordan or Scalise.
But right after Jordan ended his own bid last week, Hern told reporters, “At this juncture, yes I am going to run.”
A short time later, he elaborated in a statement: “We need a different type of leader who has a proven track record of success, which is why I’m running for Speaker of the House.”
Hern, in his fourth term, sits on the powerful Ways and Means Committee and is the current chairman of the Republican Study Committee — the largest group of House Republicans.
Mike Johnson of Louisiana
Rep. Mike Johnson, a fourth-term lawmaker, is the House Republican vice conference chair and previously served as chairman of the Republican Study Committee.
He also holds seats on the Judiciary and Armed Services committees.
In a letter to colleagues on Saturday, Johnson outlined seven goals if elected speaker which included restoring trust, promoting individual members and focusing on effective messaging.
“We all agree the urgency of this hour demands a specific plan and bold, decisive action,” Johnson wrote.
Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania
Rep. Dan Meuser has served in the House since 2019 and sits on the Financial Services and Small Business committees.
In a post on X, Meuser detailed his vision if elected speaker. “We must under promise and over deliver and instill a sense of ownership which will foster a culture of teamwork throughout the conference,” he wrote.
Gary Palmer of Alabama
Rep. Gary Palmer has been in the House since 2015.
As chair of the Republican Policy Committee, he is the No. 5 Republican in the House.
Austin Scott of Georgia
Rep. Austin Scott first jumped into the race for speaker to oppose Jordan — losing 81-124 in a secret ballot and then throwing his backing behind the Judiciary chairman. Now, with Jordan out of the running, Scott is reentering the free-for-all.
“If we are going to be the majority we need to act like the majority, and that means we have to do the right things the right way,” Scott wrote on X.
Scott was elected during the Tea Party wave of 2010 and is now serving in his seventh term. He has seats on the Agriculture, Armed Services and the Intelligence committees.
Pete Sessions of Texas
The longest-tenured lawmaker to enter the race so far, Rep. Pete Sessions is serving in his 13th term after a two-year hiatus because he lost reelection in 2018 — then won his 2020 race.
“Congressman Sessions believes he can forge a positive path as a conservative leader who can unite the Conference. During his congressional career, he has played a vital role in the Republican Party, in Texas and nationally, including a decade in Party leadership,” a spokesman said.
Like Emmer, Sessions previously served as the chairman of the NRCC and was chairman of the House Rules Committee. He has current assignments on the Financial Services and Oversight committees.
(WASHINGTON) — House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul on Sunday bemoaned the nearly three weeks — and counting — that the chamber has gone without a speaker amid conservative infighting over how to fill the key leadership role.
“This is probably one of the most embarrassing things I’ve seen, because if we don’t have a speaker of the House, we can’t govern,” McCaul, a 10-term Republican lawmaker from Texas, told ABC “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl.
The crisis in the House is unfolding at a time of growing conflicts abroad — in Europe, where Ukraine is seeking to repel Russia’s invasion, and in the Middle East, where Israel is fighting Hamas in the wake of a terror attack that killed more than 1,400.
“The world’s on fire. This is so dangerous what we’re doing,” McCaul said of the paralysis over choosing a speaker.
“We have very important issues right now, war and peace, and we cannot deal with an aid package, or my resolution condemning Hamas and supporting Israel. We can’t do that,” he said.
“Most importantly, it’s embarrassing because it empowers and emboldens our adversaries like Chairman Xi [Jinping] who says, you know, democracy doesn’t work,” McCaul said, referring to China’s leader.
Kevin McCarthy was ousted as House speaker in early October by a small group of Republicans who were joined by the Democratic minority. Two potential successors to McCarthy were unable to unify Republicans to be elected as his replacement. The conference plans to try again this week.
McCaul said on “This Week” that he hadn’t chosen whom to back, “but I want a speaker in the chair so we can move forward.”
He suggested that Democratic votes may be needed to resolve the impasse through some kind of power-sharing arrangement, even if he would prefer otherwise and even if some other Republicans “see that as very dangerous as well.”
“I’d rather it be the Republicans nominating and voting on the floor for a Republican speaker. But this can’t go on forever,” McCaul said. “I don’t know if we’re going to have a speaker next week. I don’t know how this plays out.”
On the unfolding Israel-Hamas war, McCaul said he agreed with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who also appeared on “This Week,” that there was a real danger of a widening conflict in the Middle East.
The U.S. has deployed two carrier strike groups and other military assets to the region in a show of deterrence, Austin said.
McCaul said he applauded those moves “because Hamas and [the Lebanese militant group] Hezbollah only see one thing, and that’s power.”
“If they see weakness, they will fire. And what I worry about Hezbollah, Jon, is that they have 100,000 rockets and precision-guided weapons that can overload the Iron Dome,” McCaul said, referring to the advanced anti-missile system Israel uses to protect itself.
McCaul added that he is also concerned that Israel’s expected ground invasion of Gaza, the neighboring Palestinian territory controlled by Hamas, “could trigger an escalation by Hezbollah.”
“They’re the A-team,” McCaul said of Hezbollah. “It’s like Hamas is, like, Little League Baseball.”
Karl pressed McCaul — who has been working on updating the post-9/11 authorization for use of military force to include newer militant groups — on the prospects of America being more directly involved in the fighting.
“We don’t want to see that, and that’s why, you know, if we provide deterrence now, we hopefully can avoid war,” McCaul said.
The chairman said he was broadly supportive of a $105 billion foreign aid proposal that the White House sent Congress last week, which would include about $60 billion for Ukraine, $14 billion for Israel, $7 billion for Indo-Pacific priorities and $14 billion for border management.
“I’m in favor of the concept of linking the biggest threats to the free world. … We’re looking at the numbers. The House, you know, we have the power of the purse, and we appropriate the money,” McCaul said.
McCaul said he believes it “would be very dangerous to abandon” U.S. allies right now, but he acknowledged that there are members of his party who criticize the scope of funding for Ukraine.
“They want accountability. They also want to plan a path to victory and a strategic objective, and I think that’s fair,” McCaul said.
The U.S. and Ukraine both say there are guardrails in place to help ensure the money is well spent; Ukraine has said it wants to expel Russia from all occupied territory.
(WASHINGTON) — South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott on Sunday defended his recent accusation that President Joe Biden has “blood on his hands” after Hamas’ terror attack on Israel earlier this month, which has spurred a wider war.
Appearing on ABC’s “This Week,” Scott, who is seeking the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, was pressed by co-anchor Jonathan Karl on his sharply worded criticism of the president during an event on Oct. 10, which Karl said didn’t match the typical tone of Scott’s campaign.
“Do you regret saying that?” Karl asked.
“I don’t, actually,” Scott said. “I’m a happy warrior, without any question. But we are now in the midst of a conflict, and so the warrior in me requires responsibility to start at the top.”
Scott has been a vocal critic of the U.S. previously agreeing to release some $6 billion in Iranian oil revenue in order to free five American detainees.
That deal was arranged before Hamas, which is sponsored by Iran, attacked Israel on Oct. 7. Israel has since launched a sweeping military invasion on neighboring Gaza, the Palestinian territory Hamas controls.
“Do not be surprised when the result of that $6 billion leads to more conflict in the Middle East,” Scott told Karl.
Biden traveled to Israel last week amid the conflict and has repeatedly voiced his support for the country. The White House has also defended the money that was to be unblocked for Iran, saying it was solely designated for humanitarian purposes and would be supervised.
However, amid outcry from conservatives and some Democrats, the U.S. agreed to essentially re-freeze the money before any of it was spent.
