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What to know about airman Roger Fortson's fatal shooting by a Florida sheriff's deputy
Read full article: What to know about airman Roger Fortson's fatal shooting by a Florida sheriff's deputyThe fatal shooting of Roger Fortson by a Florida sheriff’s deputy when the Air Force senior airman opened his door armed with a handgun pointed down happened almost a month ago.
House Republicans ditch their day jobs to stand with Trump, while legislating languishes
Read full article: House Republicans ditch their day jobs to stand with Trump, while legislating languishesLeaving Washington behind, prominent far-right House Republicans who have pushed this Congress into chaos showed up at Donald Trump’s hush money trial.
Matt Gaetz evokes 'standing by' language adopted by Proud Boys as he attends court with Donald Trump
Read full article: Matt Gaetz evokes 'standing by' language adopted by Proud Boys as he attends court with Donald TrumpFlorida congressman Matt Gaetz has evoked language adopted by the far-right Proud Boys extremist group as he supports Donald Trump at his New York hush money trial.
US aid to Ukraine hinges on House Speaker Johnson. His leadership is being tested by the far right
Read full article: US aid to Ukraine hinges on House Speaker Johnson. His leadership is being tested by the far rightU.S. aid for Ukraine is teetering in Congress, and it’s up to House Speaker Mike Johnson to decide what happens next.
Big pay raise for troops in defense bill sent to Biden. Conservatives stymied on cultural issues
Read full article: Big pay raise for troops in defense bill sent to Biden. Conservatives stymied on cultural issuesThe House has passed a defense policy bill that authorizes the biggest pay raise for troops in more than two decades.
Speaker Johnson says he'll make 44,000 hours of Jan. 6 footage available to the general public
Read full article: Speaker Johnson says he'll make 44,000 hours of Jan. 6 footage available to the general publicHouse Speaker Mike Johnson says he plans to publicly release hours of footage from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
New Speaker Mike Johnson holds favor with conservatives. Can he unite the GOP where others failed?
Read full article: New Speaker Mike Johnson holds favor with conservatives. Can he unite the GOP where others failed?New House Speaker Mike Johnson has inherited many of the same problems that bedeviled Republican leaders with far more experience.
Christian conservatives cheer one of their own as Mike Johnson assumes Congress' most powerful seat
Read full article: Christian conservatives cheer one of their own as Mike Johnson assumes Congress' most powerful seatEvangelical Christian conservatives have long had allies in top Republican leadership in Congress.
Republicans reject Rep. Jim Jordan for House speaker on a first ballot, signaling more turmoil ahead
Read full article: Republicans reject Rep. Jim Jordan for House speaker on a first ballot, signaling more turmoil aheadRepublicans have rejected congressman Jim Jordan for House speaker on the first ballot.
As Republicans split over who will be House speaker, McCarthy positions himself as a de facto leader
Read full article: As Republicans split over who will be House speaker, McCarthy positions himself as a de facto leaderRepublicans have no clear idea who will be U.S. House speaker, leaving an unprecedented power vacuum in Congress.
Trump is inserting himself into the messy race to become the next House speaker. Will it matter?
Read full article: Trump is inserting himself into the messy race to become the next House speaker. Will it matter?Donald Trump’s decision to insert himself into the chaotic race to replace Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker will serve as a test of the former president’s sway with lawmakers as he works to win a second term.
Kevin McCarthy is out as speaker of the House. Here’s what’s next
Read full article: Kevin McCarthy is out as speaker of the House. Here’s what’s nextThe House of Representatives has entered uncharted territory after the success of a last-ditch, right-wing effort to remove fellow Republican Kevin McCarthy from the speakership.
Kevin McCarthy is out as speaker of the House. Here's what's next
Read full article: Kevin McCarthy is out as speaker of the House. Here's what's nextThe House of Representatives has entered uncharted territory after the success of a last-ditch, right-wing effort to remove fellow Republican Kevin McCarthy from the speakership.
Speaker McCarthy ousted in historic House vote, as scramble begins for a Republican leader
Read full article: Speaker McCarthy ousted in historic House vote, as scramble begins for a Republican leaderHouse Speaker Kevin McCarthy has been voted out of the job in an extraordinary showdown, a first in U.S. history.
