House Democrats say they will take the first steps to remove GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from her committee assignments if House Republicans don’t act themselves, setting a possible floor vote on the issue tomorrow.
A Senate power-sharing agreement was reached that allows Democrats to take control of committees. Democrats are moving to fast-track President Biden’s $1.9 trillion Covid relief package.
In dueling pre-trial legal briefs, the House impeachment managers argued that former President Trump is “singularly responsible” for inciting the US Capitol riot, while Trump’s legal team claimed a Senate conviction would be unconstitutional.
Our live coverage has ended. For the latest, follow CNN Politics.
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House GOP leader says he made offer to Democrats to move Greene to new committee
From CNN's Manu Raju, Lauren Fox and Ryan Nobles
McCarthy leaves a GOP meeting at the U.S. Capitol on February 03, in Washington, DC.
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy told reporters Wednesday that he made an offer to Democrats to move Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from her current committee assignments to the Small Business Committee.
McCarthy also told reporters tonight that no final decision has been made about whether or not the GOP conference will vote tonight on Rep. Liz Cheney’s future in leadership, saying, “We’ll let you know.”
During the conference tonight, a source familiar with the ongoing discussion told CNN that Rep. Adam Kinzinger “unleashed hell” on McCarthy for spending more time defending Greene than Cheney. The thrust of his comments were about how McCarthy has made it look like he was choosing the extreme wing of the party over people like Cheney.
As Cheney emerged from the conference meeting to take votes on the floor, she did not offer much about what transpired behind closed doors.
“Everything is going really well I’m not going to answer any questions until it’s over,” she said.
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Democratic congressman: McCarthy should "do his own work" in punishing Marjorie Taylor Greene
From CNN's Josiah Ryan
CNN
Majority Whip Rep. James Clyburn said it should not fall to Democrats to take action against GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, saying GOP Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy should be the one to strip her of her committee assignments.
“I do have some feelings about whether or not we ought to do McCarthy’s work,” said Clyburn, as he and fellow Democrats on the House Rules Committee prepared to force a floor vote on Thursday on a resolution to remove the Georgia congresswoman from her committee assignment
“He ought to do his own work,” Clyburn added.
The third ranking Democrat’s comments came after McCarthy broke his silence on Wednesday, suggesting Republicans would not move to strip Greene from her committee assignments, effectively forcing Democrats to take action on their own.
Clyburn, however, also suggested he was resigned to House leadership’s decision not to take action against the freshman lawmaker.
“This is a failure of leadership,” he said. “…I don’t know why he thinks it is good to have a woman with her views on the education committee. But if that’s the way they’d like for it to be, so then so let it be.”
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McCarthy says Democrats are choosing to "raise the temperature" instead of coming together regarding Greene
From CNN's Manu Raju and Kristin Wilson
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene walks through the hall as she enters her office on Capitol Hill on February 3, in Washington, DC.
Alex Edelman/AFP/Getty Images
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is breaking his silence in his latest statement regarding Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene who is facing backlash for extreme comments she made before winning her seat.
His statement is the clearest sign yet that they aren’t going to strip the Georgia congresswoman of her committee assignments and will let Democrats do it on the floor tomorrow.
What’s next: The House Rules Committee has approved a rule that will govern debate over the resolution to strip Greene of her committee assignments.
Barring any developments from the Republican conference, McCarthy or the Steering Committee, the resolution will be brought to the floor.
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McCarthy has not yet indicated to GOP Steering Committee whether they will strip Greene from her spot
From CNN's Manu Raju
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy just met with members of the GOP Steering Committee — which can decide committee assignments — and members left uncertain whether the conference will strip Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from her positions or let the House do it tomorrow.
Asked if he knew where McCarthy stood on the question of stripping Greene from committee, Rep. Jodey Arrington told CNN: “I don’t. I only know what I read in press reports.”
Multiple GOP members also say it’s unclear if McCarthy will allow the conference to vote today on whether to keep Rep. Liz Cheney in leadership.
Ahead of this afternoon’s meeting where her leadership position is expected to be a subject of tense debate, Cheney just walked out of McCarthy’s office.
Asked if she thought there would be a vote this afternoon to strip her from the spot, Cheney declined to comment to CNN and said she would speak later.
One member of GOP leadership said he expected the leadership team to close ranks behind Cheney today — including McCarthy.
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Hoyer does not think stripping Greene of committees would set a bad precedent
From CNN's Annie Grayer and Daniella Diaz
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer explained on a call with reporters the thinking behind the vote stripping Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of her committee assignments.
“She has placed many members in fear for their welfare and she has attacked and made incendiary remarks prior to but also during her term as a member of Congress with respect to the safety and welfare of the Speaker of the House and others in the House. And we believe she also gave aid and comfort to those who led an insurrection” Hoyer said. “The language that she has used, in many respects, goes far beyond the remarks that Steve King made through the years.”
Hoyer said he would keep his call with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy private, when asked what McCarthy proposed during their phone call, but defended the precedent Democrats would be setting if they strip a member of a minority party of their committee assignments.
Hoyer said that Greene having “no intention of modifying her behavior” makes the need to remove her from committee even more pressing.
On the timing of a vote on this, Hoyer told reporters “we think we need to move quickly on this” pointing to the rules meeting that is happening on Wednesday afternoon. In an earlier statement, Hoyer had said the resolution would come to the floor tomorrow, but told reporters during the call, “I haven’t scheduled that bill yet, we’re waiting for the recommendations of the committee.”