Scott, along with 22 other Republicans and one independent lawmaker, last week introduced a bill to permanently refreeze the Iranian funds.
“I’m saying with great clarity that weakness from the American president, plus the negotiations, leading to terrorist attacks by negotiating with the No. 1 state sponsor of terrorism in the world — yes, it creates complicity,” he said on “This Week.”
Karl followed up: “But I think we can agree that the blood is on the hands of Hamas. That’s who is to blame for what happened.”
Israeli officials say the Hamas attacks killed more than 1,400.
Scott conceded that the militants bore immediate responsibility but doubled down on his criticism of the White House.
“The person who pulls the trigger is primarily responsible, but that does not release the president of our country as being complicit and responsible in what we’re seeing,” he said.
He also said that he had issues with a new foreign aid proposal drafted by the Biden administration.
The president on Thursday sent Congress a $105 billion package, with about $14 billion going to Israel and $60 billion going to Ukraine. Scott told Karl that he would not support that legislation as it is “currently constructed.”
Instead, the White House’s request should be split up, he said.
“Israel is at the beginning of a long, protracted war,” he said. “I think we are much better off, better served as a nation, focusing our resources and our attention immediately on Israel and continuing to provide the kind of level of accountability and responsibility the American people want to see as it relates to the resources for Ukraine. “
Some Republicans argue that the money spent to aid Ukraine in defending against Russia’s invasion could be better used on domestic security and other priorities.
In a move seen as an attempt to appease conservatives, the Biden administration included an ask for $14 billion to go to border management as part of the new foreign aid proposal.
Scott said Sunday that there should be a bigger focus on the potential national security risks from the increased number of migrants arriving at the southern border.
In the Middle East, as the U.S. seeks to support Israel while pushing to limit rising tensions with other countries, Scott said there should be one major priority.
“What we need to do is make sure that we put the blame where it belongs, and that’s on Iran. We need to send the clearest message that if we see the death of more Americans, that that is on the shoulders, frankly, and in the hands of Iran,” he said.
“There’s no doubt that the escalation in the Middle East seems to be happening before our very eyes,” he said, echoing the view of other American officials.
In addition to assisting Israel in its campaign against Hamas in Gaza, the U.S. should take steps to limit the involvement of Lebanese militants to Israel’s north, Scott said.
“But fighting a war on two different borders is going to be something we should keep our eyes on,” he said. “And we should send the message to Hezbollah, stand down or there will be consequences.”
(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. is “concerned” that fighting between Israel and Hamas, in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7 terror attack, could spill over into a broader conflict throughout the Middle East that would imperil American military forces, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Sunday.
“We’re concerned about potential escalation. In fact, what we’re seeing is the prospect of a significant escalation of attacks on our troops and our people throughout the region,” Austin told ABC “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl. “And because of that, we’re going to do what’s necessary to make sure that our troops are in the right position, they’re protected and that we have the ability to respond.”
Austin’s comments come as officials say Iranian proxies have attacked U.S. military bases in Iraq and Syria, the Navy recently intercepted missiles fired from Yemen and there has been increased fighting along the Israel-Lebanon border — all as Israel continues its military operations on Hamas in the Palestinian territory of Gaza in retaliation for Hamas’ attacks.
The U.S. has sent the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group to the Middle East and the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group is in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. The U.S. is also deploying the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery and Patriot battalions, both of which can intercept missiles.
Fears of a widening fight in the Middle East have spiked since the missile launch from Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen that was reported last week.
Pentagon officials had said it was unclear whether a U.S. vessel or Israel was the intended target but Austin, on “This Week,” indicated the weapons were targeted toward the U.S.
“When you have cruise missiles heading towards one of our DDGs, one of our destroyers, that vessel is going to do what it needs to do to protect itself,” he said.
He said America’s deployment of additional assets is another message to “those who would seek to widen this conflict.”
“If any group or any country is looking to widen this conflict and take advantage of this very unfortunate situation that we see, our advice is: don’t. We maintain the right to defend ourselves, and we won’t hesitate to take the appropriate action,” Austin said.
He said the U.S. will continue to give Israel the military resources it needs while advising them to follow the laws of war and take steps to protect civilians in Gaza. Palestinian officials say more than 4,600 people have been killed there so far and Israel’s campaign against Hamas has been criticized by some as indiscriminate.
Jordan’s King Abdullah II, a U.S. ally, this weekend called it “collective punishment of a besieged and helpless people.”
Israeli officials have long said they take steps to spare civilians but have acknowledged that because Hamas embeds its militant operations in civilian life — such as firing rockets from civilian locations — Israel will target those places, too.
Austin said Sunday that the U.S. is repeatedly reminding Israel of its obligations under international law and that Israel takes necessary precautions.
“We encourage them at every opportunity … to make sure that we’re accounting for those civilians that are in the battle space, that we’re providing corridors for them to leave the battle space if necessary, and that they’re allowing humanitarian assistance to get into that space as well,” Austin said.
Israeli forces are widely expected to soon launch a ground invasion of Gaza, which Hamas controls — which will immediately increase the scale of the war as well as its casualties.
Austin said any military operation to remove Hamas from Gaza would be difficult for Israel given that the territory is densely populated and urban, where combat is “extremely difficult” and “goes at a slow pace,” and Hamas utilizes a large network of underground tunnels.
“They have had a long time to prepare for a fight. So I think you’ll see a fight that’s characterized by a lot of [improvised explosive devices], a lot of booby traps, and just really grinding activity going forward,” Austin told Karl.
Pressed about what the broader goal was for Israel after the war, Austin said the solution would have to be systemic — and aimed at broader social and political reforms to resolve the decadeslong enmity between Israelis and Palestinians.
“At the end of the day, Israel wants Hamas to be gone from Gaza. What does it transition to? Left to be defined, but I think that’s an issue for the region and for the world to work together on. Hamas is not only just an organization. It’s an ideology,” Austin said.
“It’s an idea. It’s a bad idea,” he said of Hamas, which governs Gaza. “And the way you defeat a bad idea … is with a better idea. And I do think, going forward, the community needs to work together to address the underlying causes of instability here. And until we do that, then I think we’re going to have — continue to have challenges. But I think the Israelis understand that.”
(WASHINGTON) — The Pentagon announced late Saturday that it will send an aircraft carrier and air defense systems to defend U.S. military troops in response to a growing number of attacks on U.S. facilities, presumably by Iranian-backed groups as tensions mount amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Additional U.S. military forces in the U.S. have also been placed in a higher state of readiness for a possible future deployment to the Middle East on short notice.
In a major change, the aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower and its strike group of a cruiser and destroyers is being redirected to the Middle East instead of to the eastern Mediterranean where it was supposed to join the USS Ford strike group as an additional deterrent for Iran and Hezbollah from broadening the conflict between Hamas and Israel.
“Following detailed discussions with President Biden on recent escalations by Iran and its proxy forces across the Middle East Region, today I directed a series of additional steps to further strengthen the Department of Defense posture in the region,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement released late Saturday night.
“These steps will bolster regional deterrence efforts, increase force protection for U.S. forces in the region, and assist in the defense of Israel,” he added.
Over the last week, there have been a growing number of security incidents involving drone and rocket attacks on U.S. bases in Syria and Iraq that appear to have been carried out by Iranian-backed groups opposed to the U.S. support of Israel in its war against Hamas.
A U.S. citizen working as a contractor at Al Asad airbase in western Iraq died from a cardiac episode during an attack on the base last Wednesday.
