House Republicans have stripped Kevin McCarthy of the speaker's gavel after a deal to keep the government open, following a demand from Rep. Matt Gaetz, a 2020 election denier and defender of the Jan. 6 insurrection. Gaetz is known for his conservative bent and his belief that the federal government is corrupt. At McCarthy's first press conference after the decision, he was free to speak his mind, and the implications of this move remain to be seen.
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San Francisco Residents Gather to Honor the Late Sen. Dianne Feinstein at City Hall Memorial Service
San Francisco Residents Gather to Honor the Late Sen. Dianne Feinstein at City Hall Memorial Service
San Francisco residents gathered Wednesday to pay their respects to the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who passed away last week at the age of 87. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was among those who paid their respects, hugging the casket of the late Sen. Feinstein. The memorial service for Sen. Feinstein is open to the public outside of San Francisco City Hall at 1 p.m. local time, allowing the public to pay their respects and remember her legacy.
On Tuesday, the House of Representatives voted to oust Representative Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from his position as Speaker of the House, triggered by a motion from Representative Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and supported by seven other Republicans and 208 House Democrats. Representatives Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) and Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) had differing opinions on the ouster, while Representative Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.) suggested that the House Democrats should have provided McCarthy with votes to keep the Speakership, contrary to conventional wisdom.
Julia Ormond has filed a lawsuit against Harvey Weinstein, accusing him of sexually assaulting her in 1995. The lawsuit, filed in New York state Supreme Court, alleges that Weinstein forced her to perform oral sex on him after what she thought would be a business meeting. Ormond is seeking a level of personal closure by holding Weinstein accountable for his actions and the depth of its harms, joining other actresses Ashley Judd and Rose McGowan in the legal action against Weinstein.
Today, the Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in Acheson Hotels LLC v. Laufer, a case that could have major implications for the rights of disabled individuals. Deborah Laufer, a disabled Florida resident, filed a lawsuit against Acheson Hotels LLC in 2020 for failing to provide sufficient accessibility information on their website or reservation system. The Supreme Court is now considering whether a disability rights campaigner can sue hotels for failing to disclose accessibility information if she doesn't plan to actually book a room.
On Wednesday, more than 75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers across five states and Washington, D.C. went on strike, the largest health care worker walkout in U.S. history. The workers are protesting staffing shortages that they say have reached crisis levels, and are asking for improved wages, increased staffing levels, and better job security. The strike is expected to last five days, and Kaiser Permanente has said that patient care will not be affected.
Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio has declared his candidacy for speaker of the House, citing strong support from fellow House Republicans and a desire to unite the fractured GOP conference. He has also criticized federal spending and the alleged persecution of former President Donald Trump. Other lawmakers, such as Rep. Steve Scalise, have also signaled they will seek the speaker's gavel, and the House Republican Conference is expected to meet on Thursday to discuss the election.
House Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry has ordered the eviction of former Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer from their offices in the Capitol, sparking criticism from both sides of the aisle. This move comes after the ouster of Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as House Speaker, which was caused by months of GOP infighting led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.). Despite the criticism, many are hoping that the new Republican Leadership can now focus on more pressing matters.