Thomas Massie Removed From Powerful House Rules Committee

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Rep. Thomas Massie, one of the most outspoken critics of House Speaker Mike Johnson, is off the powerful House Rules Committee, which plays a critical role in the functioning of the lower chamber of Congress.

Massie (R-Ky.), the lone Republican to vote against Johnson’s (R-La.) speakership bid on Jan. 3, revealed in December that he had offered to step down from the panel in the 119th Congress — and told Punchbowl News Johnson was “thinking” about obliging.

During the last Congress, Massie had been one of three Republicans — along with Freedom Caucus Reps. Ralph Norman (R-SC) and Chip Roy (R-Texas) — who often gave leadership headaches.

All three were put on the Rules Committee as part of a deal made by then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in 2023 during his protracted battle for the gavel.

The Rules Committee determines the parameters for considering each piece of legislation, setting out the restrictions on debate and amendments. (Read more from “Thomas Massie Removed From Powerful House Rules Committee” HERE)

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After Running on ‘Protect Democracy’ Platform, Tim Walz Is Silent as State House Dems Refuse to Let GOP Take Control

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Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who ran his vice presidential campaign on defending democracy during the 2024 election, has notably remained silent as Democratic lawmakers in his state are threatening a legislative session boycott to deny GOP lawmakers a quorum to elect a speaker and conduct legislative business.

The start of Minnesota’s legislative session begins Tuesday, but Democratic House lawmakers may not be in attendance after breaking precedent by holding a covert mass swearing-in ceremony Sunday in a location outside of the state capitol with no media present or accompanied press release. Members are usually sworn into office at the state capitol during the first day of the session.

“It was shocking to hear that House Democrats held an unprecedented secret swearing-in ceremony behind closed doors, with no public notice,” Republican Minnesota Rep. Lisa DeMuth, the GOP’s speaker-designate, told the Daily Caller News Foundation in a statement. “If the [Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party] DFL believes what they’re doing is right, why not hold a public swearing-in? They didn’t even confirm it happened until House Republicans called out their actions after the fact.”

Republican lawmakers have criticized Walz, who ran for vice president on a platform to “protect democracy,” for appearing to condone House Democrats’ threats to deny their Republican colleagues a necessary quorum to conduct legislative business on behalf of their constituents that elected them in November.

“It’s outrageous that Tim Walz has given Minnesota Democrat legislators blanket approval for a secret, behind-closed-doors, swearing-in last night (no public, no media) and a green light to not show up for work on Tuesday, the first day of the legislative session,” Republican Minnesota Rep. Pete Stauber wrote on his campaign account on X Monday. “Minnesotans deserve better!”

(Read more from “After Running on ‘Protect Democracy’ Platform, Tim Walz Is Silent as State House Dems Refuse to Let GOP Take Control” HERE)

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Laughter Erupts During Senate Hearing As Pete Hegseth Quips About His Military Service In Response To Elizabeth Warren

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Laughter erupted during the Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday as Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth retorted Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s questioning.

Hegseth has publicly expressed his belief that military generals should be banned from serving in the defense industry for 10 years after their departure from service, leading the senator to ask if he would commit to that same standard after exiting his potential role as the next defense secretary. After Warren pressed him on the topic, Hegseth concluded his response with a quip about his military record.

“But the question I have for you is, will you put your money where your mouth is and agree that when you leave this job, you will not work for the defense industry for 10 years?” Warren asked.

“Senator, it’s not even a question I’ve thought about,” Hegseth said. “Because it’s not one, my motivation for this job has never been about what could conceivably come next.”

The Massachusetts senator interrupted Hegseth to accuse him of not living up to his own standards. (Read more from “Laughter Erupts During Senate Hearing As Pete Hegseth Quips About His Military Service In Response To Elizabeth Warren” HERE)

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Trump Announces Creation of External Revenue Service — Here’s What New Agency Will Collect

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President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday he will create an external revenue office upon his return to the White House that will collect all foreign-sourced revenue, such as tariffs.

“For far too long, we have relied on taxing our Great People using the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Through soft and pathetically weak Trade agreements, the American Economy has delivered growth and prosperity to the World, while taxing ourselves,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“I am today announcing that I will create the EXTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE [ERS] to collect our Tariffs, Duties, and all Revenue that come from Foreign sources.”

The incoming president added that the ERS would be established on Jan. 20 to “begin charging those that make money off of us with Trade, and they will start paying, FINALLY, their fair share.”