In the most visible attack on Thursday, the destroyer USS Carney intercepted four missiles and 15 drones fired from Yemen, by the Iranian-backed Houthi militia that the Pentagon said may have been headed towards targets in Israel.
At the time, the destroyer was located in the central Red Sea and used SM-2 air defense missiles and other capabilities to bring down the Houthi missiles and drones.
Austin is also adding more air defense systems and troops to the Middle East to protect U.S. military forces in the region including a THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Air Defense) missile battery and additional Patriot air defense battalions.
“Finally, I have placed an additional number of forces on prepare to deploy orders as part of prudent contingency planning, to increase their readiness and ability to quickly respond as required,” said Austin.
“I will continue to assess our force posture requirements in the region and consider deploying additional capabilities as necessary,” he added.
The additional air defense units being sent to the Middle East were likely among the more than 2,000 U.S. military forces that Austin had placed on prepare to deploy orders last week. Those additional personnel were told to be ready to deploy on 24 hours’ notice if needed and included units specialized in air defense, security, logistics, medical support, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, transportation, and other capabilities.
WASHINGTON — Months after missing the first primary debate stage — which prompted a complaint with the Republican National Committee — businessman Perry Johnson has decided to suspend his short-lived presidential campaign, he announced Friday.
“With no opportunity to share my vision on the debate stage, I have decided at this time, suspending my campaign is the right thing to do,” Johnson said in a statement.
He has not withdrawn completely and will remain on the ballot in early states like New Hampshire where he attended the NH GOP’s First in the Nation Leadership Summit just days ago.
Johnson is the third candidate to drop out of the presidential race, after Rep. Will Hurd and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez halted their campaigns earlier this year.
Johnson took multiple swipes at the RNC amid a potential legal battle he claimed he would wage against the committee after failing to meet the polling criteria to make the first debate stage.
He subsequently filed an FEC complaint against the RNC and Fox News, which hosted the first debate, accusing them of “a collusive effort to cherry-pick participants.”
Johnson’s campaign told ABC News “he’s not ruled anything out” when asked whether he would move forward with the complaints now that he has suspended his campaign.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the people should decide the next president of the United States, not the head of the RNC and her cronies,” Johnson said in his statement.
An author and a wealthy businessman, Johnson funded almost the entirely of his presidential campaign with his own money, loaning $12 million to his campaign and contributing more than $1.5 million worth of flights for his campaign through his private plane, his campaign disclosure reports show.
(WASHINGTON) — One of former President Donald Trump’s co-defendants in the special counsel’s classified documents case told the judge overseeing the case Friday that he wants his attorney to continue to represent him despite any potential conflicts of interest.
Longtime Trump aide Walt Nauta told U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon that he understood potential conflicts that his lawyer Stanley Woodward has with his previous and current representations of witnesses in the case — and that he still wants Woodward to represent him.
Special counsel Jack Smith’s team had requested the hearings for Cannon to determine if attorneys for Nauta and co-defendant Carlos De Oliveira have any such conflicts of interest.
A hearing last week on the matter was derailed when prosecutors — in a argument that was allegedly broader than what they previously put in their court papers — called for an “absolute bar” of Woodward’s ability to cross-examine one of the witnesses he previously represented, prompting Judge Cannon to chastise the prosecutors and dismiss the hearing.
Asked at Friday’s hearing about the potential conflicts, Nauta told the judge, “I do understand the conflicts,” adding that he wants Woodward to continue as his attorney.
Judge Cannon accepted Nauta’s waiver and is expected to issue a formal order later.
Woodward previously represented the witness at the center of the government’s argument, former Mar-a-Lago IT director Yuscil Taveras, who was referred to as “Trump Employee 4” in Smith’s indictment. He is not currently being represented by Woodward.
As part of Friday’s proceedings, Woodward agreed to have his co-counsel, Sasha Dadan, cross-examine any witnesses in question should they be called at trial.
Taveras received a target letter from the government for allegedly perjuring himself during grand jury testimony, after which he decided to retain new counsel, revise his testimony and cooperate with the government.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for Nov. 1 when Cannon will hear arguments on scheduling, following a motion from Trump’s lawyers to further delay the trial until after the 2024 election.
(WASHINGTON) — Donald Trump’s comeback campaign has both cemented his status as primary front-runner and fundamentally altered the way candidates have historically approached the GOP presidential primary by skipping party-sanctioned debates and opting out of retail politics writ large. To knock him down a peg, though, most of his rivals are playing by the old rules.
Trump has steamrolled the other GOP contenders in early and nationwide polling by leaning on his status as a quasi-incumbent and the high goodwill he has garnered from a GOP grassroots he remade in his image. While he’s ramped up campaign travel to states like Iowa and New Hampshire recently, his yawning lead has proved durable during stretches when “Trump Force One” idled on the tarmac for weeks — save for trips to appear in court.
Most of his rivals, meanwhile, have plowed ahead by pulling traditional campaign levers, blitzing Iowa with visits to all of its 99 counties, increasing — or slashing — spending on ads or leaning on strong debate performances. Some, like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, have ventured outside of the box with tactics like sending charter flights to Israel to help American citizens leave the war zone.
Republicans, though, question whether that’s enough in a time when the old rules seem increasingly untethered from the current nominating race.
“Look, Trump has won every time by running an asymmetrical campaign, fighting asymmetrical warfare, and his opponents consistently fight in conventional warfare, be it Hillary Clinton or Ron DeSantis or any of us in 2016,” said GOP strategist Terry Sullivan, who managed Sen. Marco Rubio’s, R-Fla., 2016 presidential campaign.
“He’s not going to do all 99 counties in Iowa. He doesn’t need to. And so, you’ve got to figure out how to beat him with earned media impressions, not by glad handing in Iowa.”
Seemingly staring down a winnowing calendar until the January caucuses in Iowa, candidates and their allies appear to recognize they have a limited runway to take off before Trump’s campaign reaches cruising altitude.
“There’s like six candidates trying six different strategies, and I’m not sure any of those strategies have really panned out yet. Now, I still believe in the last 45 days of Iowa, somebody’s going to break,” said one source familiar with former Vice President Mike Pence’s thinking. “It’s got to be all the pieces of the puzzle coming together at the right time, and I think if you’re not moving in December, you got a problem.”
DeSantis, amid a cash crunch, has slashed staff and moved a chunk of those remaining from Tallahassee to Iowa. A super PAC backing South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott said it is cutting ad spending.
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, along with Scott and Mike Pence, is signing up only for Nevada’s state-run primary, not the party-run caucuses that’ll actually award delegates, amid criticism that the Nevada Republican Party’s new nominating system unfairly favors Trump. And Pence is doubling down on Iowa, heading to all of its 99 counties, while facing his own cash crunch and dour polling numbers.
When speaking to voters in New Hampshire, Pence brushed off the notion that his Nevada primary filing was solely based on lack of funds, but he told reporters he’d “probably have to be a little bit more selective in where we invest resources and that was the basis of that.” Scott has said he believes the primary — rather than the caucus and its $55,000 filing fees, a condition that could favor the Trump campaign and its $36 million cash on hand — allows him to reach a wider swath of voters, too.
“To play in the caucus, you have to pay $55,000 that goes to a state party in the bag for Trump. It’s about momentum, and true to the Haley campaign’s responsible spending — they’re smart to play in the primary,” said one GOP operative.
But it’s unclear if any of those playbooks will pan out. Trump maintains an over 40-point lead in 538’s polling average, and strategists say his rivals are entering crunch time.
When pressed about it, campaigns hinted that they plan on staying the course.