If the resolution does come to the floor tomorrow, Hoyer said “I would hope that we would have significant bipartisan support.”
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White House press secretary criticizes GOP Covid-19 relief counterproposal and draws sharp distinctions
Psaki said the bill offered by the Republican senators “would give unemployed Americans less money and therefore less certainty.”
She said the President on Wednesday had a “productive conversation on the status of legislative proceedings on the package” with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Democratic Senate committee chairs at the White House. Psaki said Biden and the Democratic senators were in agreement “over the need to go big” with the Covid-19 relief proposal.
Psaki said Biden and the Democratic senators agreed on several aspects of the bill, including the $1,400 stimulus checks, providing enough funding for vaccines, and providing immediate relief to those facing eviction and food shortages. She said Biden and the Democratic senators “also agreed to continue working to find areas of bipartisan agreement in an effort to integrate ideas and make the process as bipartisan as possible.”
Here are some of the areas Psaki says the White House believes the Republican’s plan doesn’t go far enough:
Direct stimulus payments: “The President’s plan would fulfill his pledge to finish getting $2,000 checks to hard-hit Americans and ensure that, for example, a kindergarten teacher making $60,000 a year isn’t left without additional support. Their plan wouldn’t provide that teacher with direct relief,” Psaki said.
Federal unemployment: “The President’s plan would give Americans who are out of work through no fault of their own a $400 weekly supplement and the certainty that it would last through the worst of the pandemic. Their plan would give unemployed Americans less money and therefore less certainty,” she said.
Funding for state and local governments: “The President’s plan would keep hundreds of thousands of teachers, cops, firefighters, paramedics, and other public servants on the job. Their plan offers no money to state and local governments to keep people on the front lines of this fight employed,” Psaki said.
Eviction protection: “The President’s plan would also assist the millions of families who are … behind on their rent and facing potential eviction. Their plan wouldn’t offer any support to these families,” she said.
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White House press secretary says Space Force has "full support" of administration
From CNN's Allie Malloy
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White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that the United States Space Force has the full support of the Biden administration, following criticism that she had mocked the service branch in her briefing Tuesday.
Psaki also told reporters that the administration is “not revisiting the decision to establish a Space Force.”
Some background: In the briefing Tuesday, Psaki appeared to mock the Space Force telling reporters: “Wow, Space Force. It’s the plane of today.”
When asked whether she would apologize for her earlier comments, Psaki pointed to a tweet she sent Tuesday inviting the members of Space Force to the White House and briefing room.
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Trump's impeachment lawyer says he'll focus on "technical" defenses at trial
From CNN's Jeremy Herb
Former President Donald Trump’s impeachment lawyer Bruce Castor told a Pennsylvania radio station on Wednesday that he plans to focus on “technical” defenses of Trump during next week’s impeachment trial and will not make claims the election was stolen.
Castor told KYW Newsradio that he was not pressured to try to defend Trump’s false and baseless claims about widespread election fraud, saying he made clear when he was vetted for the job that he “wasn’t interested in using anything other than technical defenses.”
Of course, while the legal filing that Castor and David Schoen filed on Tuesday defending the President didn’t claim the election was stolen, it did embrace some of Trump’s false claims about the election.
The filing claimed that “insufficient evidence exists upon which a reasonable jurist could conclude that the 45th President’s statements were accurate or not, and he therefore denies they were false.”
Castor was named to Trump’s legal team on Sunday after five of Trump’s lawyers left the team the day before over a strategy disagreement after Trump wanted them to falsely argue there was mass election fraud.
Castor said the impeachment defense plans to focus on the argument that the Senate doesn’t have jurisdiction to try Trump because he’s no longer in office, as well as that Trump’s speech on Jan. 6 ahead of the Capitol riots did not meet the criminal definition of incitement and was protected by the First Amendment.
“Just because somebody gave a speech and people got excited, that doesn’t mean it’s the speech-makers fault – it’s the people who got excited and did what they know is wrong that are at fault,” Castor said. “That’s the focus that we’re going to take.”
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White House press secretary suggests there's bipartisan agreement on funding for small business
From CNN's Betsy Klein
Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
CNN’s Phil Mattingly pressed White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on the space for bipartisan agreement in a Covid-19 relief deal as Republicans and Democrats appear to be far apart on a stimulus package during Wednesday’s press briefing.
Psaki initially cited small businesses before going on to claim that the “bill itself is bipartisan.”
She continued, “And there is agreement that it’s important to work with many Republicans and Democrats who fall in different parts of the political spectrum to put their ideas forward and consider them,” going on to say there’s “openness” to that at the White House.
Mattingly also asked Psaki about reports of daylight between the President and his staff on negotiations, which she dismissed, calling some of the reports “ludicrous.”
“There is no one who’s going to tell him what to do, or hold him back from his commitment to delivering relief to the American people,” Psaki said.
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Confirmation hearing for Biden's Office of Management and Budget nominee set for next week
From CNN's Ryan Nobles
Alex Wong/Getty Images
Senate Budget Committee members have been given notice of the hearing for Office of Management and Budget nominee Neera Tanden for Feb. 10 at 10 a.m. ET, a senate aide familiar with the matter tells CNN.
Tanden is already scheduled to appear before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Feb. 9 at 9 a.m. ET
Tanden is considered to be one of the Biden administration’s more controversial picks. Sen. John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, described her nomination in November as “radioactive.”
Tanden also has enemies on the Democratic side of the isle. She has, in the past, clashed with Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has yet to publicly comment on her nomination.
