Texans Pete Sessions, Roger Williams both out in whirlwind day to pick U.S. speaker
Sessions dropped out of the race after a first round of voting within the Republican conference. Williams entered the race after the apparent front-runner, Tom Emmer of Minnesota, failed to reach the 217-vote threshold, but later on Tuesday evening and the Texas lawmaker was also out.
U.S. Reps. Jodey Arrington, Roger Williams decline House speaker bid
Only one Texan, Rep. Pete Sessions, remains in the race for House Speaker. Republicans will hear from the candidates Monday night as they try to fill the job following U.S. Rep. Jim Jordanโs failure to win a majority.
Texas Reps. Jodey Arrington, Pete Sessions and Roger Williams are making moves to become U.S. House speaker
Arrington and Williams expressed their interest after the House Republican Conference voted in a closed door meeting to drop Jim Jordan as their nominee for speaker. Sessions announced his run shortly after.
New Congress will feature few leadership roles for the many Texans in the U.S. House
Texans will chair some powerful committees in the House, but their roles in top leadership elections last week were more often as anti-establishment voices than contenders.
McCarthy defends 1/6 audio, House GOP backs 'next speaker'
House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy has assured colleagues he never asked then-President Donald Trump to resign over the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol.
![AP Exclusive: MLB suspends political donations after DC riot](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/ab4kBQfSIpkypcoXsMIVeB9AIgI=/1600x900/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/DRTIJZTZONEE7EOWN37D6D5VX4.jpg)
AP Exclusive: MLB suspends political donations after DC riot
The National Football League said it will reconsider its donations but did not commit to suspending them. โWe are re-evaluating our political giving policies through the Gridiron PAC,โ NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told the AP in a statement Wednesday. Others, like MLB, have postponed political giving to both political parties altogether. The Office of The Commissioner of Major League Baseball Political Action Committee has donated $669,375 to Senate and House candidates since the 2016 election cycle, with 52.4% of that money going to Republican candidates, according to The Center for Responsive Politics. Since the 2016 election cycle, MLB has made contributions to two senators and nine representatives who were among those opposing certification of Biden's victory.
![National Democrats add three more Texas congressional districts to target list](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/23qVcSQfJQ1EthfWXZFQcY2EP9k=/425x284/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/YZU3VDV3GJEMBA4O6A3IMNTBNA.jpg)
National Democrats add three more Texas congressional districts to target list
Credit: United States CongressThe Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is adding three more districts to its Texas target list, expanding an already ambitious battlefield in the state. The DCCC is now targeting 10 districts across Texas, or nearly half the GOP-held seats in the state's congressional delegation. "That consistent message and our 16-month long investment in Texas have put fast-changing districts like these ones in play and Democratic candidates in strong position to deliver in November." Taylor, Williams and Wright all won their races in 2018 by margins ranging from 8 to 10 percentage points. The National Republican Congressional Committee has argued that the Democratic candidates are too liberal for Texas and that the GOP is the party on offense with strong challengers against Allred and Fletcher.
![U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez accuses U.S. Rep. Roger Williams of joining in on harassment](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/gTSLgxlm18jMq7M_w1IlObXjV2k=/425x284/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/5IVRNOZ3MVGLDFIU53OLQIIJ7A.jpg)
U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez accuses U.S. Rep. Roger Williams of joining in on harassment
U.S. Rep. Roger Williams, R-Austin and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York. U.S. Rep. Roger Williams, R-Austin, is facing criticism from liberal firebrand U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, after she says he failed to step in during a heated exchange between Ocasio-Cortez and a Republican colleague on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Monday. Ocasio-Cortez then told Yoho he was being "rude." Ocasio-Cortez then walked into the Capitol, while Yoho and Williams walked in the other direction as Yoho made the profane comment about Ocasio-Cortez, The Hill reported. "It definitely wouldn't be the first time that Roger Williams has lied or denigrated the poor, but this is absolutely beyond the pale," Oliver tweeted.
![Data: Congress created virus aid, then reaped the benefits](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/4OHlu_InwS69wyJZEB8UyDzYaoA=/1600x1066/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/ZEC5EBH4ZVE6FDSH43GZU4W7XM.jpg)
Data: Congress created virus aid, then reaped the benefits
At least 10 lawmakers and three congressional caucuses have ties to organizations that received federal coronavirus aid, according to government data released this week. Four car dealerships owned by Kelly received $600,000 to $1.4 million. Mike Kelly Automotive Group, Mike Kelly Automotive LP and Mike Kelly Hyundai and Kelly Chevrolet-Cadillac, all near Pittsburgh, received the money. Buchanan, whose net worth is estimated at $74 million, received three loans for car dealerships totaling $2.7 million to $7 million. Two wineries tied to Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., and an Iowa farm run by his family received loans worth at least $2 million.
![Data: Congress created virus aid, then reaped the benefits](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/bAAEvbOQRLaBaaj57wxtW_898Z0=/1600x1066/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/P2JN7FL2WZDFHAXU62FCSW73WA.jpg)
Data: Congress created virus aid, then reaped the benefits
At least 10 lawmakers and three congressional caucuses have ties to organizations that received federal coronavirus aid, according to government data released this week. We think it certainly should be illegal" for members of Congress to benefit from a program they created, he said. Car dealerships owned by Kelly received from $450,000 to just over $1 million. At least five car dealerships owned by the husband of Rep. Carol Miller, R-W.Va., also received loans, each ranging from $350,000 to $1 million, the data show. Herns Tulsa-based KTAK Corp., a management company for several McDonalds restaurants, received $1 million to $2 million.