“Nikki will keep doing what she’s been doing — because it’s working. The other campaigns can’t say that,” said one adviser to Haley, who has seen a bump in her national polling after two strong debate performances. “The momentum behind her is real.”
The Scott team also intends to stick to traditional campaigning, door knocking, get out the vote initiatives, believing old-school work — particularly in Iowa — will help push their candidate, who has a strong 46% favorability with Republicans according to Five Thirty Eight, into the top tier.
“My strategy is a very simple one. We have to do really well, in Iowa, for us to be successful in this campaign. There’s no way to say it any other way. And so we’re excited about spending more time in Iowa,” Scott added in an interview on the conservative “Ruthless” podcast. “And this is a strategy that I believe will work long term. I hope the definition of long term is between now and January 15.”
And Pence, meanwhile, is set to complete the so-called “full Grassley,” the 99-county tour made famous by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, even amid speculation that stubbornly low polling may threaten his spot on next month’s debate stage in Miami.
“I know there’s been a couple articles lately, does grassroots really matter? I still think it does. You still gotta be the candidate that’s in the game and going out there trying to earn every vote,” said the source familiar with Pence’s thinking.
But even Trump’s detractors are tacitly conceding that nothing’s working — at least not yet.
“We aren’t going to waste our money when the electorate isn’t focused or ready for a Trump alternative,” a pro-Scott super PAC said in a memo to donors explaining its ad spending cuts.
Sullivan, the former Rubio campaign manager, suggested that a more unified focus against Trump could prove fruitful in lowering the former president’s own polling numbers as he breaches 50% in some surveys.
“They’re all starting to start to draw some contrast, but they need to really move it up,” Sullivan said. “A lot of them are heading in the right direction, but it’s just gonna be too little too late. I mean, we’re sneaking up on Iowa soon.”
However, such an explicitly anti-Trump playbook has been shot down by at least one prominent Trump foe.
“All attempts to undermine [Trump’s] conservative credentials on specific issues were ineffective,” Club for Growth President David McIntosh wrote in a September memo on behalf of the anti-Trump group Win It Back. “Even when you show video to Republican primary voters with complete context of President Trump saying something otherwise objectionable to primary voters, they find a way to rationalize and dismiss it.”
And as the candidates revise their playbooks, strategists suggested they may be working with borrowed time.
“I think it’s done now. But if Trump wins Iowa, certainly,” said veteran GOP strategist Gail Gitcho. “Nobody has managed to break through yet.”
“We’ve reached this kind of silly season. We see silly season happening every cycle, but it’s just happening in a cycle where we already have a presumptive nominee. And we just see candidates sort of scrambling to break glass and make a last ditch effort.”
(WASHINGTON) — After House Republicans twice rejected Rep. Jim Jordan for speaker this week, he pressed his case ahead of a third vote Friday morning.
Jordan, a conservative firebrand, staunch Donald Trump loyalist, House Judiciary Committee chair and founding member of the House Freedom Caucus, received his party’s nomination last week after House Majority Leader Steve Scalise bowed out of the race.
The Ohio congressman faces an uphill battle to secure the 217 votes he needs to win the gavel.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Oct 20, 1:02 PM EDT
Republicans to huddle behind closed doors as House remains paralyzed
Republicans plan to gather yet again behind closed doors Friday afternoon for a conference meeting on how to proceed with the speaker debate.
The meeting is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.
It’s been 17 days since the House had a speaker, leaving lawmakers unable to act amid the Israel-Hamas conflict and a looming deadline to fund the government or face a shutdown.
Oct 20, 12:14 PM EDT
House in recess, next steps unclear
Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry has gaveled the House into recess.
“A speaker has not been elected,” McHenry announced at 12:06 p.m.
Whether there will be a fourth vote today remains unclear. Republicans are expected to hold a conference meeting early Friday afternoon to discuss the path forward.
-ABC’s John Parkinson
Oct 20, 12:04 PM EDT
Jordan loses again, with 25 Republicans voting against him
Jordan was again rejected, this time with 25 Republicans voting against his candidacy.
The Ohio Republican received 194 votes, his lowest total yet. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries received 210 votes, two fewer than in previous rounds due to Democratic absences.
Support for GOP Rep. Patrick McHenry, the interim speaker, began to emerge on this ballot. Six Republicans voted this round for the North Carolina Republican.
The speaker’s chair remains empty more than two weeks since the historic removal of Kevin McCarthy.
Oct 20, 11:46 AM EDT
Jordan loses even more GOP support than in 2 previous votes
Republican opposition to Jordan has grown, with at least 24 GOP members rejecting his third attempt to be speaker.
The results come after Jordan tried to pressure GOP holdouts, both publicly and privately, to change their minds.
Jordan had 20 Republican defectors in the first round and 22 in the second. The third vote is ongoing.
Oct 20, 11:21 AM EDT
3rd vote is underway, Jordan expected to lose
The 3rd vote for speaker is now underway.
Jordan can only afford to lose five Republican votes. Already, seven Republicans have cast their ballot for someone else.
Jordan earlier Friday hinted the House could continue voting through the weekend for speaker. The chamber is paralyzed without one, unable to respond to the crisis in Israel or consider the foreign aid package being requested by President Joe Biden.
Oct 20, 11:14 AM EDT
Clark says GOP engaged in ‘civil war’ rather than governing
House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark nominated Hakeem Jeffries for speaker.
In her speech, she told Republicans it’s “not too late” to work with Democrats on a bipartisan path forward as she criticized Jordan’s record. She also referenced the threats some Republicans have received as they oppose Jordan’s bid.
“Every day, every day, the majority chooses to engage in a Republicans civil war that is threatening their own members instead of engaging with us in the work of the American people is a day that weakens this institution and the standing of our county,” Clark said. “We need a speaker who will govern with consensus, not conflict.”
Oct 20, 10:59 AM EDT
McCarthy nominates Jordan, who needs 214 votes
A quorum call established 427 members are present for today’s vote.
That means Jordan will need 214 votes to win the speakership.
Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy stood to nominate Jordan, calling him an “effective legislator” amid scrutiny of his record. The comment prompted audible laughter from Democrats.
McCarthy fired back on Democrats, calling them ineffective on border security and other issues. He singled out California Rep. Pete Aguilar, who has repeatedly nominated House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries for speaker.
“Mister Speaker the truth is, if we measure lawmakers by how many bills have their name on it, we’re using the wrong measuring stick,” he said. He then said that members who have their names on the bill the most frequently are the “most selfish.”
“Jim Jordan is one of the most selfless,” he claimed.
Oct 20, 10:50 AM EDT
Jeffries labels Jordan a ‘clear and present danger’
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., criticized Jordan ahead of a third vote — calling him the “poster child for MAGA extremism.”
“We recognize that Jim Jordan is a clear and present danger to the American people, and we are going to be here for as long as it takes to end this national nightmare,” he said.
Jeffries called on traditional Republicans to link up with Democrats to “find a bipartisan path forward.” But when asked by ABC News’ Jay O’Brien if there are any moderate GOP members who’d be willing to work with Democrats on finding an alternative candidate, Jeffries said that question should be posed to them.
He also again signaled Democratic support for Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry to have temporary power despite Republican opposition.
“I’ve said repeatedly that there are many Republicans on the other side of the aisle who we believe are good Americans, good patriots, good men and women. Patrick McHenry is one of them. There are others,” Jeffries said.
-ABC’s Lauren Peller
Oct 20, 8:55 AM EDT
Jordan presses his case ahead of 3rd vote Friday morning
Ohio Republican Jim Jordan is pushing ahead in his bid for speaker, telling reporters that he believes House Republicans must elect one to get on with the American people’s business as he signals additional rounds of votes could continue through the weekend.