Sanders is the incoming chair of the Senate Budget committee.
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Romney says no Republican will support the Covid relief bill without changes
From CNN's Nicky Robertson
Alex Edelman/Pool/AFP/Getty Images
Republican Sen. Mitt Romney says he thinks the coronavirus stimulus bill being offered by the White House could get support from some Republicans if there are changes, but that he does not believe any Republicans would vote for the current proposal.
Romney added that the main difference in the GOP and President Biden’s proposal is the difference in funding for state and local governments, and that there are some differences of opinions among Republicans on direct payments.
Here’s a look at the key differences between Biden and the GOP’s proposal.
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Democratic caucus chair weighs in on Greene: "Cancers need to be cut out"
From CNN's Aaron Pellish, Ryan Nobles and Daniella Diaz
House Democratic Caucus Chair Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats are prepared to move forward with a vote on stripping Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of her committee assignments if House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy does not strip Greene off the committees himself.
“The best thing that could happen at this moment is for Kevin McCarthy to make clear that she should not be on the Education and Labor committee,” Jeffries said at a news conference with reporters on Wednesday. “If he doesn’t make that decision, I think as the Speaker and Steny Hoyer have indicated, we’ll be prepared to move forward.”
“Kevin McCarthy needs to clean that situation up if he expects the Republican conference to be taken seriously,” Jeffries continued.
Jeffries criticized Greene as a symptom of a broader issue with the Republican party, calling Greene a “cancer” and saying “Americans should be concerned with that situation.”
When asked by CNN’s Ryan Nobles if Democrats should go further and vote to remove Greene from Congress, Jeffries declined to go further, saying, “We have to take one step at a time.”
“Let’s proceed with what’s in front of us right now, which is the outrageous decision to place her on the education committee,” Jeffries said.
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Schumer: "We cannot dawdle, we cannot delay, we cannot dilute" Covid relief
From CNN's Betsy Klein
Cheriss May/Getty Images
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer briefly came to the West Wing stakeout camera with a group of Senate Democrats after a meeting with President Biden, and reiterated that the Covid-19 relief package needs to be “big” and “bold.”
Schumer said they met for an hour and a half and described the meeting as “long, serious, (and) substantive.”
“We discussed many of the details of the bill that we have to put together over the next few weeks,” Schumer said, adding that there is “universal agreement we must go big and bold.”
He referenced a painting of President Franklin D. Roosevelt hovering over the lawmakers as they met in the Oval Office, saying, “We are very much aware of that, it was alluded to a whole bunch of times.”
Democrats, Schumer said, “are united as one for a big, bold package, working with our Republican friends when we can.”
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GOP House members losing patience with McCarthy over Marjorie Taylor Greene
From CNN's Lauren Fox and Manu Raju
Republican members are losing patience with Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s lack of action on Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
After McCarthy’s hours-long meeting with the congresswoman last night, members are growing nervous that McCarthy’s lack of action could embolden fringe members in the conference, damage the party’s reputation and ultimately serve as a long-term distraction that will endanger their ability to win back the House in 2022.
The member argued if McCarthy doesn’t take decisive action, he will force his own Republican conference to walk the plank when Democrats force a resolution that would remove Greene of her committee assignments. It’s a tough vote and one that would force every single member to decide if they stand with Greene or not.
“It’s the job of leadership to protect our rank and file members,” the member said.
A senior Republican member told CNN “if he doesn’t act, he’s going to continue to look indecisive.”
Still, McCarthy is walking a fine line, needing to strike a position on Greene that won’t alienate some of his most conservative members, unleash the ire of former President Trump or set a precedent that allows members to be pulled from committees for comments they made before they were in Congress.
One member argued that while Greene’s comments were “batsh*t crazy,” she made the comments before she was in Congress and that makes it harder for McCarthy to act.
“We need to be thoughtful. I’d like to see her be a productive member of Congress,” the person said before adding: “I don’t know if that is possible.”
Some background: When Greene was handed committee assignments weeks ago, the thinking among members and leadership was that it would provide the congresswoman a chance to prove she could do the work and move past her conspiracy-theory ridden past.
The thinking — before it was uncovered she’d harassed a Parkland survivor on Capitol Hill and argued the shooting was a false flag event – was that the education committee would put her under the tutelage of Rep. Virginia Foxx, a tough member with a reputation for running a tight ship and standing up against colleagues who step out of line.
Greene was then put on Budget where the top Republican there, Rep. Jason Smith, had a reputation for helping new members understand the intricacies of how Congress worked. As more and more information about Greene’s past came out and as the congresswoman showed no remorse, the issue of keeping her on the committees became untenable.
Hear what GOP lawmakers are saying about Marjorie Taylor Greene:
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Incoming Senate Judiciary chairman wants to hold Garland hearing Monday
From CNN's Ted Barrett
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the incoming chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he wants to hold confirmation hearing for Attorney General nominee Merrick Garland on Feb. 8, a day before the impeachment trial of former President Trump begins in the Senate.
But he said he doesn’t know if Republicans on the committee would consent to allow it to happen without a one-week formal notification of the hearing, as committee rules require.
Durbin said he planned to talk Wednesday to Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who will be the top Republican on the committee, to see if they can reach an agreement to do it then.
The discussions come after an agreement was reached on an organizing resolution for the Senate, which should be officially adopted by the full Senate at some point Wednesday, that allows Democrats to finally take control of the committees even though they moved into majority control of the Senate back on Jan. 20.
