The chaos and uncertainty in the U.S. House continued Thursday as U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise cobbled together just enough votes to be designated as his party’s choice as the next speaker — but not enough in a divided Republican caucus to be formally elected to the post.
That’s because several Republican lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, announced they won’t back the Louisiana legislator on the House floor, depriving Scalise of the 217 votes he needs to claim the speakership.
Instead, Greene said her choice is U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, a founder of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. Its members kicked Greene out of the group in July, but Jordan did not support the move.
“I have one vote in the matter; I’m casting it for Jim Jordan, who I think is capable and willing and wants to do the job,” Greene, a Rome resident, said Wednesday.
U.S. Rep. Rick McCormick of Suwanee, another Jordan backer, said House Republicans should continue meeting privately to ensure there is widespread support for the party’s nominee before a floor vote is held.
“I have been very clear with leadership, I want a consensus before we come to the floor,” he said.
Other members of the Georgia GOP delegation are calling for unity, including U.S. Rep. Mike Collins. The Jackson Republican did not disclose whom he voted for initially but said it’s time to move forward with Scalise.
“Just like in our own races when the primary voters have spoken, we rally behind our nominee to defeat the Democrats,” Collins wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “It’s time to unite and get back to work.”
Speaker nominee Steve Scalise emerging from the closed door GOP meeting where he narrowly won the majority, reportedly by one vote. But he is far from the 217 needed to win on the floor. pic.twitter.com/70BgecotAv
— Tia Mitchell, AJC’s Washington Correspondent (@ajconwashington) October 11, 2023
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LISTEN UP. Your daily dose of the Politically Georgia podcast is now ready in your podcast feeds. Tia Mitchell and Patricia Murphy share their reporting on the House speaker’s race from the halls of the U.S. Capitol, while Greg Bluestein and Bill Nigut unpack the reaction in Georgia to the war in Israel.
If you have a question or comment for the podcast, send it our way. Call the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast hotline at 404-526-AJCP. That’s 404-526-2527. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the listener mailbag segment on a future episode.
Listen at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts — or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
FLAGS FOR ISRAEL. Gov. Brian Kemp has ordered American and Georgia flags be flown at half-staff until sunset Saturday to honor the 22 Americans killed in the attacks by Hamas militants in Israel.
In his executive order, Kemp also wrote that the people of Georgia “join our close ally, Israel in grieving all those who were taken from their families or injured.”
Kemp traveled to Israel with a state delegation over the summer. The visit included a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
As we continue to stand with and pray for the people of Israel, we're also mourning the loss of American citizens killed in the terrorist attacks.
— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) October 11, 2023
I have ordered the U.S. flag and the flag of Georgia to fly at half-staff on state grounds and buildings until sunset on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/6lTgeERy5s
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IRANIAN SANCTIONS. State lawmakers could soon consider a measure to ban companies owned by the Iranian government from bidding on state contracts after Hamas’ surprise invasion of Israel.
Sen. Jason Anavitarte, one of the chamber’s top-ranking Republicans, said Senate leaders plan to introduce legislation to “ban Iranian interests and businesses” from doing business with Georgia.
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
“We should do everything we can to support Israel, big and small,” said Anavitarte, a Dallas resident.
Iran is a sworn enemy of Israel and a primary benefactor of Hamas, which launched an attack from Gaza over the weekend that left more than 1,200 dead. The assault triggered an unprecedented response from Israel, with leaders vowing to destroy the militant group.
The Georgia legislation would be modeled after a 2022 measure designed to ban companies “owned or operated” by the Chinese government from seeking state contracts. Firms that lie about their affiliation face a fine of at least $250,000.
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Credit: Miguel Martinez
Credit: Miguel Martinez
NEVER MIND. A few days after state Rep. Esther Panitch questioned online whether far-left members of the U.S. House were “celebrating” the Hamas attack on Israel, the Sandy Springs Democrat erased her social media post and apologized.
Panitch, the sole Jewish member of the Legislature, faced threats of a primary challenge after publishing the social media post hours after the invasion.
“A few days ago, as word of the massacre in Israel was coming in, I took a cheap shot in a tweet,” she wrote. “It was beneath me and the office I am honored and privileged (to) hold. I am sorry. It has been deleted.”
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Credit: Jenni Girtman for the AJC
Credit: Jenni Girtman for the AJC
NO PLEDGE. An attempt to add the Pledge of Allegiance to the agenda of a recent meeting of the Cobb County Board of Elections was a no-go, the Marietta Daily Journal reports.
