Democrats will vote to remove McCarthy as House speaker

Democrats will vote to oust McCarthy – report

The Washington Post reports that Democrats are unified in voting for the motion to remove Kevin McCarthy as speaker of the House for his support of Donald Trump and his downplaying of the January 6 attack on the Capitol:

NEWS: Democrats will NOT vote present and will NOT vote to table.
Sources say the caucus is unified.

McCarthy’s actions on Jan 6, his trip to Mar a Lago, his attempt to discredit the Jan 6 Cmte, his reneging on debt limit deal and his actions this weekend are all the reasons

— Leigh Ann Caldwell (@LACaldwellDC) October 3, 2023

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NEWS: Democrats will NOT vote present and will NOT vote to table.

Sources say the caucus is unified.

McCarthy’s actions on Jan 6, his trip to Mar a Lago, his attempt to discredit the Jan 6 Cmte, his reneging on debt limit deal and his actions this weekend are all the reasons

— Leigh Ann Caldwell (@LACaldwellDC) October 3, 2023

Democrats have the option of voting present on the motion to vacate, or supporting a motion to table the removal attempt, which would have blocked it. According to the Post, the minority party has ruled that out, and McCarthy earlier today said he was not going to ask the Democrats for help to remain as speaker.

Kevin McCarthy may, as soon as this afternoon, become the first speaker of the House in American history to be removed from the job. The far-right Republicans who held up his election to the leadership post for days in January have struck again, proposing a motion to vacate that will go up for a vote this afternoon. While the Californian has the option of asking the sizable Democratic minority for their support to save him, he has rejected doing that – and they, in turn, have unanimously said they will not help McCarthy, a Donald Trump ally who has been crucial to the effort to downplay the severity of the January 6 insurrection.

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How did we get here? The trouble for the House GOP began last November, when they retook the majority in the chamber, but only by a measly four seats. That empowered far-right lawmakers such as Matt Gaetz to hold up McCarthy’s election as speaker for days, relenting only after he agreed to concessions, which included allowing any member to make a motion to vacate. Rightwing lawmakers generally demanded McCarthy adopt a take-no-prisoners approach to dealing with Joe Biden and the Democrats, who control the Senate, but their anger grew over the months that followed, when McCarthy cut a deal with Biden to increase the debt limit while slashing some government spending. The far-right fury peaked this past weekend, when McCarthy worked with Democrats to fund the government for a few weeks while the parties negotiate its long-term budget, narrowly averting a shutdown.

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That latter event prompted Gaetz to follow through on his implied threat and introduce a motion to vacate, which, as of this writing, appears to have enough votes to successfully boot McCarthy from the speaker’s chair. But as he made clear in comments earlier today, McCarthy is a survivor and will not go down without a fight.

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Keep following this blog as we cover what will be an action-packed afternoon.

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Here’s what else is going on today:

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Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to federal gun charges at his arraignment in Delaware.

Trump is back in court in New York City as a judge considers how much in damages he and his family should pay for fraudulently inflating the value of their assets over the course of years.

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A House Democratic aide confirms to the Guardian’s US politics live blog that all of the party’s lawmakers plan to vote against Kevin McCarthy remaining as speaker.

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The Democrats were similarly united in January, when they repeatedly voted for minority leader Hakeem Jeffries as speaker of the House, giving no lifeline to McCarthy and his allies after far-right GOP lawmakers held up his election for days.

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The House is expected to consider the motion to vacate beginning at 1pm today.

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NEWS: Democrats will NOT vote present and will NOT vote to table.
Sources say the caucus is unified.

McCarthy’s actions on Jan 6, his trip to Mar a Lago, his attempt to discredit the Jan 6 Cmte, his reneging on debt limit deal and his actions this weekend are all the reasons

— Leigh Ann Caldwell (@LACaldwellDC) October 3, 2023

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Centrist House Democrats appear to have also rejected helping Kevin McCarthy survive the vote on the motion to vacate, with the chair of the New Democrat Coalition Annie Kuster releasing a statement calling the Republican House speaker “simply not trustworthy”.

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Here it is, in full:

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You are only as good as your word — and time and again, Speaker McCarthy has proven that he is not a man of his word. He is simply not trustworthy.

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While Republicans have lost their way, Democrats stand united in our purpose and our Caucus. Leader Jeffries continues to be the steady, forward-looking voice we need to lead our country forward. New Dems are proud to stand with our Leader and our Caucus to deliver progress for the American people, not chaos.