Durbin, who is also the second-ranking member of the Democratic leadership, said he didn’t know if Republicans would agree to a one-day hearing for Garland instead of the customary two-day hearings for attorney general nominees. The outgoing chairman of the committee, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, has been adamant this week that he wanted two-days of hearings, something that would not be possible with the impeachment trial starting Tuesday.
Asked about Graham’s concerns, Durbin said, “I had a conversation with him (Graham) that left that uncertain so I want to speak to Sen. Grassley directly.”
Durbin also rebutted criticism from Sen. John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, who said Democrats were to blame for not filling out Biden’s Cabinet quickly because they were putting Covid relief and the impeachment trial first.
“Of course we want the Cabinet in place,” Durbin told CNN as he left a memorial service of US Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who was killed during the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol that is the reason an impeachment trial is happening. “We cannot ignore what happened Jan. 6. This day more than others should be a reminder for every member of the Senate and House about what we lost that day and we just can’t ignore that reality and the impeachment that’s looming in the United States Senate.”
He also said it was critical to get Garland confirmed calling him, “The last major element of our national security team. It should be a high priority.”
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No deal between McCarthy and Hoyer on Marjorie Taylor Greene
From CNN's Manu Raju and Daniella Diaz
Erin Scott/Pool/AFP/Getty Images
After they spoke, there’s no deal between Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy and Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer on Marjorie Taylor Greene’s committee assignments, according to officials with knowledge of the matter and a statement from Hoyer’s office.
Democrats are prepared to move forward on their own to stop her assignments if House Republicans don’t act themselves.
Some background: McCarthy met for several hours last night with Greene at the Capitol.
McCarthy and the GOP Steering Committee also discussed an array of options, including forcing her off just the Education Committee but letting her stay on the Budget Committee, according to a person with knowledge of the talks. But it’s not clear that Democrats would be OK with that — especially if she doesn’t apologize.
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Ethics officials give Janet Yellen the green light to look into market turbulence
From CNN’s Matt Egan
Secretary of the Treasury nominee Janet Yellen speaks during an event to name President-elect Joe Biden's economic team at the Queen Theater on December 1, 2020 in Wilmington, Delaware.
Alex Wong/Getty Images
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen asked for and received authorization from ethics officials to look into issues such as the Reddit-driven volatility on Wall Street, according to a Treasury official.
Yellen, who called for a meeting this week of US regulators to discuss the market volatility, previously disclosed making more than $7 million in recent years by giving speeches to Wall Street banks, major corporations and industry groups.
The authorization from Treasury ethics officials allows Yellen to work on broad issues that come up, not just the current market volatility, the Treasury official said.
The Treasury official said Yellen was not employed by the companies that paid her speaking fees and her interactions were limited to her role as a speaker.
Yellen can seek further authorization to work on matters involving a specific company she earned speaking fees from, the official said.
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Hoyer tells Democrats that Greene’s punishment should be “similar” to Steve King’s
From CNN's Manu Raju and Lauren Fox
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) (C) at the U.S. Capitol on January 13, 2021 in Washington, DC.
Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told his colleagues this morning that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy must take action against Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene similar to how the House GOP stripped then-Rep. Steve King from his committee assignments after his racist comments.
According to a Democratic leadership aide, “Leader Hoyer said we don’t know what action Leader McCarthy will take, but he needs to take similar action to what he took against Steve King.”
Some background: McCarthy met for several hours Tuesday night with Greene at the Capitol. The California Republican has been silent amid the controversy but has been under growing pressure to act, summoning the powerful Steering Committee for a late-night meeting amid pressure to remove the Georgia Republican from her committee assignments.
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"We will never forget his sacrifice," Pelosi says of Capitol officer who died protecting congress
From CNN's Elise Hammond
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., arrives for a ceremony memorializing U.S. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, as an urn with his cremated remains lies in honor on a black-draped table at the center of the Capitol Rotunda, Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021, in Washington.
Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post/Pool/AP
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi vowed to fallen Capitol Officer Brian Sicknick’s family that she will “never forget his sacrifice” and the sacrifice of others who worked to protect the Capitol during the riot on January 6.
“We must be vigilant as what President Lincoln referred to as the harsh artillery of time. We will never forget,” she added.
Pelosi said that she heard from his family about how Sicknick was a “distinguished leader,” adding, “we know from his service on the Capitol police force how patriotic he was.”
She also mentioned how he served the country in other areas, including in the New Jersey Air National Guard.
“We gather today united in grief, gratitude and solemn appreciation for the service and sacrifice of officer Brian Sicknick,” Pelosi said.
Hear Speaker Pelosi’s full remarks:
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Democrat and GOP congressional leaders pay their respects to fallen Capitol Police Officer Sicknick
From CNN's Caroline Kelly and Jason Hoffman
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks during a ceremony memorializing U.S. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, as an urn with his cremated remains lies in honor on a black-draped table at the center of the Capitol Rotunda, Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021, in Washington.
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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy just paid their respects to fallen US Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick.
A congressional tribute was held for the officer inside the Rotunda, where he is lying in honor. The officer died due to injuries suffered in the Jan. 6 insurrection on the Capitol.
Sicknick’s family released a statement on Saturday thanking “congressional leadership for bestowing this historic honor on our fallen American hero.”
See lawmakers pay their respects:
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Fallen Capitol officer was "a peacekeeper, not only in duty, but in spirit," Schumer says
From CNN's Elise Hammond
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer attends a ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda to honor Officer Brian Sicknick on February 3.