“There’s been multiple rounds of votes for speaker before we all know that,” Jordan said, alluding to the 15 rounds of votes last January to elect Kevin McCarthy as speaker. “I just know that we need to get a speaker as soon as possible so we can get to work for the American people.”
“Our plan this weekend is to get the speaker elected to the House of Representatives as soon as possible so we can help the American people,” Jordan later added.
Jordan said he hopes that the Republicans will elect him today, so that lawmakers can get the House open “as soon as possible.”
“People I think are starting to doubt and wonder about their government and about where our nation is headed,” Jordan said following two failed votes earlier this week – and Thursday he did not even attempt a vote. “I think the American people are thirsty for change. I think they are hungry for leadership.”
“We got important work to do,” Jordan said, ticking through a list of projects he would like to address as speaker. “In short, we need to get to work for the American people. We need to do what we said we were going to do. We need to do what we told them we’re going to do when they elected us and put us at office and frankly we can’t do that if the House isn’t open.”
-ABC’s John Parkinson
Oct 19, 7:11 PM EDT
Jordan’s office says the third vote will be Friday
The House will vote Friday at 10 a.m. on a third speaker ballot, according to Jordan’s spokesman.
Oct 19, 5:03 PM EDT
Jordan, leaving meeting, says there will be a 3rd vote after all
Leaving the closed-door meeting with Republicans, Jordan said that the House will vote again on his speaker bid for a third time.
When asked about timing, he said he wanted to talk to the holdouts who are opposing him before moving forward.
Oct 19, 2:55 PM EDT
Jordan, leaving meeting, says there will be a 3rd vote after all
Leaving the closed door meeting with Republicans, Jordan said that the House will vote again on his speaker bid for a third time.
When asked about timing, he said he wanted to talk to the holdouts who are opposing him before moving forward.
Oct 19, 2:52 PM EDT
McCarthy shouted at Matt Gaetz in GOP meeting
Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy shouted at Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida as the party met behind closed doors. Gaetz led the charge against McCarthy, successfully rallying a small group of Republican hard-liners to remove him.
“The whole country is screaming at Matt Gaetz,” McCarthy said.
Oct 19, 2:27 PM EDT
Plan to temporarily empower McHenry appears to be nonstarter
After more than three hours behind closed doors, House Republicans don’t seem to have a plan on how to move forward with the speakership.
The meeting is still ongoing, but several Republicans emerged in the last few minutes to tell reporters that the proposal to temporarily empower Patrick McHenry is now a nonstarter, lacking the support of a majority of Republicans.
“The best thing for Republicans to do is to elect a speaker,” former Speaker Kevin McCarthy told reporters.
Absent a plan to empower McHenry, Republicans said Jordan told members he will reevaluate his campaign for speaker after talking to some of his critics. Several Republicans spoke up in the meeting and said Jordan should suspend his campaign given the lack of support.
-ABC’s Benjamin Siegel
Oct 19, 12:21 PM EDT
Some House conservatives slam proposal to empower temporary speaker and delay vote on Jordan
As Republicans continue to debate how best to move forward given Jordan’s impasse, some of his top allies are bashing the idea of elevating Patrick McHenry with Democratic support until January to get the House through funding Israel/Ukraine aid and avoiding a shutdown.
“This is the wrong thing to do. Our voters worked very hard to give us the majority,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said.
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., shared his opposition.
“I’m against speaker lite,” Gaetz said. “It’s constitutional desecration.”
Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., told ABC Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott he doesn’t back the plan and predicted that more than half the GOP would oppose it.
Even if the pragmatic Republicans supporting Jordan support the plan, it will need Democratic votes. The exact number could be fluid.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has said Republicans must take up government funding and Israel/Ukraine aid. His third demand — allowing “bipartisan bills” to the floor — could be a nonstarter for many Republicans depending on how it’s construed.
McHenry kept his cards close entering the meeting about whether he supports the plan.
“I never asked for additional powers,” he said.
He is expected to gavel the House into session shortly and then recess as both parties continue their private meetings.
Oct 19, 11:56 AM EDT
What Jordan not holding 3rd vote could mean for speakership quest
If Jordan doesn’t hold a third vote in his speakership bid, and instead backs additional powers for temporary speaker McHenry, it may not mean Jordan is out of the race.
The move will allow Jordan to hold on to the “designee” title and potentially keep pursuing votes from his fellow members, but in the meantime give the House a chance to move forward with important duties such as avoiding an impending government shutdown and aid to countries at war.
On his way to the Thursday morning meeting with his colleagues, Jordan wouldn’t directly say what he planned to do but pledged to offer an update after he heard from fellow members.
“I’m not gonna get into any details. I think it’s important to speak to our colleagues first. And then once conference is over, I’ll be happy to come out and stand there and not make you walk backwards and talk to you then,” he said. “But right now, I’m gonna go talk to my colleagues.”
Jordan had also previously said he was hoping to “bring the conference together” and acknowledged they were looking at “all kinds of options,” including expanding the powers of McHenry and allowing the House to get back to business without an elected GOP speaker.
-ABC’s Katherine Faulders and Rachel Scott
Oct 19, 11:57 AM EDT
Jordan expected to announce he will not hold 3rd vote for speakership
After two failed votes so far, Jordan is expected to soon tell his GOP colleagues that he won’t hold a third vote for the role of speaker and instead will throw his weight behind expanding powers for the Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry, according to two sources familiar with the decision.
-ABC’S Katherine Faulders and Rachel Scott
Oct 19, 10:17 AM EDT
Republicans expected to meet Thursday morning ahead of possible vote
House Republicans are expected to meet behind closed doors in the Capitol basement at 11 a.m. Thursday to discuss the speaker race situation ahead of a possible floor vote later in the day.
A vote could take place on the floor as early at noon, but the exact timing — and details of the vote — haven’t been set.
Oct 18, 7:32 PM EDT
Republicans say they were threatened after not voting for Jordan
Nearly half a dozen GOP members who have voted against Jordan said they or their offices were threatened or harassed — including, in the case of one lawmaker, with “credible death threats.”
“No American should accost another for their beliefs. We condemn all threats against our colleagues, and it is imperative that we come together. Stop. It’s abhorrent,” Jordan said in a statement on X.
Rep. Carlos Gimenez of Florida told ABC News that his office and staff have been receiving calls to try to pressure him to back Jordan.
“He [Jordan] told me he wasn’t behind it and he has asked people to stop. If you have asked people to stop it, why haven’t they listened to you?” Gimenez said.
Oct 18, 7:56 PM EDT
McHenry says he’ll give Jordan ‘as long as he needs’ to clinch speakership
Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., said he plans on giving Jordan “as long as he needs” to garner the support necessary to clinch the speakership.
“Look, Speaker-designee Jordan is working with the conference to get his votes. It’s a tight time frame. But look — he has the most votes in the conference. We’ve had two ballots and I think he has the support of the conference. I think we are going to keep working,” McHenry told reporters.
McHenry added that House Republicans didn’t “have plans to” hold a conference meeting Wednesday evening after Jordan failed to win the gavel for the second time in two days.
Oct 18, 4:53 PM EDT
Next House votes happening Thursday afternoon
Majority Whip Tom Emmer’s office said the House will not take any further votes Wednesday. The next votes are expected Thursday no earlier than 12 p.m., Emmer said.
That means the soonest the next speaker vote could happen would be Thursday afternoon.
