Fogbow

Nevertheless, as Caldwell reported, Emmer’s time in the Minnesota statehouse found him promoting a lot of weird ideas:

His tenure was defined by pushing far-right policy: proposals that Minnesota should chemically castrate sex offenders, impose strict voter ID laws, and outlaw abortion in all instances (as well as proposals that would also potentially outlaw certain forms of contraception and in vitro fertilization). He questioned evolution and was one of the loudest, most influential opponents of same-sex marriage. And despite two earlier DUI infractions, Emmer put forth bills to lessen penalties for drunk driving, which became fodder for opponents in later political campaigns.

Another of Emmer’s obsessions was pushing cockamamie ways that Minnesota could nullify federal laws. He was one of three co-authors of a 2010 proposal for a state constitutional amendment that would have required the governor and a two-thirds vote by legislators to approve a federal law before it could be enforced in Minnesota. “Citizens of Minnesota are sovereign individuals, subject to Minnesota law and immune from any federal laws that exceed the federal government’s enumerated constitutional powers,” Emmer’s would-be amendment read. (The idea went nowhere.)

As Caldwell summed up, “While Emmer may be successful—perhaps even winning himself a leadership post atop a House majority—he’ll have gotten there on the backs of insurrectionists and conspiracy theorists.”

https://www.sfgate.com/politics/article ... 442585.php

Latest House speaker candidate Tom Emmer has recent Pelosi-related scandal on his resume

Emmer made headlines for a scandal of his own doing involving California Rep. Nancy Pelosi. On Oct. 26, 2022, Emmer posted a video of himself on social media that showed him firing a gun at a shooting range. The caption included “Let’s #FirePelosi,” a reference to the upcoming midterm elections. However, that video was posted online just two days before Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi, was savagely attacked by an intruder who broke into the couple’s San Francisco home.

The suspect, who police say beat Paul Pelosi with a hammer, later told authorities he had broken into the home with the intention of torturing Nancy Pelosi, according to an FBI complaint. Nancy Pelosi was out of town at the time. Critics pointed to Emmer’s post as exemplifying the kind of rhetoric that could inspire violence against lawmakers. CBS host Margaret Brennan said as much when she interviewed Emmer on an Oct. 30 episode of CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

“Do you not understand that that is suggestive to people who are in a bad state and, in this current environment, how risky it is as you’re talking about the importance of lowering the rhetoric?” Brennan asked.

Emmer defended his post in the interview, denouncing the assault on Paul Pelosi while countering that his post was simply an example of “exercising [his] Second Amendment rights” and “having fun.”

09.35 EDT
House Republicans meet to choose speaker nominee as field drops to seven candidates
Republicans have convened a behind-closed-doors meeting to select their latest nominee for speaker of the House. Just as the meeting kicked off, Alabama’s Gary Palmer announced he was dropping out of the contest, bringing the field to seven candidates.

10.33 EDT
Emmer leads first vote for GOP speaker nominee, Sessions dropped
Minnesota’s Tom Emmer, the third-highest-ranking Republican in the House, has received the most votes in the first round of balloting for the party’s candidate for speaker, a Republican source confirms.

Republicans are moving on to the second round of voting, per conference chair Elise Stefanik. Texas’s Pete Sessions is no longer on the ballot, indicating he received the fewest votes in the previous election:

Rep. Elise Stefanik
@RepStefanik
·
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Replying to @RepStefanik
We are now entering ballot number two with the following candidates on the ballot:

Jack Bergman (MI)
Byron Donalds (FL)
Tom Emmer (MN)
Kevin Hern (OK)
Mike Johnson (LA)
Austin Scott (GA)
9:24 AM · Oct 24, 2023

Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, suggested the House should elect a speaker by a plurality vote, meaning instead of a majority vote, only the candidate with the most votes is elected speaker instead.

This would effectively threaten any potential holdouts against a nominee. If any GOP holdouts vote against a Republican speaker, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., could become speaker.

"Let's see if they want to vote for a Democrat, see if they hate their own party that much," he told reporters.

Rep. Elise Stefanik wrote: Congratulations Speaker-designate

Volkonski wrote: ↑Tue Oct 24, 2023 2:52 pm What does Trump think that this does that helps him (Trump)?

Prolonging the search for a new GOP Speaker only hurts the GOP.

He complained that Emmer “never respected” his endorsements, “or the breadth and scope of MAGA,” and claimed Emmer is “totally out-of-touch with Republican Voters.”

“I believe he has now learned his lesson, because he is saying that he is Pro-Trump all the way, but who can ever be sure?” Trump wrote. “Has he only changed because that’s what it takes to win? The Republican Party cannot take that chance, because that’s not where the America First Voters are. Voting for a Globalist RINO like Tom Emmer would be a tragic mistake!”

The former president’s scathing message could hurt Emmer’s chances of securing the gavel in what is already a difficult process given the House GOP’s narrow majority.

The conference on Tuesday selected Emmer — the No. 3 House Republican — as its nominee for Speaker in a secret ballot during an internal election that lasted three hours, choosing him over six other candidates vying for the job. Two Republicans withdrew their names from the race before voting began.

If all lawmakers are present and vote for a specific candidate, Emmer will need at least 217 votes.

In conference, he got 117 votes on the final ballot, while House Republican Conference Vice Chair Mike Johnson (La.) got 97. And in a roll call vote that followed, lawmakers said about 20 holdouts remained.


Trump, who previously backed Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) for Speaker before Jordan failed to garner enough votes on the floor, had largely remained on the sidelines as several House Republicans put their names forward for the Speaker role.

Estiveo wrote: ↑Tue Oct 24, 2023 3:11 pm Trump doesn't want a speaker. Trump wants chaos.