Demetrius Freeman/Pool/AFP/Getty Images
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer honored Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who was killed in the riot at the US Capitol on January 6, saying he was “a peacekeeper, not only in duty, but in spirit.”
The Senate Majority Leader went on to describe Sicknick and his 12-year service with the US Capitol Police.
“Talk to his colleagues and they will tell you that Brian was a kind and humble man with profound inner strength, the quiet rock of his unit,” Schumer said. They will tell you that Brian was dependable, never missed a radio call.”
Schumer said that many people continue to recover from injuries “seen and unseen” from the Capitol riot, and mentioned that mental health counseling is available for officers and staff.
“That Brian and his family were made to pay such a high price for his devoted service in the capitol was a senseless tragedy, one that we are still grappling with,” he said. “It has left deep scars here in this building among his friends and his colleagues.”
“Blessed are the peacekeepers like Brian. Let us be peacekeepers now in his memory,” he added.
Hear Sen. Schumer’s full remarks:
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Fallen Officer Sicknick is being honored at the Capitol right now. Here's a look back at his career.
From CNN's Ralph Ellis
US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi holds a portrait of late Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick as he lies in honor during a ceremony as people pay their respects in the Rotunda of the US Capitol building on February 3, 2021, in Washington, DC.
Carlos Barria/Pool/AFP/Getty Images
A congressional tribute for fallen US Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick is being held in the building’s famous Rotunda.
The officer died due to injuries suffered in the Jan. 6 insurrection on the Capitol.
Sicknick joined the USCP in July 2008, and most recently served in the Department’s First Responder’s Unit. Sicknick was originally from South River, New Jersey, and the youngest of three sons, according to a statement issued by his brother, Ken Sicknick, on behalf of his family.
Sicknick’s family was “very proud” of his service to his country, Ken Sicknick said.
“Brian is a hero, and that is what we would like people to remember,” he said.
Sicknick “wanted to be a police officer his entire life” and joined the New Jersey National Guard in his pursuit of that goal, Ken Sicknick said.
According to a statement from New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s office, Sicknick was a staff sergeant for the New Jersey National Guard.
He served as a fire team member and a leader of the 108th Security Force Squadron, 108th Wing, at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, Murphy’s statement said.
Sicknick’s service included two deployments — one as part of Operation Southern Watch and another as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, Murphy said.
“Officer Sicknick gave his life protecting the United States Capitol, and by extension, our very democracy, from violent insurrection,” Murphy said.
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Republicans plan to force tough votes for Democrats as they pave way for reconciliation
From CNN's Clare Foran
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell speaks to reporters at the Capitol on February 2.
Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell criticized Democrats’ move to pass a budget resolution – clearing a path for reconciliation – if a bipartisan deal is not reached on Covid relief.
The Minority Leader previewed some of the tough votes Senate Republicans plan to force on Democrats as part of that process.
“Yesterday, less than a day after several Senate Republicans spent literally two hours meeting with President Biden, Senate Democrats plowed ahead with a party line vote to set the table for a partisan jam,” McConnell said. “The rushed budget process that will play out this week is exactly the wrong path toward making law,” he added.
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Soon: Pelosi and Schumer to speak at ceremony honoring fallen Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick
From CNN's Caroline Kelly and Jason Hoffman
Guests are seated in the Capitol Rotunda on February 3 before a ceremony to honor Officer Brian Sicknick.
Demetrius Freeman/Pool/Getty Images
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will deliver remarks shortly during a congressional tribute for fallen US Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, whose remains are lying in honor in the building’s famous Rotunda.
The officer died due to injuries suffered in the Jan. 6 insurrection on the Capitol.
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden paid their respects last night, and Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff visited the Capitol this morning to pay respects.
Lying in state is typically reserved for leaders of American government, but two US Capitol Police officers shot to death in 1998 were the first private citizens to lie in honor at the Capitol.
Sicknick’s family released a statement on Saturday thanking “congressional leadership for bestowing this historic honor on our fallen American hero.”
Multiple lawmakers had called for Sicknick to be honored at the Capitol, and two Republicans from South Carolina introduced a bill that would allow him to lie in the Rotunda before his burial at Arlington National Cemetery.
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Schumer says caucus is "eager to discuss next steps" ahead of White House meeting on Covid-19 relief
From CNN's Ali Zaslav
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer attends a press conference at the Capitol on February 2.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday that in a few hours, “I alongside the Democratic committee chairs responsible for drafting this (relief) legislation will be meeting with President Biden at the White House,” and they are “eager to discuss next steps.”
“We are united in our resolve to deliver on a rescue plan that provides the American people the relief they so desperately need,” he said of Senate Democrats.
Schumer reiterated Wednesday that when it comes to swiftly passing a big coronavirus relief package Democrats “will not repeat the mistakes of the past.”
Schumer noted that over the next two days the Senate will be in session for debate on the budget resolution. He invited members on both sides to participate in that process.
“There will be an open bipartisan amendment process,” he said. “We invite participation from both sides of the aisle in that process. But, I urge members not to lose sight of what this legislation will mean for the American people, for Americans who’ve lost their jobs to no fault of their own.”
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Biden to Democrats: “I’m not going to start my administration by breaking a promise to the American people"
From CNN's Manu Raju
President Biden held a call with House Democrats this morning, telling them “it’s not in the cards” to go to $600 billion from $1.9 trillion on Covid relief, according to a person who was on the call.
“I’m not going to start my administration by breaking a promise to the American people,” he said.
The call is still on going but Biden is not expected to take questions, this person added.
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House Democrats plan to mount offensive to tie Republicans to QAnon
From CNN's Manu Raju
In light of the Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene controversy, on a caucus call this morning, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Sean Patrick Maloney told his colleagues that Democrats plan to stay, “relentlessly on offense” against Republicans, according to a person familiar who is on the call.
They’re vowing a new round of attacks against Congresswoman Lauren Boebert in Colorado.
And they say that research shows that even voters conservative districts from believe what happened on Jan. 6 amounted to treason, they blame Trump, and they’re critical of congressional Republicans.
They want to tie Republicans to QAnon because they think voters are concerned about the fringe conspiracy movement.
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Biden's message to Democrats on stimulus: “We need to act fast”
From CNN's Lauren Fox
President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on January 29.
Anna Moneymaker/Pool/Getty Images
On a call with House Democrats, President Biden spoke about the urgency of passing a stimulus package in Congress.
“We’ve got a lot of people hurting in our country,” he said, according to a source who was on the call.
“We need to act fast,” the President added, according to this person.
Biden also made it clear to Democrats that the party cannot walk away from the $1,400 stimulus checks, but that he was open to making it more targeted.
Some context: Biden is lobbying to pass a $1.9 trillion relief package — one currently too large to garner Republican support — and Democrats are laying track to use a complicated Senate procedure that will allow them to pass it along party lines.
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Pete Buttigieg sworn in as transportation secretary
From CNN's Allie Malloy
Pete Buttigieg, with his hand on a Bible held by his husband Chasten Buttigieg, is sworn in as transportation secretary by Vice President Kamala Harris in Washington, DC, on February 3.
Andrew Harnik/AP
Vice President Kamala Harris swore in new Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a brief ceremony Wednesday morning.
Buttigieg was sworn in with a bible that was held by his husband, Chasten Buttigieg.
Buttigieg is the first openly gay Cabinet member confirmed by the Senate. In the Trump administration, Rick Grenell served as director of National Intelligence, and was the first openly gay person to serve in a Cabinet-level position in an acting capacity.
Following his swearing in the Vice President offered congratulations to Buttigieg and his husband with elbow bumps. No questions or other comments were made.
Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff was also in attendance. The four posed together after the ceremony.
Some context: Six of Biden’s 23 Cabinet-level nominees requiring Senate approval have been confirmed. Buttigieg was confirmed 13 days after his nomination.
Lead impeachment manager says Trump lawyer's arguments are “absurd"
From CNN's Manu Raju
Rep. Jamie Raskin leads fellow House impeachment managers as they proceed to deliver the articles of impeachment against Donald Trump to the Senate on January 25 in Washington, DC.
Jonathan Ernst/Pool/Getty Images
Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin, the lead impeachment manager, told his caucus on a call this morning that Donald Trump’s legal team’s filing amounted to “absurd constitutional arguments being offered by the president,” according to a person who is on the call.
Raskin said it isn’t first amendment protected speech and it isn’t like shouting fire in a crowded theater – he said it was like a fire chief sending a mob to the theater.
One Capitol Police officer has lost 3 fingers, Raskin said, and another is likely to lose his eye.
He also said that extremist elements in Russia and Germany view the storming of the Capitol as a great victory for 21st century fascism.
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Schumer announces power-sharing agreement has been reached, allowing Democrats to take control of committees
From CNN's Ali Zaslav, Clare Foran and Ted Barrett
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer speaks at the Capitol on February 2.
Olivier Douliery/AFP/Getty Images
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer just announced that he and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have finally reached an agreement on the Senate’s power-sharing resolution, paving the way for Democrats to take control of committee gavels, which they have been locked out of without a deal in place.
An agreement between the two leaders was needed to determine how power would be divided since the Senate has an even partisan split of 50-50 with Vice President Kamala Harris able to break ties.
Without a power-sharing agreement in place, the committees cannot officially organize and Republicans have maintained their chairmanships since they are operating under the rules of the last Congress when Senate Republicans controlled the majority.
This has become a real problem for Democrats, with the latest example being GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham, the outgoing chair of the Judiciary Committee, holding up the confirmation hearing of President Joe Biden’s Attorney General nominee Merrick Garland.
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On Democratic caucus call, Hoyer appears uninterested in reaching deal with McCarthy on Greene
From CNN's Annie Grayer, Manu Raju, Ali Zaslav and Lauren Fox
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer speaks to reporters at the Capitol on January 11.
Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer seems not at all interested in a deal with Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy over Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, based on remarks made during an ongoing Democratic caucus call, according to a source familiar who is on the call.
CNN reported earlier today that McCarthy will try to cut a deal with Hoyer to head off the floor vote on Greene, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter.
It’s unclear if Democrats will agree to allowing her to leave the Education Committee and stay on the Budget Committee, which is one option the GOP is floating.
The Republican Steering Committee is on standby for a possible meeting today. The GOP steering panel can remove Republican House members from their committee posts, but two officials with direct knowledge of the meeting told CNN that the committee did not make a decision as of Tuesday night.
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Senate committee confirms Gina Raimondo as commerce secretary
From CNN’s Brian Fung
The Senate Commerce Committee has voted to confirm Gina Raimondo as President Joe Biden’s Commerce Secretary. The vote was 21-3.
Despite voting in favor of confirmation, Sen. Roger Wicker, the panel’s chairman, tweaked Raimondo for not making more clear whether she intends to keep Huawei and other Chinese businesses on the Department’s Entity List.
