Hayden Haynes, chief of staff to House Speaker Mike Johnson, was arrested for driving under the influence after his vehicle collided with a Capitol vehicle near the U.S. Capitol following President Donald Trump's address to Congress. The U.S. Capitol Police confirmed the incident, noting that a driver backed into a parked vehicle, and sources identified Haynes as the driver involved. Haynes was released with a citation to appear in court, and the incident has garnered attention due to his significant role on Capitol Hill, with potential implications for his position yet to be determined.
Posts tagged as “Capitol Hill”
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Capitol Hill on Tuesday to appeal for U.S. aid for his country, which is suffering from Russian bombings. During the visit, Senator Lindsey Graham asked Zelenskyy to thank Mike Johnson for being willing to pass a package if border security is included, while House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar criticized Johnson for not inviting all House members. Senator J.D. Vance called the visit "grotesque" and Senator Roger Marshall said it was designed to apply pressure on Republicans. It is unclear if Zelenskyy's visit will be successful in helping to secure the aid package.
On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with President Joe Biden at the White House to update him on the situation in Ukraine and reaffirm the United States' commitment to the country. The aid package for Ukraine has been stalled on Capitol Hill due to disagreements over immigration policies, and Senator Chris Coons, D-Del., expressed his frustration with the stalemate. The White House is hopeful that the visit will help move the process forward and provide more financial and military support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.
The U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote on Thursday to censure Democratic Representative Jamaal Bowman of New York, who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for falsely pulling a fire alarm in a Capitol Hill office building. The resolution was introduced by Republican Representative Lisa McClain of Michigan, and if it passes, Bowman will become the third Democratic House member to be admonished this year. The vote will be a test of the House's ability to handle a difficult situation, and will be an important moment in the House's history regardless of the outcome.
On Wednesday, the Senate failed to pass a key test vote on a bill that would approve tens of billions of dollars in emergency spending, including aid for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and other priorities. The vote was blocked by Republicans demanding stricter border security measures and Senator Bernie Sanders, who opposed aid to Israel without conditions. President Joe Biden has made a plea for the bill to be passed, but the future of the aid remains uncertain.
This article discusses the House Administration Committee's decision to make internal video footage from the Capitol Hill riot on January 6th available to the public. The footage, totaling over 40,000 hours, will be posted to a public website and requests for specific videos can be made. It is hoped that this footage will provide insight into the events of that day, and will help to inform future decisions.
On Tuesday, a heated exchange between Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma and Sean O'Brien, the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, almost turned into a fistfight during a Senate hearing on labor unions. Mullin, a former MMA fighter, had challenged O'Brien to a physical fight for charity, but the exchange was eventually brought back to order. Mullin and O'Brien have since apologized for their behavior, sparking a debate over the appropriateness of physical confrontations in the Senate.
Former Capitol Hill reporter Jason Donner is suing Fox News for wrongful termination after he spoke out against false claims of election fraud. Donner claims that Fox News was aware of the falsehoods but purged journalists who spoke out against them in order to win back viewership and pledge loyalty to President Trump. The lawsuit is seeking unspecified damages and Fox News has not yet commented.