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New Year, New Congress
Today the Members of the 119th Congress of the United States were sworn into office. Mike Johnson (R – LA04) was re-elected Speaker with one dissenting vote from his caucus (Thomas Massie – KY04).
After the vote, 81-year old Representative Virginia Foxx (R – NC05) fell on one of the grand staircases and was observed bleeding and being attended to by medical personnel.
Vice President Kamala Harris swore in the newest class of Senators as the Republicans take a temporary 53-47 lead in the upper chamber pending JD Vance’s resignation sometime before January 20th. Reports from Ohio media suggest Governor Mike DeWine will appoint his Lt. Governor, Jon Husted, as Vance’s replacement.
In other political news, Judge Juan Merchan has ordered Donald Trump to appear either in person or remotely for sentencing on January 10th. In an 18-page decision the judge indicated that there would be no jail time and that the President-Elect deserved to begin his second term “unencumbered” by the case.
Published in General
More Representatives were injured on swearing in day 2025 than on J6.
Not gonna lie, I laughed.
I know, anyone can trip on the stairs (See my comments here). But maybe 81-year-olds shouldn’t be starting new terms in Congress.
After what we learned about Kay Granger? And Pelosi breaking her hip?
Not everyone is Chuck Grassley.
Yes, years back I was with a group of people visiting Senator Pete Domenici at the Capitol and was startled to see how decrepit he had become before he stepped down. I think term limits are not an effective tool — California has term limits and has developed a ladder system for machine politicians. Mandatory retirement age is indiscriminate. They only thing that might work is to reduce (somehow) the endorphins of power.
Yes, that’s one of the main benefits of decentralization. Making those jobs less attractive.