Fallout from riot, virus leaves toxic mood on Capitol Hill
FILE - In this Feb. 4, 2021, file photo, Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. One problem in resuming fully in-person operations at the Capitol is the lack of vaccinations for thousands of staff to the 435 House members. Give me a break.”It’s clear that Democrats are more emotionally spent than House Republicans, who bolstered their ranks in the last election despite Trump's loss. In February, the House voted to remove Greene from her committee assignments because of her lengthy history of outrageous social media posts and other actions. AdWhile security fencing is set to be removed from the Capitol, metal detectors remain stationed outside the House chamber after some Republican lawmakers pledged to bring their firearms onto the House floor.
Dem-led House, drawing a line, kicks Greene off committees
(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)WASHINGTON – A fiercely divided House tossed Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene off both her committees Thursday, an unprecedented punishment that Democrats said she’d earned by spreading hateful and violent conspiracy theories. Though Trump left the White House two week ago, his devoted followers are numerous among the party’s voters, and he and Greene are allies. Even social media stars like Greene could find it harder to define themselves without the spotlights that committees provide. Thune said House Republicans needed to issue a “really strong” rebuke of Greene’s conspiratorial formulations. The House resolution punishing Greene was barely over a page.
Gun-toting congresswoman-elect may carry Glock at Capitol
The agency's officials did not answer directly when Democrats on the House Committee on Administration asked in 2018 how many lawmakers carry firearms in the Capitol. Aides can carry lawmakers’ weapons for them on the Capitol complex, he wrote. He said members and their staffs carry firearms around the Capitol “all the time,” though he mentioned no names. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., chairman of the House Second Amendment Caucus, justified letting lawmakers carry weapons. Its officers routinely arrest people caught trying to carry weapons at the Capitol.
Conservatives lash out at Liz Cheney over Trump criticism
Republican 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.
5 Things to Know for Today
Poll worker Dolores Louallen directs Fayette County voters where to drop off their absentee ballots at Kroger Field in Lexington, Ky., on Tuesday, June 23, 2020. (Ryan C. Hermens/Lexington Herald-Leader via AP)Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:1. ONE LIFE IS NOT WORTH MORE THAN ANOTHER The spread of coronavirus is prompting soaring demand for oxygen. But in much of the world, medical oxygen is expensive and hard to get a basic marker of inequality. BASEBALL WILL LOOK DIFFERENT UPON RETURN The season is now going to be a 60-game sprint to the finish, held in ballparks without fans and feature some unusual rules.
2 Republicans opposed by Trump win in N. Carolina, Kentucky
(Patrick Sebastian/Cawthorn Campaign via AP)LOUISVILLE, Ky. Voters rebuffed President Donald Trump and nominated two Republicans he opposed to House seats from North Carolina and Kentucky on Tuesday. Kentucky usually has 2% of its returns come from mail ballots. This year officials expect that figure to exceed 50%, and over 400,000 mail ballots were returned by Sunday. New York officials expect the vast majority of votes to be mail ballots this year, compared to their typical 5% share. Counties have until eight days after Election Day to count and release the results of mail ballots, with 1.7 million requested by voters.
IRS says stimulus payments sent to dead people have to be returned
SAN ANTONIO – The IRS sent $1,200 checks to millions of Americans as part of a stimulus relief package to help people impacted by the coronavirus pandemic but while some people are still waiting on their money, some dead people are getting paid. “A Payment made to someone who died before receipt of the Payment should be returned to the IRS,” according to IRS.gov. The IRS website also lists instructions on what to do if you need to send money back. Nina Olson, former head of the Taxpayer Advocate Service, told Market Watch on April 18 that the “CARES Act stimulus bill contained no 'clawback’ provisions for stimulus checks sent to a dead person, meaning the agency can’t retrieve the money after it’s been handed out.”“This has been a tremendous success. *Editor’s Note: This story was edited with the update that the IRS says the checks need to be returnedMORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE FROM KSAT: