
“The New York Times” Edition of the “January 6 Report” Can be Ordered at Sherman’s Book Shop, Exchange Street, in the Old Port of Portland.

A Member of Congress Places the Name of Rep. Hakeen Jeffires in Nomination During the 15th Ballot Vote. Rep. Jeffries is on the Right in the Photo.
At 12:30 am., the Clerk announced that Kevin McCarthy (R) finally won his long sought after Speakership of the House. Pundits wondered aloud just what McCarthy promised Matt Gaetz to reverse his vote to make it possible for McCarthy to win the Speakership. It is speculated that his tenure will be one of the weakest in history because of “selling off parts” of the Speakership. He is third in line to the Presidency.
One of the demands of the anti-McCarthy group is that it receive “more money” for investigations of the Department of Justice and FBI it was claimed by some television anchors.
The total number of votes cast was 428. McCarthy received 216 votes. Hakeem Jeffries (D) received 212 – that is all of the Democrats in the House – a vote that has been consistent for him in all 15 votes.
“I’m glad it’s over,” said McCarthy following the vote. McCarthy also stated that he did not offer Gaetz any chairmanship to get his support on the 15th ballot.
Just before 1:00 am., Minority Leader Hakeen Jeffries, (D-NY) thanked his supporters. He paid tribute to “The greatest speaker of our time,” Nancy Pelosi. He listed some of the legislative accomplishments of the Biden Administration. He urged Congress not to grow weary of doing good things for people. Among issues to pursue by Congress were reproductive freedom and the peaceful transfer of power between adminisrations. Both statements received an overhwleming response from House Democrats. Jeffries continued: “Congress is at a fork in the road. Which road will we choose? Democrats will not compromise our principles” he said in a rousing speech.
Speaker McCarthy said there will be times when he and Leader Jeffries will disagree. The disagreement may be passionate, but never personal he promised Jeffries. He said the first bill will be one that reduces the number of employees at IRS. (Understaffing the IRS means that the wealthy like Trump have less opportunity to be audited by the IRS.) McCarthy intends to address the rising debt and increase American made energy. “We will use the power of the purse and the subpoena to get the job done.” He pledged that there will be a hearing on the southern border. This blogger went to bed before McCarthy had finished his political promises – that was around 1:45 am..
Following the January 6 Insurrection on the Capitol, McCarthy rebuked Trump for his role in it. Shortly, thereafter he changed his tune and went to Florida and “kissed and made up” with Trump. But the $64,000. question remains: How much did McCarthy give away to the House Freedom Caucus?
“The United States should brace for the likelihood of a Congress in perpetual disparity for the next two years,” wrote Luke Broadwater, in a front page article in The New York Times, dated January 7, 2023, titled “Reaching Out for the Gavel in Handcuffs” The article continues: “The recipe for the chaos already existed: A toxic combination of the Republicans’ slim governing majority, an unyielding hard-right flank that disdains the normal operations of government and a candidate for speaker who has repeatedly bowed to that flank in his quest for power.”
Luke Broadwater is one of the writers in The New York Times edition of ” The January 6 Report.” The volume includes: The January 6 Report from the Select Committee, Reporting and analysis from The New York Times that puts the Committee’s findings in context, a context of key events, photos and illustrations including detailed maps that show the paths insurrections took to breach the capitol and biological sketches of dozens of key participants from the hearings. This blogger has found the volume to be an outstanding reference as well as extremely readable for the non-legally trained reader.
The Rules package will probably be voted on Monday rather than following his election this morning.