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The New Democrat Coalition is the second-largest caucus among Democrats in the House.

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Leader of the Congressional Progressive Caucus Pramila Jayapal ruled out helping Kevin McCarthy survive as the chamber’s speaker, saying the vote to oust him is “not a Democratic problem”.

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“We are not voting in any way that would help save Speaker McCarthy,” said Jayapal, whose 100-member caucus is the largest among House Democrats:

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“We are not voting in any way that would help save Speaker McCarthy … Nobody trusts Kevin McCarthy, and why should we?”

— House Progressives Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) after the Democratic Caucus meeting pic.twitter.com/QG1jc3Velv

— The Recount (@therecount) October 3, 2023

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One way for Kevin McCarthy to hold on to his speaker’s gavel would be to ask the Democratic minority for help. But he has ruled out doing that and, as is becoming clear, Democrats have no interest in helping him.

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Citing California congressman Mark Takano, CNN reports that at a closed-door meeting, Democratic lawmakers were unanimously critical of McCarthy:

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Rep. Mark Takano, a California Democrat, said member after member criticized Speaker McCarthy in meeting. “I didn’t hear a single member express we felt responsible for ‘saving’ Speaker McCarthy or helping Kevin McCarthy,” he told me

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) October 3, 2023

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Takano represents a fairly safe district. But the sentiment extends even to Democrats holding more tenuous ground. Here’s Jared Golden of Maine, one of their most vulnerable lawmakers. From Politico:

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Centrist Dem Rep. Golden on McCarthy: “Absent any significantly meaningful benefit for Maine’s Second District, I see no reason to vote for him.” pic.twitter.com/FnF0hpX4A6

— Nicholas Wu (@nicholaswu12) October 3, 2023

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And Virginia’s Abigail Spanberger, a leader of vulnerable Democrats. Courtesy of Punchbowl News:

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Really good sense of where Frontliners are at from @RepSpanberger, who represents vulnerable member perspectives in House Dem leadership https://t.co/ZRsyssvfX9 pic.twitter.com/WWgD0LlsEK

— Max Cohen (@maxpcohen) October 3, 2023

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Kevin McCarthy simultaneously said he was “confident” he could remain as speaker of the House, noting it took him 15 ballots be elected to the chamber’s top job earlier this year.

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“Have you ever come to me on no matter what you thought I couldn’t solve, that I wasn’t confident?” the Republican speaker said in an exchange with a reporter.

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He continued:

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You’re asking why I’m confident – because who I am. And I just don’t give up. So, there are obstacles in my life, I have fallen many times, there was a time I was going to be speaker and I couldn’t and you guys all counted me out. I’m speaker. I’m the 55th speaker of the House. You’re confident that government was going to shut down, you were confident the debt ceiling wouldn’t get done. But each and every time … if it’s an obstacle, I view it as a challenge, and we’re gonna solve the challenge.

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McCarthy was then asked: “Are you confident that you’ll hold on?”

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“I’m confident I’ll hold on,” he replied.

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In brief comments to reporters after meeting with Republican lawmakers, Kevin McCarthy sounded fatalistic about surviving the motion to remove him as speaker of the House brought by far-right insurgents.

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“If five Republicans go with Democrats, then I’m out,” McCarthy said.

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“Sounds likely,” a reporter remarked.

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“Probably so,” the speaker replied.

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Votes on the motion are expected to begin around 1pm eastern time.

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Hunter Biden has entered pleas of not guilty to three federal gun charges at his arraignment in Wilmington, Delaware today, the Associated Press reports.

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The president’s son was indicted for lying about his drug use when buying a gun, after a plea deal to resolve that charge and separate allegations that he failed to pay income taxes collapsed in July. House Republicans have seized on Biden’s legal troubles as well as his foreign business dealings to launch impeachment proceedings against Joe Biden, arguing the president is corrupt. But despite years of investigation, the GOP and outside conservative groups have so far failed to prove the president financially benefited from his son’s businesses.

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Here’s the Guardian’s David Smith, with more on Hunter Biden’s legal troubles:

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Joe Biden’s son Hunter is set to be arraigned in a Delaware court on Tuesday in a politically fraught case that could unfold in the heat of the US president’s 2024 re-election campaign.