Oct 18, 4:16 PM EDT
House will not vote again for speaker on Wednesday, next vote possible Thursday
The House is not expected to take another vote for speaker on Wednesday, sources tell ABC News.
Jordan told reporters that another vote for speaker could come Thursday.
Sources tell ABC News that Jordan has also pushed for a vote on a resolution empowering Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry, but it’s unclear if the GOP leadership team will agree to put that on the floor while Jordan is still an active candidate for speaker, and while other Republicans may be waiting in the wings to make a play for the gavel if he exits the race.
-ABC’s Benjamin Siegel
Oct 18, 3:54 PM EDT
Rep. Barr jokes with Capitol tourists: ‘Any of you want to sign up?’
More than two hours have passed and there’s little progress to report with the House still in recess. Still, there was a moment of levity with tourists amid the tense and chaotic speakership battle.
Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., just popped into the chamber and noticed about 20 visitors seated patiently in the gallery and shouted, “We’re looking for a speaker. Any of you want to sign up?”
The crowd laughed and someone shouted a question — asking him whether lawmakers are coming back for another round of votes for speaker.
He said he thought that was the plan and then walked over to the back of the chamber to chat with the visitors.
“Where are you from?” Barr asked, to which several visitors responded they were from South Carolina, Pittsburgh and Virginia.
Barr, who was the only member in the Chamber during this interaction, mingled for a few minutes before excusing himself.
“Thanks for coming,” he said. “Sorry we can’t show you any more right now.”
Oct 18, 3:28 PM EDT
Breaking down Jordan’s performance, GOP defectors
Jordan received one fewer vote in the second round than he did on Tuesday, receiving 199 votes.
Jordan picked up three members, but lost four others.
Seven Republicans voted for House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who initially won the party’s nomination for speaker but bowed out of the race last week. They were: Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, Drew Ferguson of Georgia, Tony Gonzales of Texas, Kay Granger of Texas, John Rutherford of Florida, Mike Simpson of Idaho and Steve Womack of Arkansas.
Five voted for McCarthy: Reps. Don Bacon of Nebraska, Lori Chavez DeRemer of Oregon, Carlos Gimenez of Florida, Jennifer Kiggans of Virginia and Mike Lawler of New York.
Other Republicans who voted for someone else include Reps Vern Buchanan of Florida, Ken Buck of Ohio, Jake Ellzey of Kansas, Mary Miller-Meeks of Iowa, John James of Michigan, Mike Kelley of Pennsylvania and Pete Stauber of Minnesota.
Oct 18, 3:21 PM EDT
Centrists, institutionalists block Jordan’s path
The 22 Republicans who voted against Jordan make up a group of centrists and institutionalists who show no signs of budging anytime soon.
The group of detractors cited an array of reasons for voting against Jordan, including refusing to reward the lawmakers who voted to oust McCarthy, bristling against the pressure campaign from Jordan’s allies and rising worries over Jordan’s ideological rigidity, including his support for efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
“It made us mad, and it backfires,” Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., said Wednesday on Newsmax of the pressure campaign. “Some of the younger folks, maybe that works. But someone like me … you win us over with an argument that makes sense. You’re going to have to convince us. And threatening us does not work.”
Oct 18, 1:39 PM EDT
Jordan suffers 2nd defeat
Jordan has officially lost a second vote in his bid for speaker.
The Ohio Republican received 199 votes. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries received 212 votes. Twenty-two Republicans cast their ballot for someone else.
Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry gaveled the House into recess.
3:24
Jim Jordan loses more votes in second round of voting for House speaker
Oct 18, 1:12 PM EDT
GOP likely to meet behind closed doors after vote
Republicans will most likely go into a closed-door conference meeting, which is expected to include discussions about a potential short-term solution, among other things.
A conference meeting hasn’t officially been noticed to Republicans yet, but sources said that’s the next expected step after the vote closes.
-ABC’s Katherine Faulders
Oct 18, 1:01 PM EDT
Republican opposition to Jordan rises
Jordan is facing even more opposition in this second round, with 22 Republicans so far casting their ballot for someone else.
On Tuesday, he had 20 GOP defectors.
The vote is still ongoing.
Oct 18, 12:26 PM EDT
Jordan on track for another defeat
The vote is ongoing, but already 10 Republicans have voted against Jordan, with that number expected to rise.
Oct 18, 12:18 PM EDT
Second vote for speaker is underway
A roll call vote is now underway.
Each member is being called on alphabetically to voice who they want to see succeed McCarthy. Jordan can only afford to lose four House Republicans before a fifth upsets his bid.
Oct 18, 12:51 PM EDT
Rep. Tom Cole nominates Jordan for speaker
Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole stood to nominate Jordan for the second ballot vote, saying he has what it takes to be speaker.
“He doesn’t dissemble. He simply tells you straight up, ‘this is what I believe,’ ‘this is why I think it’s the right thing to do for this country and that’s why I’m going to try to accomplish and work with you any way I can to do it,'” Cole said.
Cole commended Jordan’s work on committees and his stances on spending, immigration and more.
Cole also invoked the terror attacks in Israel, stating Israel is within its right to punish Hamas, which received a standing ovation from Republicans and Democrats.
“In a moment of crisis, and we are in a moment of crisis, we should come together to act,” Cole said. “And we know we can’t do that without a speaker of the House.”
Democrats once again nominated Hakeem Jeffries for speaker.
Oct 18, 11:44 AM EDT
Jordan: ‘We got to decide today’ on path forward
Jordan told reporters the American people deserve to have an answer today on what lies ahead.
“Look, I think we got to decide today. Are we going to have a Republican speaker … or is the body going to adopt this resolution with the speaker pro tempore?” Jordan said, referencing an effort to empower Rep. Patrick McHenry to conduct House business.
“I think both questions should be called,” Jordan said. “Let’s get an answer. We’ve been at this two weeks, the American people deserve to have their government functioning.”
Oct 18, 11:14 AM EDT
Republicans poised to reject Jordan on second ballot
Jordan is poised to lose Wednesday on a second ballot on the election of a speaker, but the Ohio Republican is showing no signs of giving up.
While Jordan has continued to attempt to sway holdout Republicans, only Rep. Doug LaMalfa of California has announced a change of heart following the first ballot. LaMalfa had initially voted for his fellow Californian, McCarthy — and now says he’ll support Jordan instead of the former speaker on the second ballot.
But the 19 other Republicans who bucked Jordan in the first round have not publicly shifted their stance yet, and Jordan is actually expected to lose additional lawmakers on the second ballot.
Oct 18, 10:19 AM EDT
Jordan could lose more Republicans on second ballot
A few Republican holdouts are reluctant to even take another meeting with Jordan or return his phone calls ahead of the second ballot set for Wednesday morning, sources tell ABC News.
By forcing another vote, Jordan runs the risk of losing even more Republicans on the second ballot. It’s unclear just how many gave him assurances that they’d only support him on the first round.
Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters that talks between Democrats and Republicans have accelerated on an alternative plan to get the House back to business. Sources say Jeffries floated the idea of elevating a temporary speaker for a limited time so the House can do its work — a signal that a growing number of Democrats could support this plan.
Most Republicans expect the opposition against Jordan to grow Wednesday.
Oct 18, 9:42 AM EDT
If Jordan’s can’t win, one Republican wants to empower Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry
Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Ohio, one of the few remaining moderates in the GOP majority, could bring up a motion to empower temporary speaker Patrick McHenry if Jordan can’t lock down the votes for speaker on the second ballot Wednesday morning.
