Kerry Picket
Articles by Kerry Picket
McCarthy appeals to holdouts as House sits in limbo
Kevin McCarthy, who faces opposition from a faction of 20 conservatives, offered a comprehensive list of concessions to the holdouts, who have been demanding changes to the House rules and greater influence on the GOP's legislative agenda. Published January 5, 2023
McCarthy loses another vote for speaker as backers grow impatient
A group of conservatives has once again blocked Republican leader Kevin McCarthy from winning the speaker's gavel, leaving Congress in limbo and prompting talk among rank-and-file GOP lawmakers that it may be time for him to step aside. Published January 5, 2023
Mick Mulvaney advises Freedom Caucus to claim victory and support Kevin McCarthy
Former Rep. Mick Mulvaney, a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus, questioned how his old colleagues could claim a win in the speaker's race without digging themselves into a deeper hole. Published January 5, 2023
Revolt wears thin as Republicans wait to govern
Stalled by infighting over who should become speaker, the new House Republican majority Wednesday grew increasingly frustrated with a revolt by a faction of conservatives that has paralyzed Congress and tarnished the GOP's image. Published January 4, 2023
Rep. Chip Roy claps back at Newt Gingrich for calling GOP lawmakers ‘blackmailers’
Rep. Chip Roy lashed out at fellow Republican Newt Gingrich Wednesday morning for labeling Mr. Roy and 19 other House GOPers "blackmailers" for refusing to support Rep. Kevin McCarthy for speaker. Published January 4, 2023
Kevin McCarthy on the ropes: GOP fighting over speaker’s gavel leaves House in limbo
For the fourth time in two days, Rep.-elect Kevin McCarthy fell short of the votes needed to win the speaker's gavel and even lost a vote. Published January 4, 2023
Infighting over speaker’s gavel cripples House GOP’s first day in the majority
Instead of seizing the House majority with a historic number of new Republican lawmakers, the party's minuscule advantage after the midterm elections gave a group of conservatives leverage to thwart Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy's bid for speaker. Published January 3, 2023
Thwarted again: Anti-McCarthy Republicans dig in, block him from speaker on second ballot
Second-ballot votes yielded little improvement for Rep. Kevin McCarthy, who lost 19 votes to Rep. Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican and conservative firebrand who founded the House Freedom Caucus. Published January 3, 2023
House conservative faction blocks McCarthy’s bid for speaker
A group of conservative Republicans thwarted Rep. Kevin McCarthy's initial bid for speaker, leaving the House in a rare state of limbo on the opening day of the 118th Congress. Published January 3, 2023
Home of the whoppers: D.C. politicos’ long history of tall tales, embellishments, flat-out lies
Rep.-elect George Santos, the Long Island Republican who admitted to making up parts of his resume to impress voters ahead of the midterm election, is now facing bipartisan criticism and two criminal probes over his actions. Published December 29, 2022
Tulsi Gabbard grills Rep.-elect Santos over ‘blatant lies’ about his finance career, education
George Santos, 34, admitted to embellishing his finance career credentials and lying about graduating from Baruch College and later New York University when he never graduated from college. Published December 28, 2022
Embattled Rep.-elect George Santos admits he lied about his life story
Rep.-elect George Santos has come clean about not being truthful with voters about his job background and college education, but he said that won't stop him from taking his seat in the House next week. Published December 27, 2022
GOP senators blast Republican leadership over massive spending bill
Republican Sens. Ron Johnson and Mike Lee criticized Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and other Republicans for joining with Democrats to pass a $1.7 trillion year-end spending bill despite the objections of House Republicans. Published December 25, 2022
Rep. Jamie Raskin seeks to ditch Electoral College in favor of national popular vote
Rep. Jamie Raskin, Maryland Democrat and a member of the House Jan. 6 select committee, called the Electoral College a "danger" to the country that should be scrapped in favor of a direct popular vote to elect the president. Published December 25, 2022
Busloads of migrants arrive near VP Harris’ home on Christmas Eve
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, according to Fox News, was responsible for the latest transport of illegal immigrants to the Naval Observatory. Published December 25, 2022
Raskin says Jan. 6 committee needed DOJ’s ‘panoply’ of resources to continue its work against Trump
Rep. Jamie Raskin, Maryland Democrat and member of the nine-person select committee, said on CBS' "Face the Nation" that he is confident prosecutors will continue the work the committee started. Published December 25, 2022
China involved in ‘asymmetrical warfare’ against U.S. through fentanyl trafficking, Rep. Fallon says
GOP Rep. Pat Fallon, a House Armed Services Committee member, said that President Biden has "empowered" the drug cartels that control the illegal smuggling of fentanyl from China to Mexico to the U.S. Published December 25, 2022
N.J. Gov. Phil Murphy signs new gun permitting law, triggering lawsuit against it
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has signed new gun control legislation specifying who can carry handguns and where those firearms can be carried. Published December 23, 2022
More Santos tricks: His campaign staffer accused of impersonating McCarthy aide in bid for donations
A campaign staffer trying to raise money for Republican Representative-elect George Santos called up donors last year pretending to be Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy's chief of staff, a GOP insider claims. Published December 22, 2022
N.Y. Rep.-elect George Santos under pressure to reveal truth about life story
George Santos, a New York Republican elected to his first term in the House last month, is facing questions that he falsified key parts of his biography during the midterm election cycle. Published December 22, 2022