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Hunter, 53, the first child of a sitting president to be indicted, is expected to plead not guilty to unlawfully possessing a gun as an illegal drug user and lying about his drug use on a background check form when he bought a Colt Cobra revolver in 2018.

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The indictment was secured last month by special counsel David Weiss after a plea agreement between Hunter and prosecutors collapsed in August. The justice department has not said whether it will also bring an indictment over separate tax misdemeanour charges.

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If convicted, Hunter faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison, although as a first-time, nonviolent offender who did not use the gun to commit an offence, a more lenient punishment is likely.

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Hunter, who acknowledged past cocaine use in his memoir, is expected to ask district judge Maryellen Noreika to dismiss the gun possession charge by arguing that a federal law banning illegal drug users from owning guns has no historical counterpart and violates his right “to keep and bear arms” under the constitution’s second amendment.

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He could receive an unlikely boost from the supreme court which, in a ruling last year, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc v Bruen, set a new standard to apply in judging the legality of gun restrictions imposed by governments, declaring that they must be consistent with “historical tradition of firearm regulation”.

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Abbe Lowell, Biden’s defence lawyer, has suggested that he may challenge at least some of the indictment based on the Bruen decision.

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In a public statement on the day of the indictment, Lowell said: “We believe these charges are barred by the agreement the prosecutors made with Mr. Biden, the recent rulings by several federal courts that this statute is unconstitutional, and the facts that he did not violate that law, and we plan to demonstrate all of that in court.”

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Kevin McCarthy will hold a vote on the motion to remove him from his position as speaker of the House this afternoon, Punchbowl News reports:

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🚨BREAKING … MCCARTHY SAID HE WILL BRING THE MOTION TO VACATE VOTE UP IN THE FIRST VOTE SERIES

— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 3, 2023

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The House’s first votes of the day are expected around 1.30pm. It’s not clear if the House will vote on the motion itself, or if McCarthy’s allies will first vote to table to motion, which would effectively kill the effort to remove him as the chamber’s leader.

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In a notice to lawmakers, Democratic whip Katherine Clark’s office said votes on the motion to vacate Kevin McCarthy from his position as speaker of the House could take place “at any time after the House convenes at 12:00 p.m. today.”

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“Members should keep their schedules flexible and be prepared to vote at the appropriate time,” the notice adds.

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Before voting on the motion itself, McCarthy’s allies may move to table the proposal, which, if successful, would block the motion to vacate, and save McCarthy’s speakership. That would need a simply majority to pass, and, the way the numbers are looking now, can’t be achieved without Democratic help.

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In an interview on CNBC, Kevin McCarthy says the Democratic minority has not “asked for anything” in exchange for their help in saving his speakership.

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Matt Gaetz and his far-right allies appear to have the votes to remove McCarthy from his post leading the House, assuming all Democrats support their motion to vacate. That has led to speculation that McCarthy will broker a deal with the minority in order to remain as House speaker, but in the interview, he appeared to shoot that down, saying “I’m not going to provide anything.”

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You can watch it here:

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“They haven't asked for anything. I'm not going to provide anything” — McCarthy on CNBC on what Dems want in order to help him stay speaker pic.twitter.com/P8oDhkZyAk

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 3, 2023

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Good morning, US politics blog readers. Eight months after they delayed Kevin McCarthy’s election as speaker of the House of Republicans for days, far-right Republicans are now moving to boot him out of the job, and it may be up to Democrats to save him – should they choose to do so. The leader of the insurgent group, Matt Gaetz, last night filed a motion to vacate the speaker’s post, and it appears he may indeed have the numbers to remove McCarthy, but only if Democrats also vote to oust him.

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The minority party in the House traditionally does not support the majority’s choice for speaker, but motions to vacate are exceedingly rare, and this is a situation not seen in more than a century. Led by minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, it will now be up to Democrats to decide if they vote to remove McCarthy and potentially plunge the House into a chaotic search for a new speaker, or use their newfound leverage to broker a deal with McCarthy in exchange for saving his speakership, but risk blowback for helping out a conservative stalwart who does their party few favors.

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This matter is expected to come to a head quickly. The House could begin debating the motion as soon as this afternoon, while both the Republican and Democratic caucuses will be meeting this morning to nail down their strategies. Stay tuned to this blog as we cover it live.

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All that said, there is a world beyond Congress, and here is what is happening in it:

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Hunter Biden will be arraigned in a Delaware federal court on a charge related to lying about using drugs when buying a gun years ago.