“After two weeks without a Speaker of the House and no clear candidate with 217 votes in the Republican conference, it is time to look at other viable options. By empowering Patrick McHenry as Speaker Pro Tempore we can take care of our ally Israel until a new Speaker is elected,” Joyce said in a statement.
By officially “empowering” McHenry, Republicans could give themselves a (temporary) off ramp to approve emergency aid to Israel and to fund the government to avert a shutdown next month.
It’s not clear how long Joyce is proposing to empower McHenry, or if Republicans will allow Joyce to do so, instead of letting others run for speaker if Jordan falls short. It’s likely Democrats would need to back the proposal on the House floor, too.
McHenry and his team have suggested he isn’t interested in the role.
Oct 17, 5:21 PM EDT
Next speaker vote expected Wednesday morning
The next speaker vote will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jordan said after he left a two-hour meeting in Whip Emmer’s office.
He reiterated that he is not going to drop out of the speaker battle and emphasized that he had basically the same level of support as McCarthy on his first vote in January.
Jordan said he expects to gain support in a Wednesday morning vote, mentioning Florida Rep. Gus Bilirakis, who missed today’s vote because of a family funeral. He didn’t address potential future defectors.
Oct 17, 4:52 PM EDT
What Republicans are saying about Jordan’s first-round loss
Emerging from the floor after Jordan’s failed first vote, some Republicans expressed open frustration while others remained optimistic.
“We gotta wake up and stop this nonsense. There’s real serious work to be done,” Pennsylvania Rep. Dan Meuser said.
Meuser had “direct” and “strong” conversations with GOP colleagues after the vote to try to swing them, he said. “We’ve got to understand — we’ve got to operate as a team, because if we don’t, we will lose everything.”
But he has to contend with members such as Colorado’s Ken Buck, who is staunchly anti-Jordan because of concerns he won’t support Ukraine funding and because of his role in protesting the 2020 election results.
“I am not going to vote for Jim, I just think there’s too much there at this point,” Buck told ABC News. Buck said he feels so strongly “because I just don’t think that we can win the presidential election if we have candidates and leaders in our party who won’t admit that Donald Trump lost, who won’t admit that the Republican Party wants to move forward.”
Of course, Republicans such as Meuser and others argued that not voting in a speaker will also threaten GOP victories in the next election.
“I think it absolutely casts a bad cloud over the institution and Republicans,” New York Rep. Nicole Malliotakis told ABC News.
Still others, however, were more optimistic — comparing this process to McCarthy’s and using it to argue that Jordan is on track for success.
“Do you believe that at the end of the day, it’s going to be Speaker Jordan?” ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott asked Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchett.
“I do,” he replied.
-ABC’s Cheyenne Haslett
Oct 17, 4:26 PM EDT
GOP infighting continues
Jordan met with Scalise behind closed doors on Tuesday and asked for help to get the needed votes, a source told ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott. The source says Scalise wouldn’t commit to helping Jordan.
Scalise was the conference’s first choice for speaker in an internal contest last week, as he defeated Jordan 113-99. But he dropped out days later, amid opposition from holdouts who were backing Jordan.
Of the 20 Republicans who voted against Jordan in the first round, seven voted for Scalise.
Scalise cast his vote for Jordan.
Oct 17, 3:57 PM EDT
Jeffries urges GOP to join Dems in ‘finding a bipartisan path forward’
ABC News asked House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries if he sees Republicans forging a way out of the speakership impasse today.
“It’s not a complicated situation,” Jeffries responded. “We just need traditional Republicans to break from the extremists and join us in finding a bipartisan path forward. We’ve said it over and over and over again. We are ready, willing and able to get together and reopen the House.”
Oct 17, 3:27 PM EDT
Jordan tells ABC more members will vote for him on 2nd ballot
ABC News caught Jordan moments after he left the House chamber. He made it clear that he’s staying in the race for speaker, insisting there will be another vote tonight.
“We thought we were doing well … that we were in that area or a little more maybe, but we feel confident. We already talked to some members who are going to vote with us on the second ballot,” Jordan said as he rushed into an office.
-ABC’s Rachel Scott, Lauren Peller, Arthur Jones and John Parkinson
Oct 17, 2:49 PM EDT
Jordan’s team says expect another round of votes today
“The House needs a speaker as soon as possible,” Russell Dye, a spokesperson for Jordan, said in a statement. “Expect another round of votes today. It’s time for Republicans to come together.”
The timing of a second vote, however, remains unclear.
-ABC’s Katherine Faulders
Oct 17, 2:26 PM EDT
McCarthy says Jordan shouldn’t drop out, confident he’ll get the votes
McCarthy, the former speaker, attempted to equate Jordan’s loss to exactly what happened to him.
“Jordan had just as many votes as I had on the first one. I think the difference here is we have rules so we can sit down, talk to the other members and be able to move forward,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy lost 19 Republicans on the first ballot, while Jordan lost 20.
When asked if Jordan should drop out, McCarthy exclaimed: “No! No!”
“I saw the exact same vote that I got when I ran and I became speaker,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy said he’ll talk to Jordan and help in any way he can. When asked if he thinks Jordan will ultimately get the votes, McCarthy said “yes.”
-ABC’s Katherine Faulders
Oct 17, 2:02 PM EDT
House goes into recess
Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry, after reading aloud the results of the first ballot, gaveled the chamber into recess.
“A speaker has not been elected,” McHenry said.
There will not be an immediate second vote. Lawmakers are now expected to huddle behind closed doors in conference.
Oct 17, 2:10 PM EDT
The 20 Republicans who voted against Jordan
Twenty House Republicans cast their ballot for someone other than Jordan.
Seven voted for Scalise: Reps. Tony Gonzales of Texas, Kay Granger of Texas, Mario Diaz Balart of Florida, Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania, John Rutherford of Florida, Reps. Mike Simpson of Idaho and Steve Womack of Arkansas.
Six voted McCarthy: Reps. Lori Chavez DeRemer of Oregon, Don Bacon of Nebraska, Carlos Gimenez of Florida, Jennifer Kiggans of Virginia, Mike Lawler of New York and Doug LaMalfa of California.
Three voted for former New York congressman Lee Zeldin: Reps. Anthony D’Espositio, Andrew Garbarino and Nick LaLota — all members of the New York delegation.
Kansas Rep. Jake Ellzey voted for Mike Garcia of California; Colorado’s Ken Buck voted for House Majority Whip Tom Emmer; Michigan Rep. John James voted for Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole; and Indiana Rep. Victoria Spartz voted for Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky.
Oct 17, 1:56 PM EDT
Jordan loses first round of voting
Jordan lost his first bid for the speakership. He received 200 votes, but needed at least 217 to clinch the gavel.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, nominated by Democrats, received 212 votes. Twenty lawmakers voted for someone else.
Oct 17, 1:33 PM EDT
McCarthy, ousted exactly 2 weeks ago, votes for Jordan
McCarthy, toppled by a small group of GOP hard-liners on Oct. 3, voted for Jordan to be his successor.
The moment was met with applause from the Republican side of the chamber.
But Jordan is still on track to lose on the first ballot, with 15 Republicans casting a vote for someone else.
Oct 17, 1:14 PM EDT
Jordan already falls short of vote needed
The vote is ongoing, but Jordan does not appear to have the support needed to win on the first ballot.
At least five Republicans have voted for someone else.
Two lawmakers, Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska and Rep. Lori Chavez-Deremer of Oregon voted for McCarthy. Anthony D’Esposito voted for former Rep. Lee Zeldin., Rep. Mario Diaz Balart of Florida voted for Steve Scalise. Rep. Jake Ellzey voted for fellow Republican Rep. Mike Garcia.