Rep. Matt Gaetz files motion to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy, throwing House into new turmoil
Read full article: Rep. Matt Gaetz files motion to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy, throwing House into new turmoilSpeaker Kevin McCarthy is facing an extraordinary referendum on his leadership of the House after Rep. Matt Gaetz, a longtime critic, moved to launch a vote to oust him from the helm.
Gaetz launches effort to bring down McCarthy, but removing the House speaker is no easy task
Read full article: Gaetz launches effort to bring down McCarthy, but removing the House speaker is no easy taskOne of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's harshest critics is making good on his threat to try to remove the California Republican from his leadership post.
Gaetz says he will seek to oust McCarthy as speaker this week. 'Bring it on,' McCarthy says
Read full article: Gaetz says he will seek to oust McCarthy as speaker this week. 'Bring it on,' McCarthy saysRep. Matt Gaetz says he'll try to remove House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a fellow Republican, from his leadership position this week.
The far right has been feuding with McCarthy for weeks. Here's how it's spiraling into a shutdown
Read full article: The far right has been feuding with McCarthy for weeks. Here's how it's spiraling into a shutdownThe House is in a familiar position with little time left to prevent a government shutdown: It's effectively paralyzed as conservatives feud with Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
McCarthy rejects Senate spending bill while scrambling for a House plan that averts a shutdown
Read full article: McCarthy rejects Senate spending bill while scrambling for a House plan that averts a shutdownHouse Speaker Kevin McCarthy is digging in on his refusal to take up Senate legislation designed to keep the federal government fully running beyond midnight Saturday.
White House preparing for government shutdown as House Republicans lack a viable endgame for funding
Read full article: White House preparing for government shutdown as House Republicans lack a viable endgame for fundingThe White House is preparing to direct federal agencies to get ready for a shutdown after House Republicans left town for the weekend with no viable plan to keep the government funded.
Angry and frustrated, McCarthy challenges right-flank colleagues to try to oust him from his post
Read full article: Angry and frustrated, McCarthy challenges right-flank colleagues to try to oust him from his postHouse Speaker Kevin McCarthy is telling fellow Republicans threatening to oust him: Go ahead and try.
Vivek Ramaswamy proposes mass federal layoffs as more GOP hopefuls look to slash US government
Read full article: Vivek Ramaswamy proposes mass federal layoffs as more GOP hopefuls look to slash US governmentRepublican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy says he wants to reduce the federal employee headcount by half in his first year in office and by 75% during his first term if he makes it to the White House.
House Republicans push off Biden impeachment bid for now as hard-right clamors for action
Read full article: House Republicans push off Biden impeachment bid for now as hard-right clamors for actionHard-right House Republicans pressing to impeach President Joe Biden forced a vote Thursday that sends an impeachment measure to House committees.
House conservatives block GOP bills, voice frustration in response to last week's debt ceiling vote
Read full article: House conservatives block GOP bills, voice frustration in response to last week's debt ceiling voteEleven House conservatives have staged a mini-revolt as part of the fallout from last week’s vote to lift the debt ceiling.
Drag shows on US military bases canceled by Pentagon after Republican criticism
Read full article: Drag shows on US military bases canceled by Pentagon after Republican criticismPresident Joe Biden’s administration has stopped U.S. military bases from hosting drag shows after criticism from some Republicans.
Look who's talking: Biden mostly mum in debt negotiations, while McCarthy can't stop chatting
Read full article: Look who's talking: Biden mostly mum in debt negotiations, while McCarthy can't stop chattingPresident Joe Biden has made a deliberate decision to go quiet as his team gets down to the wire in the debt-limit talks, according to White House officials.
GOP leaders start laying groundwork for more Ukraine aid
Read full article: GOP leaders start laying groundwork for more Ukraine aidRepublicans assuming new positions of leadership in the House and Senate are not waiting for the next funding debate over Ukraine to begin making the case for why the U.S. should continue supporting the war-torn nation.
Chaos in the House: McCarthy's plea, and begging for votes
Read full article: Chaos in the House: McCarthy's plea, and begging for votesJust one vote short of becoming speaker of the House, Republican leader Kevin McCarthy stood up from his chair and asked the defiant Matt Gaetz to change his vote from “present” to “McCarthy.”.
