House Republicans are preparing to launch impeachment proceedings against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, while GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar have been installed on House panels by party leaders. The House Judiciary Committee is prepared to move ahead with formal proceedings if there appears to be a case against Mayorkas, and it is unclear how GOP moderates will react to the potential proceedings.
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A Republican operative has filed a civil lawsuit against Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union, and his wife Mercedes Schlapp, seeking $9.4 million in damages. The plaintiff, who worked as an aide to Georgia Republican Senate nominee Herschel Walker, alleges that Schlapp sexually assaulted him during a car ride following a night of drinking. The lawsuit also claims that the Schlapps and others dishonestly tried to discredit the plaintiff. No court date has been set and the plaintiff is seeking a jury trial.
The White House has offered an explanation for why it has released incomplete information about classified documents located in President Joe Biden's private office and home. Ian Sams, a spokesman for the White House Counsel's Office, said the tension between protecting and safeguarding the integrity of an ongoing investigation and providing information publicly is being managed by the White House. The documents date back to Biden's vice presidency and the White House has said they are not related to any current White House business, but no further information is available due to the ongoing investigation.
House Republicans have unanimously reinstated Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., and Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., to their respective committees after Democrats stripped them of their privileges in 2021. Greene has been assigned to the House Committee on Homeland Security, while Gosar has been assigned to the House Committee on Natural Resources. This decision has been met with criticism from Democrats, sparking a debate over the qualifications of representatives to serve on committees.
Solomon Peña, a failed New Mexico GOP candidate, has been arrested and charged with shooting at the homes of Democratic politicians. He allegedly conspired with and paid four men to carry out four shootings at the residences of two Bernalillo County commissioners and two state legislators in Albuquerque. Local Democratic leaders have condemned the shootings and the New Mexico Democratic Party has released a statement expressing their outrage. The investigation into the shootings is ongoing.
Matt Dolan, a Republican state senator and owner of the Cleveland Guardians, has announced his candidacy for the 2024 U.S. Senate race in Ohio, challenging Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown. Other Republicans looking at the race include Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Bernie Moreno.
Indiana Rep. Jim Banks has announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate, seeking to fill the seat left open by outgoing Republican Sen. Mike Braun. Banks is a Navy veteran and conservative who has taken a stance on hot-button social issues, and is the first to enter what could be a crowded and competitive GOP primary for the open Senate seat. The primary election is scheduled for May 2022, and other prominent candidates who have expressed interest in the seat include Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita and former Rep. Luke Messer.
White House Refuses to Negotiate Over Debt Limit, Treasury Secretary Warns of Potential Consequences
White House Refuses to Negotiate Over Debt Limit, Treasury Secretary Warns of Potential Consequences
The U.S. government is set to hit the debt limit on Thursday, and the White House has made it clear that it will not negotiate over it. Republican lawmakers have proposed using the debt limit as a bargaining chip, but the Democratic-led Senate and President Joe Biden are unlikely to accept their conditions. If the two sides fail to reach an agreement, the consequences could be severe. The Treasury Department has estimated that it will run out of money by the end of July if the debt limit is not raised.