Donald Trump and his family’s trial to determine damages in New York state’s civil suit over fraudulently inflating the value of their businesses to get better loan conditions and other benefits enters its second day in Manhattan.

A new Gallup poll finds both political parties are viewed unfavorably, but the GOP has the edge in both protecting the country, and keeping it prosperous.

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Key events

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House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, to say that it is up to Republicans to “end the House Republican Civil War”.

House Democrats “are ready to find bipartisan common ground”, Jeffries said.

House Democrats will continue to put people over politics.

We are ready to find bipartisan common ground.

Our extreme colleagues have shown no willingness to do the same.

They must find a way to end the House Republican Civil War.

— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) October 3, 2023

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House Democrats will continue to put people over politics.

We are ready to find bipartisan common ground.

Our extreme colleagues have shown no willingness to do the same.

They must find a way to end the House Republican Civil War.

— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) October 3, 2023

Speaking in front of cameras, Jeffries said Democrats are “ready, willing and able” to work with GOP colleagues, “but it is on them to join us”.

“This is a serious, solemn, & sober moment…We encourage our Republican colleagues who claim to be more traditional to break from the extremists…We are ready, willing, & able to work together.”

— Minority Leader Jeffries (D-NY) amid GOP effort to oust Speaker McCarthy (R-CA) pic.twitter.com/068JveUdma

— The Recount (@therecount) October 3, 2023

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“This is a serious, solemn, & sober moment…We encourage our Republican colleagues who claim to be more traditional to break from the extremists…We are ready, willing, & able to work together.”

— Minority Leader Jeffries (D-NY) amid GOP effort to oust Speaker McCarthy (R-CA) pic.twitter.com/068JveUdma

— The Recount (@therecount) October 3, 2023

The day so far

Keep following this blog as we cover what will be an action-packed afternoon.

Here’s what else is going on today:

Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to federal gun charges at his arraignment in Delaware.
Trump is back in court in New York City as a judge considers how much in damages he and his family should pay for fraudulently inflating the value of their assets over the course of years.

All House Democrats will vote against McCarthy- source

A House Democratic aide confirms to the Guardian’s US politics live blog that all of the party’s lawmakers plan to vote against Kevin McCarthy remaining as speaker.

The House is expected to consider the motion to vacate beginning at 1pm today.

Democrats will vote to oust McCarthy – report

NEWS: Democrats will NOT vote present and will NOT vote to table.
Sources say the caucus is unified.

McCarthy’s actions on Jan 6, his trip to Mar a Lago, his attempt to discredit the Jan 6 Cmte, his reneging on debt limit deal and his actions this weekend are all the reasons

— Leigh Ann Caldwell (@LACaldwellDC) October 3, 2023

NEWS: Democrats will NOT vote present and will NOT vote to table.

Sources say the caucus is unified.

McCarthy’s actions on Jan 6, his trip to Mar a Lago, his attempt to discredit the Jan 6 Cmte, his reneging on debt limit deal and his actions this weekend are all the reasons

— Leigh Ann Caldwell (@LACaldwellDC) October 3, 2023

Leader of centrist Democrats condemns McCarthy as ‘not trustworthy’

Here it is, in full:

You are only as good as your word — and time and again, Speaker McCarthy has proven that he is not a man of his word. He is simply not trustworthy.

While Republicans have lost their way, Democrats stand united in our purpose and our Caucus. Leader Jeffries continues to be the steady, forward-looking voice we need to lead our country forward. New Dems are proud to stand with our Leader and our Caucus to deliver progress for the American people, not chaos.

The New Democrat Coalition is the second-largest caucus among Democrats in the House.

‘This is not a Democratic problem’, House progressive leader says ahead of vote on motion to vacate

“We are not voting in any way that would help save Speaker McCarthy,” said Jayapal, whose 100-member caucus is the largest among House Democrats:

“We are not voting in any way that would help save Speaker McCarthy … Nobody trusts Kevin McCarthy, and why should we?”

— House Progressives Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) after the Democratic Caucus meeting pic.twitter.com/QG1jc3Velv

— The Recount (@therecount) October 3, 2023

“We are not voting in any way that would help save Speaker McCarthy … Nobody trusts Kevin McCarthy, and why should we?”