‘Florida man’ leads GOP revolt in House speaker vote
Read full article: ‘Florida man’ leads GOP revolt in House speaker voteRepublican leader Kevin McCarthy said late Tuesday there’s no scenario in which he’ll drop his bid to become House speaker despite failing to win multiple rounds of voting, a historic defeat that brought the first day of the new Congress to an abrupt, messy end.
Jan. 6 takeaways: Final revelations from investigation
Read full article: Jan. 6 takeaways: Final revelations from investigationInterview transcripts released by House investigators in recent days give further insight into the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and the weeks leading up to it, as Donald Trump tried to overturn his defeat in the presidential election.
Prosecutors: Reduced sentence, prison time for Gaetz’s Central Florida friend
Read full article: Prosecutors: Reduced sentence, prison time for Gaetz’s Central Florida friendFederal prosecutors say a former Florida tax collector whose arrest on sex trafficking and identity theft charges led to a probe of U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz should get his sentence reduced for cooperating with authorities.
Democratic race for governor highlights Florida primary
Read full article: Democratic race for governor highlights Florida primaryThe most significant race in Florida's primary election Tuesday is between the two Democratic gubernatorial candidates seeking to go against Gov. Ron DeSantis, who's unopposed in the Republican primary.
2 New York Democrats ousted from US House in primary losses
Read full article: 2 New York Democrats ousted from US House in primary lossesTwo New York Democrats have been ousted from the U.S. House in primary elections after redistricting shuffled congressional districts in one of the nation’s largest liberal states.
Pentagon leaders testily defend efforts on racism, extremism
Read full article: Pentagon leaders testily defend efforts on racism, extremismTop Pentagon leaders are defending the military’s approach to addressing racism and extremism and pushing back against accusations by Republican lawmakers that the effort is creating division and hurting morale.
Gaetz associate pleads guilty to sex trafficking charges
Read full article: Gaetz associate pleads guilty to sex trafficking chargesA Florida politician who emerged as a central figure in the Justice Department’s sex trafficking investigation into Rep. Matt Gaetz has pleaded guilty to six federal charges and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors as part of a plea deal.
Gaetz associate agrees to cooperate in federal investigation
Read full article: Gaetz associate agrees to cooperate in federal investigationA Florida politician who is a central figure in the federal sex trafficking investigation into Rep. Matt Gaetz has agreed to cooperate with federal investigators.
Gaetz, Greene take mantle of Trump’s populism at rally
Read full article: Gaetz, Greene take mantle of Trump’s populism at rallyU.S. Reps. Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene, two of the Republican Party’s most controversial figures, have kicked off their “America First Rally” roadshow with a Trump-centric revival of sorts at a Florida retirement community.
How the Gaetz probe grew from sex trafficking to medical pot
Read full article: How the Gaetz probe grew from sex trafficking to medical potBefore Matt Gaetz rose to national prominence as an ardent backer of Donald Trump, the now-Florida congressman carved out an unusual reputation as a Republican state lawmaker who wanted to liberalize marijuana laws.
Gaetz, Greene flaunt new paths to power, testing GOP leaders
Read full article: Gaetz, Greene flaunt new paths to power, testing GOP leadersFlorida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz and Georgia GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene are presenting top House Republicans with a test of how to handle a new breed of Trump-era, social media-savvy firebrands.
Gaetz, Greene flaunt new paths to power, testing GOP leaders
Read full article: Gaetz, Greene flaunt new paths to power, testing GOP leadersFlorida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz and Georgia GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene are presenting top House Republicans with a test of how to handle a new breed of Trump-era, social media-savvy firebrands.
Gaetz and DeSantis: A friendship that may become a liability
Read full article: Gaetz and DeSantis: A friendship that may become a liabilityThe investigation into Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz threatens to become a liability for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as he runs for reelection ahead of a possible presidential bid in 2024.
Gaetz vows to fight, tries to stay on offensive amid scandal
Read full article: Gaetz vows to fight, tries to stay on offensive amid scandalFlorida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who is embroiled in a federal sex trafficking investigation, has denied wrongdoing and refused to resign — or even lay low — amid mounting political pressure.
Gaetz associate working toward plea deal with prosecutors
Read full article: Gaetz associate working toward plea deal with prosecutorsAn associate of Rep. Matt Gaetz's is working toward a plea deal with federal prosecutors investigating a sex trafficking operation, potentially escalating the legal and political jeopardy facing the Florida congressman.