“Keeping Huawei on this list is important for the security of our networks and I urge the governor to make this position clear,” Wicker said.
Some background: Raimondo is the first woman governor of Rhode Island and has served since 2015. She was elected to serve as general treasurer of Rhode Island in 2010 and co-founded Point Judith Capital, an early stage venture capital firm.
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Announcement on a Senate power-sharing agreement coming shortly
From CNN's Lauren Fox
An announcement on an organizing resolution is imminent, a source familiar with the matter tells CNN.
The source confirmed that a deal has been reached in principle on the organizing resolution – or power-sharing agreement – that had precluded Democrats from taking control of committees. The announcement is coming soon.
It’s unclear how soon any agreement could be passed though as all 100 senators have to agree to fast-track a vote on it.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell are expected to speak soon.
Why this matters: A stalemate has prevented Democrats from taking control of key committees since the chamber is operating under the rules of the last Congress, when the GOP was in charge, delaying consideration of attorney general nominee Merrick Garland, who is expected to receive bipartisan support.
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Vice President Harris pays her respects to Officer Sicknick at US Capitol
From CNN's Aaron Pellish, Caroline Kelly and Jason Hoffman
Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff pay their respects to Officer Brian Sicknick in the Capitol Rotunda on February 3.
Brendan Smialowski/Pool/AFP/Getty Images
Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff visited the Capitol this morning to pay respects to Officer Brian Sicknick, who died due to injuries suffered in the Jan. 6 insurrection on the Capitol.
In an unannounced visit, Harris and her husband spent about two minutes in the Capitol Rotunda, where Officer Sicknick is lying in honor.
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden paid their respects Tuesday night.
A congressional tribute for Officer Sicknick will be held at the Rotunda at 10:30 a.m. ET.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will deliver remarks.
Lying in state is typically reserved for leaders of American government, but two US Capitol Police officers shot to death in 1998 were the first private citizens to lie in honor at the Capitol.
Sicknick’s family released a statement on Saturday thanking “congressional leadership for bestowing this historic honor on our fallen American hero.”
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Here's why Democrats still aren't in charge of the Senate
From CNN's Lauren Fox, Alex Rogers and Manu Raju
Democrats won the Senate, but they’re not in charge until the chamber’s party leaders strike a power-sharing agreement.
A stalemate has prevented Democrats from taking control of key committees since the chamber is operating under the rules of the last Congress, when the GOP was in charge, delaying consideration of attorney general nominee Merrick Garland, who is expected to receive bipartisan support.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, rejected a Democratic request on Monday to schedule Garland’s confirmation hearing on February 8, arguing that the Senate needs to focus on the impeachment trial of former president Donald Trump, which is set to start the following day.
The South Carolina Republican said in a letter that a “one-day hearing” was “insufficient,” and noted that previous attorney general nominees received two-day hearings.
Until Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer strike an agreement, Graham will continue to determine the panel’s schedule rather than Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin. The party leaders could finalize a deal as soon as Tuesday; Graham said he guessed he’d be Judiciary Committee chairman for “another day or two.”
McConnell declined Tuesday to comment on the topic. Party leaders are haggling over a final few points, including how to structure committee budgets, before finalizing the power-sharing agreement that will officially allow Democrats to take their chairmanships, according to Senate officials familiar with the talks. Democrats hold a majority in the 50-50 Senate because Vice President Kamala Harris has the power to break tie votes in the chamber.
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Biden will speak to Democratic lawmakers today about his Covid-19 relief package
From CNN's Jeremy Diamond and Phil Mattingly
President Joe Biden speaks in the Oval Office of the White House on February 2.
Biden will dial into House Democrats’ weekly caucus meeting at 9:45 a.m. ET before hosting a group of Democratic senators in the Oval Office at 11:30 a.m. ET, according to updated guidance from the White House.
The White House meeting today will include Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and the Democratic committee chairs who will be assembling the Covid relief bill, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The call and meeting come two days after Biden invited a group of Republican senators to the Oval Office to discuss the coronavirus relief package and as Democrats move toward the budget reconciliation process.
Biden also spoke to Senate Democrats on Tuesday, laying out the topline details of his proposal and urging Democrats to coalesce around the idea of “going big” with their first major legislative effort of his term.
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McCarthy will try to cut a deal with Democratic House leader today to head off floor vote on Greene
From CNN's Manu Raju
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene objects during a joint session of Congress to certify the presidential election in the Capitol House Chamber on January 7.
Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Getty Images
House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy will try to cut a deal with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer to head off the floor vote on Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter.
It’s unclear if Democrats will agree to allowing her to leave the Education Committee and stay on the Budget Committee, which is one option the GOP is floating.
The Republican Steering Committee is on standby for a possible meeting today. It’s unclear if McCarthy will take action to strip Greene from her positions or if he will let the House Dems do it on Thursday
The GOP steering panel can remove Republican House members from their committee posts, but two officials with direct knowledge of the meeting told CNN that the committee did not make a decision as of Tuesday night.
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McCarthy and GOP Steering Committee discussed whether to force Greene off the Education Committee
From CNN's Manu Raju, Ali Zaslav and Lauren Fox
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy speaks at a press briefing in Washington, DC, on January 21.
Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images
The fate of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s future is now in the hands of a group of House Republicans who are deliberating whether to punish the Georgia congresswoman for extreme comments she made before winning her seat, as a growing number of Senate Republicans say she shouldn’t be welcome in the party.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy met for several hours last night with Greene at the Capitol. McCarthy asked if Greene would apologize for her past comments and views, which she did not agree to, a person with knowledge of the matter tells CNN.