The pledge idea came from Debbie Fisher, the lone appointee of the Cobb Republican Party. When she moved to add the Pledge of Allegiance to the agenda, none of the other four board members seconded the motion and it failed. A heated meeting reportedly followed.
Cobb GOP Chair Salleigh Grubbs emailed the board and copied the newspaper after the fact, saying in part, “I’m in utter shock. What a disgusting display.”
Tori Silas, the Democratic chair of the board, said the pledge has never been a part of the agenda. Asked if that could change, Silas responded, “We rule by majority and a majority of the board indicated the answer was no.”
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Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
REDISTRICTING GRADE. Georgia’s redistricting process received a “D” grade in a report released Wednesday by advocacy groups. The analysis criticized state legislators who “largely ignored” the public in redrawing political maps in 2021.
The critique arrived as a federal judge considers whether to throw out Georgia’s maps based on lawsuits that allege lawmakers illegally weakened the voting power of Black residents, the AJC’s Mark Niesse reports.
The “Community Redistricting Report Card” said most public hearings were ineffective because they were held before the release of 2020 U.S. Census data and the proposed district maps. Then, lawmakers failed to respond to requests from residents or allow them to submit their own suggested maps.
“Advocates and community members created maps, testified, and submitted (community of interest) maps to the Legislature but felt they were sending them into the ether,” according to the report.
Georgia is among 20 states that received “D” or “F” grades. Just two states, California and Massachusetts, were given “A-” grades, and no state scored higher.
The report was produced by a group called CHARGE, the Coalition Hub for Advancing Redistricting & Grassroots Engagement, which includes Common Cause, Fair Count, the League of Women Voters and the NAACP.
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Credit: J. Scott Trubey/AJC
Credit: J. Scott Trubey/AJC
DEEPER DIG? The Georgia Ports Authority wants a wider and deeper Savannah River shipping channel, news the AJC broke on the eve of today’s Savannah State of the Ports luncheon.
One topic already being discussed Wednesday night: How much will the state have to chip in this time?
The last Savannah harbor dredging finished in March 2022 and cost $1.03 billion. Georgia taxpayers put in $266 million, all of that before digging even began. The state dollars kept the project from being further delayed — digging started 19 years into the process — as federal money was slow in coming.
The U.S. Congress will be asked to authorize a study into the deepening as part of next year’s Water Resources Development Act renewal.
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TODAY IN WASHINGTON:
- President Joe Biden meets at the White House with business leaders to shine a spotlight on his economic agenda.
- In the U.S. House, a floor vote could be scheduled on Rep. Steve Scalise’s speaker bid.
- The U.S. Senate is adjourned through week’s end.
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VA INQUIRY. U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff has launched a probe into Department of Veterans Affairs delays faced by Georgia veterans in regards to pending benefits claim appeals, the AJC’s Katherine Landergan reports.
In a letter to VA Secretary Denis McDonough, the Georgia senator said some Georgians report years-long wait times to receive a decision from the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.
“I am concerned that Georgia’s veterans are not receiving the clear and consistent information they deserve regarding their appeals, leaving these veterans and their families in limbo as they wait years for the benefits to which they are potentially entitled,” Ossoff wrote.
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Credit: TNS
Credit: TNS
KENNEDY CAMPAIGNING. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. will tout his presidential bid with campaign stops in Georgia later this week. The Kennedy campaign will host a rally Friday in Savannah and Saturday in Augusta.
Kennedy, an attorney and champion of the anti-vaccine movement, launched a Democratic presidential bid in April but announced Monday he would run instead as an independent. He is the son of former U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy and nephew of former President John F. Kennedy.
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Credit: Courtesy photo
Credit: Courtesy photo
DOG OF THE DAY. Jolters, some of your dogs just make our days and here’s a good one: Birdie Segrest-Suessmith.
This gorgeous three-year-old Labrador mix was pitched to us as being best known in her Decatur neighborhood for her “neck rolls and can-do attitude.” But that’s not all. We’re also informed that Birdie is the precious pup of Jolt devotee Graham Segrest-Suessmith and patient Jolt debrief-receiver Sam Segrest-Suessmith.
If there is a group on this Earth that appreciates neck rolls, can-do attitudes and Jolt devotees, it’s us. So Birdie, you’re our Dog of the Day!
Send us your dogs of any political persuasion and location, and cats on a cat-by-cat basis, to patricia.murphy@ajc.com, or DM us at @MurphyAJC.
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AS ALWAYS, Jolt readers are some of our favorite tipsters. Send your best scoop, gossip and insider info to adam.vanbrimmer@ajc.com, patricia.murphy@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com and greg.bluestein@ajc.com.