— House Progressives Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) after the Democratic Caucus meeting pic.twitter.com/QG1jc3Velv

— The Recount (@therecount) October 3, 2023

No signs Democrats plan to bail out McCarthy

Citing California congressman Mark Takano, CNN reports that at a closed-door meeting, Democratic lawmakers were unanimously critical of McCarthy:

Rep. Mark Takano, a California Democrat, said member after member criticized Speaker McCarthy in meeting. “I didn’t hear a single member express we felt responsible for ‘saving’ Speaker McCarthy or helping Kevin McCarthy,” he told me

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) October 3, 2023

Rep. Mark Takano, a California Democrat, said member after member criticized Speaker McCarthy in meeting. “I didn’t hear a single member express we felt responsible for ‘saving’ Speaker McCarthy or helping Kevin McCarthy,” he told me

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) October 3, 2023

Centrist Dem Rep. Golden on McCarthy: “Absent any significantly meaningful benefit for Maine’s Second District, I see no reason to vote for him.” pic.twitter.com/FnF0hpX4A6

— Nicholas Wu (@nicholaswu12) October 3, 2023

Centrist Dem Rep. Golden on McCarthy: “Absent any significantly meaningful benefit for Maine’s Second District, I see no reason to vote for him.” pic.twitter.com/FnF0hpX4A6

— Nicholas Wu (@nicholaswu12) October 3, 2023

And Virginia’s Abigail Spanberger, a leader of vulnerable Democrats. Courtesy of Punchbowl News:

Really good sense of where Frontliners are at from @RepSpanberger, who represents vulnerable member perspectives in House Dem leadership https://t.co/ZRsyssvfX9 pic.twitter.com/WWgD0LlsEK

— Max Cohen (@maxpcohen) October 3, 2023

Despite far-right revolt, McCarthy says ‘confident’ he can remain as speaker

Kevin McCarthy simultaneously said he was “confident” he could remain as speaker of the House, noting it took him 15 ballots be elected to the chamber’s top job earlier this year.

“Have you ever come to me on no matter what you thought I couldn’t solve, that I wasn’t confident?” the Republican speaker said in an exchange with a reporter.

He continued:

You’re asking why I’m confident – because who I am. And I just don’t give up. So, there are obstacles in my life, I have fallen many times, there was a time I was going to be speaker and I couldn’t and you guys all counted me out. I’m speaker. I’m the 55th speaker of the House. You’re confident that government was going to shut down, you were confident the debt ceiling wouldn’t get done. But each and every time … if it’s an obstacle, I view it as a challenge, and we’re gonna solve the challenge.

McCarthy was then asked: “Are you confident that you’ll hold on?”

“I’m confident I’ll hold on,” he replied.

‘If five Republicans go with Democrats, then I’m out’: McCarthy

“If five Republicans go with Democrats, then I’m out,” McCarthy said.

“Sounds likely,” a reporter remarked.

“Probably so,” the speaker replied.

Votes on the motion are expected to begin around 1pm eastern time.

Hunter Biden pleads not guilty to federal gun charges

Hunter Biden has entered pleas of not guilty to three federal gun charges at his arraignment in Wilmington, Delaware today, the Associated Press reports.

Here’s the Guardian’s David Smith, with more on Hunter Biden’s legal troubles:

Joe Biden’s son Hunter is set to be arraigned in a Delaware court on Tuesday in a politically fraught case that could unfold in the heat of the US president’s 2024 re-election campaign.

Hunter, 53, the first child of a sitting president to be indicted, is expected to plead not guilty to unlawfully possessing a gun as an illegal drug user and lying about his drug use on a background check form when he bought a Colt Cobra revolver in 2018.

The indictment was secured last month by special counsel David Weiss after a plea agreement between Hunter and prosecutors collapsed in August. The justice department has not said whether it will also bring an indictment over separate tax misdemeanour charges.

If convicted, Hunter faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison, although as a first-time, nonviolent offender who did not use the gun to commit an offence, a more lenient punishment is likely.

Hunter, who acknowledged past cocaine use in his memoir, is expected to ask district judge Maryellen Noreika to dismiss the gun possession charge by arguing that a federal law banning illegal drug users from owning guns has no historical counterpart and violates his right “to keep and bear arms” under the constitution’s second amendment.

He could receive an unlikely boost from the supreme court which, in a ruling last year, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc v Bruen, set a new standard to apply in judging the legality of gun restrictions imposed by governments, declaring that they must be consistent with “historical tradition of firearm regulation”.