Another person familiar with their conversation also tells CNN that McCarthy provided a slew of options to the controversial representative, including that she could show remorse and apologize.
McCarthy and the GOP Steering Committee also discussed an array of options, including forcing her off just the Education Committee but letting her stay on the Budget Committee, according to a person with knowledge of the talks. But it’s not clear that Democrats would be okay with that — especially if she doesn’t apologize.
One Republican member close to this process tells CNN that the fact Greene has refused to apologize for her past comments is making the situation untenable.
But, as CNN has reported, McCarthy has not tipped his hand one way or the other on Greene’s fate.
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Trump's second impeachment trial is less than a week away. Here's what we know about his defense team.
From CNN's Devan Cole
Then outgoing President Donald Trump speaks to the media before leaving the White House on January 20.
Trump’s office announced on Sunday that David Schoen, a seasoned civil and criminal lawyer, and Bruce L. Castor, Jr, a well-known lawyer and the former Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, district attorney, would defend him at the trial, which is set to begin next week.
The lawyers, both of whom have legal careers peppered with curiosities, joined Trump’s team a day after five members of his defense left, effectively collapsing the team.
They’re tasked with devising a defense strategy for a former President who faces the impeachment charge of inciting a deadly insurrection at the US Capitol, something that if convicted could also result in him being barred from holding federal office ever again.
For Schoen, whose website says he “focuses primarily on the litigation of complex civil and criminal cases before trial and appellate courts,” Trump is just the latest controversial figure his career has brought him to in recent years.
Schoen was on the team of lawyers representing Roger Stone, Trump’s longtime friend and former adviser, in the appeal of his conviction related to issues Stone took with the jury. Stone dropped that appeal after the then-President commuted his prison sentence, but before Stone received a full presidential pardon for convictions, including lying to Congress to protect Trump.
Castor, meanwhile, served as Montgomery County district attorney from 2000 to 2008, before serving two terms as the county commissioner, according to a release from Trump’s office.
He was involved in at least one high-profile case as district attorney, when he declined in 2005 to prosecute Bill Cosby after Andrea Constand reported the actor had touched her inappropriately at his home in Montgomery County, citing “insufficient credible and admissible evidence.”
What you need to know about budget reconciliation and the role it could play in advancing Biden's stimulus
From CNN's Ted Barrett, Lauren Fox and Paul LeBlanc
As President Biden pursues a bipartisan Covid-19 relief deal, Senate Democrats are laying the groundwork for passing relief without any Republican votes using a procedural shortcut known as budget reconciliation.
Reconciliation could allow Democrats to fast track key aspects of Biden’s agenda, from Covid-19 relief to infrastructure, but the process comes with a strict set of rules attached.
Here’s what you need to know:
What is budget reconciliation? The reconciliation process was set up as part of the 1974 Congressional Budget Act to make it faster and easier to pass legislation related to spending, taxes and debt, because debate on the bills is limited to 20 hours and can be passed on a simple majority vote. Budget reconciliation allows lawmakers to bypass the 60-vote threshold typically required for breaking filibusters and moving legislation forward. Democrats currently control exactly 50 seats in the 100-seat chamber, and Vice President Kamala Harris holds the tie-breaking vote in her capacity as Senate president. That’s enough for Democrats to be able to use reconciliation to pass some kinds of legislation.
What can be passed using budget reconciliation? Bills are only eligible for the budget reconciliation process if they affect federal revenue or spending. They are subject to what’s known asthe Byrd rule, a multi-pronged test designed to keep out provisions considered extraneous, without any real impact on the budget, or that might affect Social Security. As the committees write their bills, they will try to ensure their proposals will be approved by Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough who must enforce the Byrd rule. Senators can challenge the parliamentarian’s decisions and vote to waive the Byrd Rule, but they would need a 60 vote majority to do so.
When has reconciliation been used before? Reconciliation has been used many times by both parties to pass controversial legislation over the objections of the minority party, including former President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act in 2010 and Trump’s sweeping tax cuts in 2017.
How will budget reconciliation be used for the Covid-19 package? Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer introduced a budget resolution Monday, the first in a two-step process that will allow the work of writing the coronavirus relief bill in committees to begin. The budget vote now will clear the way for Democrats to potentially pass their relief bill by late February or March after the impeachment trial of former President Trump is completed in the Senate.
Six of Biden's 23 Cabinet-level nominees requiring Senate approval have been confirmed so far
From CNN's Clare Foran and Ted Barrett
The Senate voted Tuesday to confirm Alejandro Mayorkas as Homeland Security secretary, the first Latino and immigrant to serve at the helm of the department.
His confirmation will fill a critical role in the new administration and he’ll be expected to swiftly begin rolling back Trump administration immigration policies while juggling the response to a global pandemic and national security threats, along with restoring a department that’s been rattled by leadership turnover and vacancies in recent years.
The Senate also voted Tuesday to confirm Pete Buttigieg as transportation secretary, making him the first Senate-confirmed LGBTQ Cabinet secretary.
Buttigieg’s confirmation elevates the former South Bend, Indiana, mayor and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate to a top post in the federal government.
The choice vaults a candidate President Joe Biden spoke glowingly of after the primary into a top job in his administration and could earn Buttigieg what many Democrats believe is needed experience should he run for president again.
The role of transportation secretary is expected to play a central role in Biden’s push for a bipartisan infrastructure package.