Trump, 78, has already threatened to raise tariffs on foreign countries that do not comply with his hard-line immigration policies. The president-elect has singled out Mexico and Canada with a threat of a 25% tariff, and has also said he will stop “business” with countries who refuse to take back illegal migrants who have been deported. (Read more from “Trump Announces Creation of External Revenue Service — Here’s What New Agency Will Collect” HERE)

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Harris Roasted for ‘Word Salad’ Advice to LA Fire Victims as Lame-Duck VP Winds Down Term (VIDEO)

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Vice President Kamala Harris served up some of her trademark “word salad” Monday during a White House briefing on the devastating Los Angeles wildfires.

Harris, 60, urged Southern California residents displaced by widespread evacuation orders to remain patient as first responders work to ensure neighborhoods are safe to re-enter.

However, several X users noted that it took the vice president far more words than necessary to express her point.

“It’s critically important that, to the extent you can find anything that gives you an ability to be patient in this extremely dangerous and unprecedented crisis, that you do,” Harris said in her wordy message to Californians eager to get back home.

One X user described the vice president’s message as “Classic Kamala.” (Read more from “Harris Roasted for ‘Word Salad’ Advice to LA Fire Victims as Lame-Duck VP Winds Down Term” HERE)

Report: Trump Did More to Free Hostages, Reach Ceasefire Than Biden Did All Year

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President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly being praised by Arab officials for doing more to move Israel and Hamas closer to a hostage and ceasefire deal than President Joe Biden has done in more than a year since the last truce.

Trump warned Hamas at the beginning of December that there would be “ALL HELL TO PAY” if they did not release all 100 of the remaining hostages, including seven Americans (three of whom are alive) by his Inauguration.

Hamas began to show flexibility, then retreated. But Trump’s future Mideast envoys fanned out across the region, and Trump apparently pressured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to show greater flexibility as well.

The Times of Israel reported Tuesday:

A “tense” weekend meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and incoming Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff led to a breakthrough in the hostage negotiations, with the top aide to US President-elect Donald Trump doing more to sway the premier in a single sit-down than outgoing President Joe Biden did all year, two Arab officials told The Times of Israel on Tuesday.

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During the 42-day first phase, 33 of the remaining women, children, elderly and severely ill hostages will be released in exchange for roughly 1,000 Palestinian security prisoners. Israel will partially withdraw from Gaza, while helping facilitate the entry of 600 trucks of humanitarian aid into the Strip each day.

The second stage will see the release of the remaining living hostages and conclude with a declaration of a permanent end to hostilities. The third phase will see the release of bodies still held by Hamas.

(Read more from “Report: Trump Did More to Free Hostages, Reach Ceasefire Than Biden Did All Year” HERE)

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JD Vance Walks Back President Trump’s Promise to Pardon All J6ers

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By New York Post. Vice President-elect JD Vance said that President-elect Donald Trump will issue pardons for peaceful protesters on Jan. 6, 2021 — but not violent rioters.

Vance said that there were scores of individuals who “were prosecuted unfairly” after the Jan. 6 ransacking of the Capitol and that the Trump administration will “rectify that.”

“If you protested peacefully on January the 6th, and you’ve had Merrick Garland’s Department of Justice treat you like a gang member, you should be pardoned,” Vance, 40, told “Fox News Sunday” about the line Trump will draw.

“If you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldn’t be pardoned. And there’s a little bit of a gray area there. But we’re very much committed to seeing the equal administration of law.”

Vance later responded to backlash over his comments — with some accusing him of “walking back” promises to pardon people who were at the Capitol on Jan. 6. (Read more from “JD Vance Walks Back President Trump’s Promise to Pardon All J6ers” HERE)

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‘We Will Raise Hell’: MAGA Activists ‘Swearing Vengeance on J.D. Vance’ for New ‘Betrayal’

By Raw Story. Donald Trump’s number two has found himself to be the number one target of several faithful members of the MAGA movement, including Jan. 6 rioters. . .

That comment struck a chord with numerous Trump supporters, including Philip Anderson, a Texas man who was arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges connected to the riot.

“Telling your own supporters that the election was stolen and then not giving them a pardon or commutation after you sent them into what you call a ‘fedsurrection’ and ‘trap’ is a betrayal,” he wrote Sunday. “All of the J6 defendants must be saved. JD Vance is wrong and I hope Trump will save his own supporters.”