Oct 17, 1:02 PM EDT
The math behind the speaker vote
There are 432 members in attendance for the upcoming vote to elect a speaker, according to the quorum call.
That means that 217 is the majority threshold needed to win the gavel, presuming every member in attendance votes for someone by name.
Jordan can only afford to lose three votes.
The speaker vote began shortly before 1 p.m.
Oct 17, 1:00 PM EDT
Democrats nominate Hakeem Jeffries, slam Jordan’s record
Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., nominated House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for speaker.
Aguilar focused much of his remarks on Jordan’s record, noting that one of Jordan’s own colleagues once described him as a “legislative terrorist.”
“When New Yorkers were recovering from Hurricane Sandy and needed Congress to act, he said ‘no,'” Aguilar said. “When wildfires ravaged the west, destroying homes and businesses and those residents needed disaster assistance, he said ‘no.’ When the Mississippi river floods devastated the south in communities across state lines and needed Congress to act, he said ‘no.’ When our veterans were suffering from disease and dying as a result of their service to our country and Congress passed a bipartisan solution, he said ‘no.'”
Democrats seated behind Aguilar responded to each example with the chant, “He said no.”
“This body is talking about elevating a speaker nominee who has not passed a single bill in 16 years,” Aguilar said. “These are not the actions of someone interested in governing or bettering the lives of everyday Americans.”
Oct 17, 12:49 PM EDT
Stefanik nominates Jordan for speaker
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., rose to nominate Jordan for speaker. She received rounding applause from Republicans in the chamber.
“We are at a time of great crisis across America,” Stefanik said. “A time of historic challenges in this very chamber. And a time when heinous acts of terror and evil have been committed against our great ally, Israel.”
Stefanik went on to praise Jordan as a “patriot” and a “winner.”
“He’s an America-first warrior who wins the toughest of fights,” she said. “Going after corruption and delivering accountability at the highest levels of government, on behalf of we the people. Jim is the voice of the American people who have felt voiceless for far too long.”
Oct 17, 12:22 PM EDT
Quorum call is underway
Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry opened the chamber at 12:03 p.m., quickly moving the lower chamber into a prayer led by Margaret Grun Kibben.
Following the opening prayer and the pledge of allegiance, the House began a quorum call to establish the members who are present and voting.
Oct 17, 12:14 PM EDT
Jordan ignores questions on 2020 election
Jordan’s actions leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack have been under scrutiny in his run for speaker.
Colorado Rep. Ken Buck, one Republican holdout, has pointed to Jordan’s past comments about the 2020 election and Jan. 6.
Buck told ABC News on Monday, “I think Jim at some point If he is going to lead this conference … is going to have to be strong and say Donald Trump didn’t win the election, and we need to move forward. Hopefully, you know, for Republicans, we get a Republican candidate in the White House.”
ABC News pushed Jordan on that point ahead of the vote.
“I have been very clear about that,” he responded. “There were states that unconstitutionally changed our election law and that’s what I objected to, as did the vast, vast majority of Republican members of Congress.”
Asked if he would acknowledge that Trump lost the 2020 election, Jordan appeared to hear the question but did not respond and got onto the elevator. Two hours later, another reporter asked the same question and Jordan ignored it.
Oct 17, 12:04 PM EDT
Jordan projects confidence
Jordan spent the final hours meeting with GOP holdouts and working the phones ahead of the noon vote. There are still at least 10 holdouts and several members who have not said publicly how they will vote.
“We are going to find out here pretty soon,” Jordan told ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott when asked if he has enough support to get elected.
Oct 17, 12:01 PM EDT
House chamber filling up ahead of vote
Minutes before the House opens for business, the gallery of the House chamber is filling up with more than 200 tourists and other visitors to the Capitol as journalists begin to settle into the press galleries and lawmakers arrive on the floor.
Among the first members on the floor is Republican Rep. Frank Lucas of Oklahoma, who is using a walker as he recovers from a major operation after sustaining a hip injury farming. Lucas took a seat in the back near the aisle, chatting briefly with Republican Rep. Randy Weber of Texas.
Louisiana Republican Mike Johnson, who is rumored to be mulling his own bid for speaker if Jordan fails, is seated at the GOP leadership table. He walked over to the center aisle to talk with Colorado Democrat Joe Neguse.
Michigan Democrat Dan Kildee is seated behind the Democrat leadership table. Neguse is now seated there, chatting with his colleague. Rep. Debbie Dingel of Michigan is also seated on the Democratic side, scrolling through her phone.
Tennessee Republican Andy Ogles is the first of the Freedom Caucus members to stake their usual spot along the center aisle.
Oct 17, 11:55 AM EDT
Timing of the first-round speaker vote
Here’s the timing for what we expect for the first round of speaker votes this afternoon:
The clerk (Kevin McCumber, acting clerk) calls the House of Representatives to order at noon EST.
Prayer led by Margaret Grun Kibben — the first female chaplain of the House.
Pledge of Allegiance led by the House clerk.
Quorum call is ordered by the clerk. Members are called to vote electronically by state. At this point, we will hear the official number of lawmakers present and voting.
Election for speaker with nominations made by selected lawmakers. Typically, one lawmaker from each party is nominated — in this case, Jordan is the Republican nominee and Jeffries is the Democratic nominee. House Republican Conference chairwoman Elise Stefanik will nominate Jordan; House Democratic Caucus chairman Pete Aguilar will nominate Jeffries.
Debate on the nomination of candidates for speaker is allowed but not customary.
“Tellers” are appointed to count “viva voce” voice votes, usually two members from each side of the aisle. A “viva voce” vote is one spoken aloud. The (usually) four tellers take a seat at the dais and tally votes on paper.
Roll is then called by the House reading clerk with members calling out the last name of their chosen speaker; the clerk repeats the choice so everyone hears it. This could take up to one hour.
The House clerk announces the results; appoints an escort committee to formally escort the new Speaker-elect into the chamber.
Oct 17, 10:57 AM EDT
Does Jordan have the votes?
Currently the whole number of the House is 433, with two vacancies that won’t be filled until later this year. Presuming all 433 members vote, Jordan would need 217 votes to be named speaker.
But a whip count from ABC News shows it’s unlikely Jordan, who won the GOP nomination on Friday, has locked down the votes. He can only afford to lose four votes. As of right now, up to 10 Republicans have signaled that they plan to vote for someone other than Jordan on the first ballot. No Democrats are expected to support Jordan’s nomination.
A top aide to Jordan told ABC News that the congressman has “been meeting with members and making calls” this morning ahead of the vote.
Oct 17, 10:54 AM EDT
What to expect
The House will convene at noon today to consider the nomination of Jordan for speaker.
First, a quorum call will be ordered by the clerk for members to establish the official number of lawmakers present and voting.
Then, the election for speaker will take place. Typically, one lawmaker from each party is nominated: Jordan for Republicans and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for Democrats. Lawmakers will then have a period of debate before a roll call vote in which each member will be called upon to state who they support for speaker.
If the first round fails, they have to restart this process or the House might recess so members could meet behind closed doors in conference.
Oct 17, 10:55 AM EDT
Who is Jim Jordan?
The Ohio Republican won the GOP nomination for speaker last week.
A conservative firebrand and favorite of former President Donald Trump, Jordan was first elected to Congress in 2006 and in 2015, founded the House Freedom Caucus — a conservative group that supports hard-line stances on government spending, health care, immigration and other issues.
Now, as the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Jordan is one of the Republicans leading the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden and investigations into his son, Hunter.