Pelosi: Remove Rep. Gaetz from committee if claims are true
Read full article: Pelosi: Remove Rep. Gaetz from committee if claims are trueRep. Matt Gaetz is facing accusations of a sexual relationship with an underage girl, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says if the claims are true, then the Florida Republican should at a minimum be removed from the House Judiciary Committee.
Gaetz staying on Judiciary panel, despite investigation
Read full article: Gaetz staying on Judiciary panel, despite investigationDemocrats called for him to step aside from the House Judiciary Committee, which oversees the Justice Department. AdHe's remained on both the House Armed Services Committee and on the Judiciary Committee, which has congressional oversight of the Justice Department. Gaetz said the allegations were part of an extortion plot by a former Justice Department official, whom he identified as David McGee. “No part of the allegations against me are true, and the people pushing these lies are targets of the ongoing extortion investigation,” he said. The Justice Department did not immediately comment.
Does a Twitter ban violate First Amendment rights? A legal expert weighs in
Read full article: Does a Twitter ban violate First Amendment rights? A legal expert weighs inThese are the rules for Congress, for our government, which Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and all other social media platforms are not. “The Constitution actually is irrelevant here in terms of the banning of public officials, including President Trump, from Twitter. Meaning, social media platforms have become less like shops and restaurants and more like the roads and bridges of the internet. “The bigger question that might raise is is should we start to treat these larger social media platforms, which do have vast power like Facebook? In the Florida legislature, there’s a bill that’s been filed for consideration that would allow users to sue social media companies for blocking their content.
Gala ignites political dispute over COVID-19 restrictions
Read full article: Gala ignites political dispute over COVID-19 restrictionsThe New Jersey restaurant that hosted the political gala put on by the New York Republican Club was ordered temporarily closed Friday, Dec. 4, 2020, over potential violations of coronavirus guidelines. (Courtesy New York Republican Club via AP)A New Jersey restaurant that hosted a political gala put on by a New York Republican club was ordered temporarily closed Friday over potential violations of coronavirus guidelines. Phil Murphy, also a Democrat, has tightened restrictions on indoor gatherings recently in response to a surge in COVID-19 cases. New York Young Republican Club President Gavin Wax scoffed at the criticism online, saying the group had done nothing wrong. New York state reported 30,000.
President Trump wins Florida, collects 29 electoral votes
Read full article: President Trump wins Florida, collects 29 electoral votesJACKSONVILLE, Fla. – President Donald Trump has won Florida’s 29 electoral votes, defeating Democrat Joe Biden in a prized battleground state crucial to the Republican’s bid for another four years in the White House. In the end, Trump prevailed with the help of a loyal base, particularly in the state’s rural reaches. Both campaigns made Florida a priority in the waning weeks of an election year thrown off-kilter by the pandemic. It remains to be seen how the social unrest after high-profile police killings of Black people might have influenced the race. Biden did win Duval County this year -- the first time a Democrat had won the county since Jimmy Carter swept the south in 1976.
Trump wins Florida; voters raise minimum wage to $15
Read full article: Trump wins Florida; voters raise minimum wage to $15— District 3: Republican Kat Cammack has won Florida’s U.S. House seat held by her former boss, retiring Florida Republican Rep. Ted Yoho. He defeated Democrat Donna Deegan, a former television news anchor who has worked to raise money for breast cancer research and to help patients. — District 15: Republican Scott Franklin has won Florida Rep. Ross Spano’s seat in the U.S. House. Deutch was first elected in 2010 and represents a firmly Democratic district that includes parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties. A supermajority of Florida voters approved the amendment to the Florida Constitution that will raise Florida’s minimum wage from the current $8.56 an hour to $15 an hour by 2026.
Campaigns step up Florida ground game
Read full article: Campaigns step up Florida ground gameTALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The presidential race is tightening in Florida, with recent polls showing a near tie. Both Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s and President Donald Trump’s campaigns are making multiple stops in the Sunshine State this week before the final presidential debate. Biden campaign surrogate Dianne Williams-Cox was in Jacksonville and is confident in Biden’s support from minority voters. American Conservative Union Chairman Matt Schlapp said social media’s response to the story is evidence the Trump campaign is fighting a two-front battle. Biden and Trump face off in the final presidential debate on Thursday night.
