Month: January 2023

The U.S. House of Representatives adjourned for a third straight day on Thursday without electing a House speaker, after Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy lost his 11th consecutive vote for the position. The House voted 219-213 along party lines to reconvene noon Friday. McCarthy and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., were again nominated for speaker on Thursday, with the Democrat consistently netting all 212 Democrat votes while McCarthy went from 201 votes to 200 throughout the day.

McCarthy, who was the House minority leader during the 117th Congress, has sought to earn the House gavel previously held by Democrat Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, but has failed to garner the 218 votes necessary to do so. The deadlock marks the first time in 100 years that House lawmakers have failed to elect a speaker on the first ballot; the GOP will again try to end the political stalemate that began Tuesday and which has prevented the 118th Congress from conducting any business, including the swearing in of new members.

The deadlock leaves much of the government at a standstill. None of the newly elected congressional leaders can be sworn in until someone ascends to the role of speaker, and returning lawmakers have not had their security clearances renewed, so they cannot receive private briefings from the military and intelligence agencies. Without a speaker, the House also can’t carry out oversight of the federal government or other entities or call witnesses before committees.

The speaker is next in line after the U.S. vice president to lead the nation in the event of a circumstance that would prevent the commander-in-chief from carrying out their duties.

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Police have named the father of the family of eight shot and killed inside a rural Utah home on Wednesday as a suspect in the case. Police identified the deceased as 42-year-old Michael Haight, his wife Tausha Haight, 40, their five children and 78-year-old Gail Earl, Tausha’s mother. Michael Haight is suspected of killing his family and himself. Police said in a statement that all of the deceased sustained gunshot wounds.

Deputies arrived at the residence in Enoch City to conduct a welfare check and discovered three adults were also found dead.  The children were all students in the Iron County School District. They were 17, 12, 4 and two 7-year-olds. Three were female and the 4-year-old and one of the 7-year-olds were male. According to city manager Rob Dotson, the community is in shock over the tragedy, saying the family of eight attended church and schools in the area and that they were very active citizens. The father of the family was an insurance agent, Dotson said, adding that no one ever noticed any issues or dysfunction in the family.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox expressed his condolences on Twitter: “Our hearts go out to all those affected by this senseless violence. Please keep the community of Enoch in your prayers.” Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson also said on Twitter that she was “praying for the community of Enoch tonight.”

The Iron County School District sent a letter to parents on Wednesday expressing sadness and offering grief counselors to help students: “We are saddened by the loss to our school community and will make every effort to help you and your child as needed.”

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The U.S. House of Representatives voted to adjourn Wednesday night and push a seventh vote for House speaker into a third day, after Rep. Kevin McCarthy lost a sixth vote to lead Republicans as speaker of the House. The House reconvened shortly after 8 p.m. EST, when Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., raised a motion to adjourn until noon Thursday. A 15-minute electronic vote on the motion was taken after a verbal vote produced a rowdy response from both sides of the aisle. The vote to adjourn was 216 in favor and 214 opposed. The vote was split mostly along party lines with Republicans wanting to call it a night, and Democrats voting to stay for the crucial vote.

After meeting behind closed doors Wednesday night with some detractors for nearly three hours, McCarthy told reporters he didn’t believe another vote would deliver a different outcome: “I think it’s probably best that people work through some more. I don’t think a vote tonight does any difference, but I think a vote in the future will.” On Wednesday, McCarthy lost one more vote, a Republican who switched from supporting him to “present.” McCarthy had suggested Tuesday night that he might prevail with a lower majority, and if some of the 19 holdouts were to vote “present,” he could win. n – but it’s unlikely he wanted to lose a vote. Meanwhile, Democrats remained united behind Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, as he remained strong with all 212 Democratic votes on all six ballots.

It is the first time in roughly 100 years it’s taken more than one ballot to vote in a new speaker. The House cannot conduct any business until a new speaker is elected by a majority of members.

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