Musk, Ramaswamy publish plan to slash workforce

Civil service protections can’t stop large-scale firings of federal workers, the leaders of President-elect Donald Trump’s effort to downsize the government wrote Wednesday in an op-ed. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, the co-leaders of Trump’s planned effort to cut federal rules and workers, authored a Wall Street Journal op-ed offering the most comprehensive plan sketched out so […]

Powerful GOP steering committee comes together

House Republicans named the members of their steering committee Wednesday, locking in a new group that holds power to set most committee assignments and committee chairs, significantly influencing how the conference as a whole operates. The 30 person body includes regional representation and members of leadership — whose votes have more weight than other members. […]

Gaetz recess appointment could be unconstitutional, former DOJ official who wrote torture memos warns

The former Justice Department official who authored the post-9/11 “torture memos” cautioned that President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of former Rep. Matt Gaetz to serve as attorney general “would plunge the DOJ into a political and legal quagmire” — and that a recess appointment could even be “unconstitutional.” “Gaetz would serve the returning president better by […]

The Vance-Gaetz message to senators: Get him to a hearing

Senators exiting closed-door meetings with Matt Gaetz on Wednesday had a message: Just get the man to a hearing. Gaetz, Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, and Vice President-elect JD Vance (R-Ohio) met with GOP senators on Wednesday to discuss the congressman’s embattled nomination. Swaths of Senate Republicans have not yet committed to supporting Gaetz, […]

Steve Bannon ally reuses Vance’s ‘mouth breathing imbeciles’ quip

Grace Chong, chief financial officer and chief operating officer for MAGA podcaster Steve Bannon’s “War Room,” called Republicans who missed the vote to confirm a judicial nominee Wednesday “mouth breathing imbeciles!!!” on X — a clapback to JD Vance’s recent pointed remarks at her. Chong was commenting directly on the Senate confirming Rebecca Pennell as […]

Costa will challenge Scott for job leading Democrats on House Agriculture Committee

Senior House Agriculture Committee member Jim Costa (D-Calif.) will challenge ailing ranking member David Scott (D-Ga.) as the leader of the House Agriculture Committee, he told colleagues Wednesday. Costa informed a group of fellow California Democrats of his plans to challenge Scott during the state delegation lunch, according to three people familiar with the matter […]

Luna: Johnson blocked proxy voting for new moms

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) said Wednesday that Speaker Mike Johnson has blocked her proposal to allow new mothers to vote by proxy for several months from being included in the rules package for the next Congress. “Today, after speaking with @SpeakerJohnson about this for months, I was told, He will not support allowing female […]

Republicans plot rule-busting plans for next year

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell declared Tuesday that Republicans are plotting to use the Congressional Review Act to kill Biden administration rules. The Kentucky Republican, who’s stepping down from his leadership post at the end of the year, said the incoming Senate majority was preparing to use the CRA “to rein in Washington bureaucrats’ expensive […]