Speaker Vote Friday – Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) needs support of nearly all House Republicans – 218 of 219 -- to retain his speaker’s gavel when he comes up for a vote Friday afternoon. The House must choose a speaker by Monday in order to verify the November 5 presidential election, and Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie already has said he will vote against Johnson, according to NPR’s Morning Edition.
Steel Barrier – President Biden has blocked the $14.9 billion sale of US Steel to Nippon Steel, The Washington Post reports, citing two administration officials. Biden has for months opposed sale of the iconic American company to the Japanese corporation despite potential of alienating a close ally. The Biden administration held off to past the presidential election before announcing its decision, which is expected to come officially on Friday.
--TL
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THURSDAY 1/2/25
Terrorism? – That’s a question regarding the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck apparently filled with fireworks and gasoline cans at the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year’s morning – tying businesses of the president-elect and his new Mar-a-Lago habitué, Elon Musk. Law enforcement officials have not identified the explosion as a terrorist attack, though Musk on his X/Twitter has, according to NPR’s Morning Edition.
The explosion, which killed an unidentified individual inside the truck and injured seven bystanders, occurred about six hours after a Ford F-150 Lightning driven by a US Army veteran and displaying an Islamic state flag avoided vehicle barriers on Bourbon Street in New Orleans’ French Quarters, killing 15 and injuring at least 35 more, about 3:15 am local time Wednesday.
There are no connections between the two incidents as of yet, other than the Cybertruck and the Ford Lightning, which also is an electric pickup truck, were both rented via the Turo app.
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Carter Funeral – The Joint Task Force for the National Capitol Region, which coordinates state funerals has announced the schedule for President Jimmy Carter’s funeral procession in Washington, DC and Plains, Georgia.
Per U.S. News & World Report, services begin 10:30 am Saturday, January 4, with a motorcade through Plains to Carter’s childhood home with “a brief pause in front of the family’s farm.” There the National Park Service will ring its historic farm bell 39 times in honor of the 39th president. The motorcade proceeds through to the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta for a 4 pm service. He will lie in repose at the Carter Center from 7 pm Saturday to 6 am Tuesday, January 7, during which the public are invited to pay their respects.
On January 7, the funeral travels to Washington for a procession along Pennsylvania Avenue to the US Capitol, followed by private services at the Rotunda for members of Congress to pay their respects. Carter will lie in state accompanied by a military honor guard to 7 am, Thursday, January 9, followed by a 10 am funeral at Washington National Cathedral.
President Biden is expected to speak at the funeral, and President-elect Trump has said he will attend.
In the White House statement on the December 29 passing of President Carter, at age 100, Biden said that “With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us. He saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe.
“He was a man of great character and courage, hope and optimism.”
--Compiled and edited by Todd Lassa