Conservatives lash out at Liz Cheney over Trump criticism
Read full article: Conservatives lash out at Liz Cheney over Trump criticismRepublican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio noted Cheney's criticism of Trump on defense and foreign policy and accused her of not supporting the president on his coronavirus response. Leading the criticism was Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who recounted the confrontation on his podcast, Hot Takes with Matt Gaetz, shortly after it happened. He also tweeted about Cheney, who is the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, and said she should step down from her post as head of the GOP conference. Liz Cheney has worked behind the scenes (and now in public) against @realDonaldTrump and his agenda, Gaetz tweeted. House Republicans deserve better as our Conference Chair.
Ethics panel clears Rep. Gaetz in lease for district office
Read full article: Ethics panel clears Rep. Gaetz in lease for district office(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)WASHINGTON The Office of Congressional Ethics has recommended no further action against a Florida congressman who is paying a donor and former legal client $5,000 a month to rent space for his district office. The independent office has ended a preliminary investigation after finding insufficient evidence to continue the case against Rep. Matt Gaetz. The two-term lawmaker has said he did nothing wrong and that the lease is at or below market rate.The Office of Congressional Ethics opened the inquiry after news reports about the leasing arrangement surfaced in April. The office is a nonpartisan entity that reviews allegations of misconduct against House members, officers and staff, and makes recommendation to the House Ethics Committee. Merrill owns Empire Partners, L.L.C, the company that has billed him for the rent since Gaetz took office in 2017.
Lawyer dresses as the Grim Reaper to protest Florida’s open beaches
Read full article: Lawyer dresses as the Grim Reaper to protest Florida’s open beachesWalton County, Florida – Most Floridians hitting the newly reopened beaches are trading stay-at-home sweatpants for shorts and swimsuits. Uhlfelder, an attorney, is haunting Florida beaches dressed as the Grim Reaper to protest their reopening, which he believes is premature. But if we don’t take measures to control things, this virus is going to get really, really out of control,” he warned. Scythe in hand, he traveled to beaches around Walton County, Florida, that have reopened ahead of the state’s planned May 4 reopening. Phase One of the reopening allows restaurants and retailers to open at 25% capacity.
Trump gets cheers, 'lock him up' chants at World Series in DC
Read full article: Trump gets cheers, 'lock him up' chants at World Series in DCPresident Donald Trump attends Game Five of the 2019 World Series between the Houston Astros and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on October 27, 2019 in Washington, DC. WASHINGTON (CNN) - President Donald Trump received a mix of cheers and boos as he was shown to the crowd at the World Series. As a shot of US troops came on the screen during the Nationals' "Wave Your Caps" mid-inning segment, the stadium erupted in cheers before a shot of Trump appeared. The crowd's response shifted to boos instead of cheers, to which Trump smiled and continued to wave. Trump also did not participate in the "Baby Shark" salute to Nationals outfielder Gerardo Parra before his at-bats.
Florida Bar panel clears Gaetz after tweet probe
Read full article: Florida Bar panel clears Gaetz after tweet probeFlorida Bar spokeswoman Francine Walker said in an email that a letter of advice will be sent to Gaetz and made public likely on Friday. They are taking no disciplinary action against me & are sending a letter of advice, Gaetz tweeted. I thank the Bar committee members for their sound judgment.In February, Gaetz, a Northwest Florida Republican, accused Cohen, who is married, of having girlfriends on the eve of giving testimony to Congress. Democrats and other critics accused Gaetz, a major Trump supporter, of engaging in witness tampering. The Florida Bar has said it investigates potential conduct violations any time words of a Florida lawyer result in complaints.
Gaetz faces House probe after Cohen tweet
Read full article: Gaetz faces House probe after Cohen tweetTALLAHASSEE, Fla. - U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz faces a House investigation into allegations he tried to intimidate President Donald Trumps former lawyer before a congressional appearance this year. The House Ethics Committee said Friday that Gaetz, a Fort Walton Beach Republican, failed to provide testimony after a complaint from a House member alleged that Gaetz sought to intimidate former Trump attorney Michael Cohen. A statement from the committee said Gaetz was informed on May 16 that its ability to resolve the complaint would be hindered without his testimony. But in a statement to The Hill, Gaetz defended his refusal to comply with the House investigation. In February, Gaetz accused Cohen, who is married, of having girlfriends on the eve of Cohen giving testimony to Congress.