Kerry Picket
Articles by Kerry Picket
Boebert-MTG fight over McCarthy speakership spills out online
Two of the House Republicans' most vocal conservative firebrands duked it out online over the speakership battle that will decide whether House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has enough support in his conference to win the gavel in January. Published December 21, 2022
Ronna McDaniel lassos back RNC member who strayed from her reelection herd
Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel is working overtime to hold together the support she needs for reelection next month, personally intervening -- including calling reporters -- when any of the committee members supporting her waver. Published December 19, 2022
FBI whistleblower: Bosses cooked books on Jan. 6 inquiry to snooker feds for more funding
An FBI whistleblower has accused bureau officials of cooking the books to conceal the number of work hours devoted to the Jan. 6 investigation and inflate time spent on other cases. Published December 16, 2022
House passes bill to give Puerto Rico binding referendum on ending U.S. territory status
The House passed legislation Thursday that would allow Puerto Rico to hold its first-ever binding referendum on whether to end its U.S. territorial status and become a state, or gain independent status. Published December 15, 2022
GOP lawmakers call on Biden to release records of censorship collusion with social media platforms
Republicans who have accused the Biden administration of colluding with social media firms to trample on free speech rights on Wednesday teed up a resolution of inquiry requesting records of communications between the White House and the tech giants. Published December 14, 2022
McCarthy rejects criticism he’s angling for speaker with chest-thumping about year-end spending bill
"Just 20 days until the new House Republican majority ..." House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy declared on former President Trump's Truth Social media platform Wednesday morning, hours after Senate GOP leadership announced that congressional negotiators were near an agreement to fund the federal government with a massive year-end spending bill. Published December 14, 2022
GOP lawmaker grills transgender activist over past tweets threatening Supreme Court justices
Rep. Nancy Mace scrutinized a transgender activist during a House Oversight subcommittee hearing over previous violent online statements the activist made against conservative Supreme Court justices. Published December 13, 2022
Race for RNC chair heats up as Ronna McDaniel challenger picks up big endorsements
Ronna McDaniel has pledges of support from 108 of the 168 Republican National Committee members voting in next month's chairmanship race -- but RNC insiders say a fourth term for Mrs. McDaniel isn't a done deal. Published December 11, 2022
Biden energy official Sam Brinton charged with second luggage theft, this time in Las Vegas
Sam Brinton, the first gender-fluid person with a high-ranking post at the Department of Energy, who is facing felony charges for stealing designer luggage at a Minneapolis airport, has been accused of another luggage theft at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. Published December 9, 2022
GOP operative, right provocateur Roger Stone thanks Elon Musk, Jesus Christ for having Twitter back
Roger Stone, the GOP political consultant and Trump ally whom Twitter's previous management booted from the platform five years ago, had his account reinstated Wednesday. Published December 8, 2022
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez under House ethics investigation in new Congress
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is under investigation for breaking House ethics rules, the House Ethics Committee announced Wednesday. Published December 7, 2022
Lee Zeldin passes on run for RNC chair, urges Ronna McDaniel to step aside for new leadership
Outgoing Rep. Lee Zeldin of New York is not running for chairman of the Republican National Committee despite his name being floated as an alternative to RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel. Published December 7, 2022
McCarthy starts to play hardball with GOP rebels struggling to find opposing House speaker candidate
A small faction of rebel House Republicans is scraping the back bench of the conference, and even looking outside the Capitol, in search of an alternative to GOP leader Kevin McCarthy for speaker. Published December 6, 2022
Former Trump campaign lawyer Harmeet Dhillon running for RNC chair
Harmeet Dhillon, a Republican National Committee member from California, announced Monday night that she is running for RNC chair against three-term party leader Ronna McDaniel. Published December 5, 2022
McCarthy detractor says others ready to challenge him as GOP moderates call for party to unite
Republicans supporting House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to become speaker are calling for his detractors to unite behind him, but one of his main critics says others are ready to challenge the California Republican. Published December 2, 2022
Manchin: DOE official Sam Brinton in ‘big trouble’ but shouldn’t be fired yet for snatching $2K bag
Senior Democrats on the Senate Energy Committee are not ready to call for the dismissal of Sam Brinton, who was heralded as the first gender-fluid person with a high-ranking federal post but now faces felony charges for stealing designer luggage at a Minneapolis airport. Published December 2, 2022
House Democrats’ new leader Hakeem Jeffries boasts he’s ready to tamp down ‘The Squad’
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, whom House Democrats elected to succeed Nancy Pelosi as party leader in January, made clear that he won't let the far-left flank, or any other faction, rule the caucus. Published December 1, 2022
Senate Republicans balk at deal with Democrats to pass a year-end massive spending bill
A group of Senate Republicans is pressuring Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell not to make a deal with Democrats to pass a catch-all spending package to fund the government through September. Published December 1, 2022
House GOP lawmakers vote against proposal to ban earmarks
Republican lawmakers voted Wednesday to keep earmarks in spending bills, despite protests within their conservative flank. Published November 30, 2022
Cicilline moves to knock Clyburn from leadership, shake up House Dems’ smooth shift to new lineup
House Democrats ushered in a new generation of members Wednesday to their top three leadership rungs, but the surprising twist unfolded around who will fill their No. 4 post as assistant Democratic leader. Published November 30, 2022