Abbe Lowell, Biden’s defence lawyer, has suggested that he may challenge at least some of the indictment based on the Bruen decision.

In a public statement on the day of the indictment, Lowell said: “We believe these charges are barred by the agreement the prosecutors made with Mr. Biden, the recent rulings by several federal courts that this statute is unconstitutional, and the facts that he did not violate that law, and we plan to demonstrate all of that in court.”

In New York City, Donald Trump has returned for the second day of his civil fraud trial.

The trial, which opened yesterday, will determine how much in damages the former president and his family will pay after a judge determined they had for years inflated the value of their assets to secure more favorable loan conditions and other benefits.

As he did on Monday, Trump spoke to reporters before entering the courtroom, and called for the case to be dismissed:

Donald Trump speaks to the press at the New York Supreme Court in New York City. Photograph: Seth Wenig/AP

Trump heads into the courtroom. Photograph: Ed Jones/AFP/Getty Images

Meanwhile, in Wilmington, Delaware, Hunter Biden has arrived at the federal courthouse to be arraigned on charges related to lying about his drug use when purchasing a gun:

Hunter Biden arrives at a Delaware courthouse for his arraignment on three gun charges. pic.twitter.com/joTHHOYO29

— The Recount (@therecount) October 3, 2023

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Per Politico, Kevin McCarthy said in a behind-closed-doors meeting with House Republicans that he has ruled out working with the Democratic minority to save his speakership:

McCarthy also tells his members he won’t deal with Dems to help save his speakership, im told

— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) October 3, 2023

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McCarthy also tells his members he won’t deal with Dems to help save his speakership, im told

— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) October 3, 2023

In an interview with MSNBC this morning, House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries was coy when asked if Democrats will help Kevin McCarthy survive the motion to vacate:

“It was a private conversation that we had.”

— House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) on the call he had with Speaker McCarthy last night and whether Dems will help him battle the motion to vacate pic.twitter.com/d9TKHLJ0rW

— The Recount (@therecount) October 3, 2023

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“It was a private conversation that we had.”

— House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) on the call he had with Speaker McCarthy last night and whether Dems will help him battle the motion to vacate pic.twitter.com/d9TKHLJ0rW

— The Recount (@therecount) October 3, 2023

The Democrats’ caucus meeting is ongoing, and we will let you know what strategy they settle on as soon as we know.

McCarthy to hold vote on motion to vacate this afternoon – report

Kevin McCarthy will hold a vote on the motion to remove him from his position as speaker of the House this afternoon, Punchbowl News reports:

🚨BREAKING … MCCARTHY SAID HE WILL BRING THE MOTION TO VACATE VOTE UP IN THE FIRST VOTE SERIES

— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 3, 2023

🚨BREAKING … MCCARTHY SAID HE WILL BRING THE MOTION TO VACATE VOTE UP IN THE FIRST VOTE SERIES

— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 3, 2023

House could take up motion to vacate ‘at any time’ from 12pm, Democrats say

“Members should keep their schedules flexible and be prepared to vote at the appropriate time,” the notice adds.

McCarthy says Democrats ‘haven’t asked for anything’ to save speakership

In an interview on CNBC, Kevin McCarthy says the Democratic minority has not “asked for anything” in exchange for their help in saving his speakership.

You can watch it here:

“They haven't asked for anything. I'm not going to provide anything” — McCarthy on CNBC on what Dems want in order to help him stay speaker pic.twitter.com/P8oDhkZyAk

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 3, 2023

“They haven’t asked for anything. I’m not going to provide anything” — McCarthy on CNBC on what Dems want in order to help him stay speaker pic.twitter.com/P8oDhkZyAk

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 3, 2023

Democrats in the middle as far-right moves to boot McCarthy from speaker’s chair

All that said, there is a world beyond Congress, and here is what is happening in it:

Hunter Biden will be arraigned in a Delaware federal court on a charge related to lying about using drugs when buying a gun years ago.
Donald Trump and his family’s trial to determine damages in New York state’s civil suit over fraudulently inflating the value of their businesses to get better loan conditions and other benefits enters its second day in Manhattan.
A new Gallup poll finds both political parties are viewed unfavorably, but the GOP has the edge in both protecting the country, and keeping it prosperous.

Source: www.theguardian.com