Another Jan. 6 defendant, Samuel Fisher, (aka Brad Holiday ), replied to Anderson, saying, “He better or we will raise hell for the rest of our lives.” . . .

“J6 defendants and family members are swearing vengeance on JD Vance if all of the J6 defendants are not saved. And they are right to do it,” he said on X. (Read more from “‘We Will Raise Hell’: MAGA Activists ‘Swearing Vengeance on J.D. Vance’ for New ‘Betrayal’” HERE)

Here’s How Trump’s Spending Inauguration Weekend

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By Daily Wire. Donald Trump’s transition team has released the president-elect’s schedule for Inauguration Weekend.

Trump will kick off the weekend with a reception and fireworks at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Va., before heading to a cabinet reception and vice president’s dinner the same evening.

On Sunday, Trump will participate in the Arlington National Cemetery ceremony and wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier before crossing the river to deliver remarks at the “Make America Great Again Victory Rally” at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. He’ll then attend a “candlelight dinner” where he’ll also deliver remarks.

Monday, January 20, is Inauguration Day. Trump will attend church service at the historic St. John’s Church, then attend tea at the White House, before heading to the United States Capitol to be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. (Read more from “Here’s How Trump’s Spending Inauguration Weekend” HERE)

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Defies Federal Government, Orders Flags to Fly At Full Staff for Trump Inauguration

By New York Post. Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott flouted federal orders Monday and announced that flags in the Lone Star State will be flown at full-staff for President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration next week.

Abbott’s declaration comes two weeks after President Biden ordered flags be flown at half-staff for 30 days to honor former President Jimmy Carter, who died at the age of 100 on Dec. 29.

“Today, I ordered flags raised to full-staff at the Texas Capitol & state buildings for President Trump’s inauguration,” Abbott wrote on X. “While we honor President Carter’s service, we also celebrate an incoming President & our bright future.”

In a lengthier statement, Abbott argued that the US flag should be displayed “especially on… Inauguration Day, January 20.”

Trump’s inauguration as the 47th president falls within the 30-day mourning period, which is due to end Jan. 28. (Read more from “Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Defies Federal Government, Orders Flags to Fly At Full Staff for Trump Inauguration” HERE)

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Suspected Migrant Gang Members Get Dose of Justice After Months of Mayhem

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Nine suspected members of the violent Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) were charged following a violent December home invasion, kidnapping and robbery in Aurora, Colorado.

The apartment complex gained widespread national media attention over claims it had been taken over by the Venezuelan gang earlier this year.

The Aurora, Colorado Police Department announced the nine arrests on Monday in the armed home invasion and kidnapping that left two victims seriously injured. . .

The suspects face varying charges, including second-degree kidnapping, first-degree assault, aggravated robbery, second-degree burglary, extortion and menacing, the department said.

Serpa-Acosta was previously wanted on an active felony warrant for first-degree burglary and menacing with a deadly weapon, police said. His warrant stemmed from Aug. 18, 2024, when a security camera captured Serpa-Acosta and five other armed men knocking on apartment doors at The Edge at Lowry about 10 minutes before a fatal shooting. (Read more from “Suspected Migrant Gang Members Get Dose of Justice After Months of Mayhem” HERE)

Recall Effort Against Newsom Underway in California Following Alleged Mishandling of LA Fires

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A recall attempt to knock California Gov. Gavin Newsom out of office is underway as he faces sharp criticism for his handling of the Los Angeles wildfires – with opponents labeling his leadership as a “series of catastrophic failures.”

Organizers against Newsom vowed to file papers in the next two weeks in hopes of jumpstarting the process that could lead to the Democrat’s ouster in the middle of his second term in the governor’s mansion.

The state leader – along with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass – is fighting for his political life as the wildfires have torched more than 40,000 acres, destroyed more than 12,000 structures and killed at least 24 people.

“Under the reign of Governor Newsom, living in California has become impossible for average people through years of poor policies which have increased the costs of living, increased crime, increased drug use and homelessness, increased the cost of burden [sic] on small businesses and communities, while decreasing our professional standards, education standards, the disappearance of billions of taxpayers’ dollars to failed pet programs, and our public services,” one recall organizer, Randy Economy, said in a statement.

“This was most recently demonstrated by the woefully unprepared and incompetent response to the fires currently ravaging the Los Angeles area.” (Read more from “Recall Effort Against Newsom Underway in California Following Alleged Mishandling of LA Fires” HERE)

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