Maloney suffered a crushing defeat to Rep. Jerry Nadler, forced into a member-for-member primary due to the congressional reorganization process. But several Democrats quickly expressed interest in the position, beginning one of what could be several key leadership battles after November’s midterm elections.
Virginia Rep. Jerry Connolly, who lost to Maloney in the 2019 presidency race, immediately announced his candidacy, as did Massachusetts Rep. Stephen Lynch. Democratic Rep. Jamie Ruskin, who is currently a member of the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, told CNN he is also considering running. rice field. Also, other Democrats might take their hats off.
“We need a tried and tested leader who will not be timid in the face of Republican insurgency,” Connolly said in a statement.
Depending on the results of the November election, Democrats may find themselves watching Republicans push for commission investigations. If the currently-backed Republican Party wins the House, the top Democrat on the panel will lose the power of the subpoena and instead serve as the party’s top messenger to counter the Republican agenda.
But if Democrats retain the House, the new chairman will take over important investigations the committee is currently conducting.
The House Oversight Committee was one of the first agencies to question the documents that former President Donald Trump brought into Mar-a-Lago, his Florida mansion, and to investigate whether classified materials existed there. The panel recently began investigating secret service agent text messages that may have been deleted from before and after the Capitol attacks, and also examined the country’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Connolly currently chairs the House Subcommittee on Government Affairs and has served on the entire committee for 14 years. When announcing his bid, he emphasized his focus on postal reform, protecting federal employees, and fighting the Trump administration.
In a letter to colleagues announcing his candidacy, Lynch, who is older than Connolly on the Commission and chair of the Subcommittee on National Security, said, “The role of the Oversight Commission has never been greater. I believe it is important to
“As the most senior Democrats running to head the committee, some Republicans actively chose to disregard the truth and their oath to support their political interests. I am ready to serve at this pivotal moment in history as the 2020 election, the January 6th riots, the fraudulent conduct of former President Trump, and the grave concern of the American people. gamesmanship, divisive rhetoric, and disinformation on other issues that are
The election of leaders is by secret ballot, so no one knows how the race will turn out. After the midterm elections, there will be plenty of competition for key posts, especially if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi declines to lead the caucuses that have dominated for much of the past two decades.
Source: www.cnn.com
