Author: Fox News

Fox News host Sean Hannity sparred Wednesday with House Freedom Caucus member Lauren Boebert, one of the approximately 20 members of Congress who do not support Rep-elect. Kevin McCarthy’s, R-Calif., bid to become the next Speaker of the House.

Boebert, R-Colo, expressed distrust that McCarthy would follow through on some of the pledges he has made in recent times, while Hannity repeatedly pressed the congresswoman to explicitly name a lawmaker she would support instead of the Californian.

Hannity keyed into Boebert’s earlier comments invoking former President Donald Trump, who signaled fervent support for McCarthy.

“Even having my favorite president call us and tell us we need to knock this off, I think it actually needs to be reversed,” Boebert said as she nominated Rep.-elect Byron Donalds, R-Fla., ahead of the fifth round of voting. “The president needs to tell Kevin McCarthy that sir, you do not have the votes, and it’s time to withdraw.”

HOUSE SPEAKER VOTE DERBY THE ‘ANTI-GROUNDHOG DAY’: CRITICS

Sean Hannity spars with Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., on ‘Hannity’
(Fox News)

In response, Hannity asked Boebert why she and her 19 other no-McCarthy colleagues should withdraw their objection instead, given the erstwhile Minority Leader enjoys the support of ten times as many members in the latest tally.

“Let me turn the tables, Congresswoman. Kevin McCarthy has 202-203 votes. Your side has 20. So if I’m going to use your words and your methodology and your math, isn’t it time for you to pack it in and your side to pack it in – considering he has over 200 and you have 20?” the host asked.

Boebert replied she understands the frustration at the standoff, to which Hannity said he isn’t frustrated but wanted a direct answer.

The lawmaker claimed McCarthy didn’t want to listen to concerns from her and other lawmakers until the 2022 elections awarded Republicans a much narrower majority than he originally envisioned.

CHIP ROY DEFENDS ‘NO’-VOTE ON MCCARTHY AMID HOUSE SPEAKER CHAOS

House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Donald Trump react to the crowd as they hold an event on water accessibility for farms during a visit to Bakersfield, California, February 19, 2020.
(REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)

“We all want a unified party. But this isn’t chaos. It’s a functioning constitutional republic when everything is said and done House Republicans will be stronger and more prepared to lead than ever before,” she said.

Hannity pressed again, questioning how the 20-strong conservative group will unify around a non-McCarthy candidate if they have not been consistent with who they have nominated. He pointed out how on Tuesday, the group nominated Rep.-elect Jim Jordan, unsolicited, then moved on to Donalds on Wednesday.

“Tomorrow, I don’t know who you’re going to vote for, but the bottom line is you still only have 20 votes… You’re proving that 20 people don’t want Kevin McCarthy at this time.”

When asked if Boebert supports McCarthy’s Commitment to America campaign, which included tenets of border security, energy independence, and debt reduction – in addition to separate support for investigating alleged Biden family influence peddling and the behavior of former NIAID Director Anthony Fauci, the lawmaker said she does.

MCCARTHY NOT BACKING DOWN FROM SPEAKER BID AFTER HEATED MEETING WITH GOP: ‘I’M NOT GOING ANYWHERE’

Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) speaks at a news conference at the Capitol on January 03, 2023 in Washington, DC. 
(Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

“Of course I do. But I do not trust Kevin McCarthy at this point to deliver on those promises,” she said.

“Especially when I go into good faith negotiations with him. And then he comes out and lies about what those conversations were saying that members.”

Hannity underlined that such a statement was a characterization, and that McCarthy was not present to defend against the assertion.

The host again asked who Boebert’s group plans to nominate Thursday when the House reconvenes, to which the lawmaker proffered she may want to nominate Trump – as the Speaker does not have to be a sitting lawmaker.

Hannity replied the atmosphere around the changing non-McCarthy nominations has the air of a game show. 

“[McCarthy has] 203 people and you have 20. I respect the 20 of you. But I’m asking you based on your own words… Who do you want? Who will you only support to be speaker? It’s not that hard.”

“I’m willing to have conversations with the Republican Conference to come up with a consensus candidate,” Boebert replied. 

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Earlier Wednesday, Donalds was nominated in successive votes, at one point by House Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry, who gave an impassioned speech in support of a non-McCarthy alternative.

Democrats unanimously nominated Rep.-elect Hakeem Jeffries of New York, who is likely to serve as House Minority Leader.

Two Democrats – Reps.-elect Marcy Kaptur of Ohio and Ro Khanna of California – had separately stated they could in one scenario support certain Republicans to break the logjam.

Former congressman Justin Amash faced mockery on Twitter Wednesday for suggesting that he should be voted House speaker as a compromise amid Rep-elect Kevin McCarthy’s, R-Calif., struggles to secure the leadership position.

 “Former Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) is standing just outside the Speaker’s Lobby telling reporters that he’s willing and interested in serving as a compromise Speaker,” Alex Bolton, a staff writer for The Hill, reported. 

Amash, who was first elected in 2010, was at the Capitol as the House still debated and voted on who should be speaker. Republicans control a slim five-seat majority in the lower chamber, which has left McCarthy struggling to get the 218 votes needed to become speaker. After six failed votes, McCarthy and his allies are negotiating with the 20 Republican holdouts. 

However, there is discussion about the possibility of moderate Republicans joining Democrats to nominate and vote for a moderate Republican as speaker. Amash, the former Republican turned Independent turned Libertarian, threw his name out as a possibility. 

CONSERVATIVE HEAVYWEIGHTS CALL FOR NEW HOUSE GOP LEADERSHIP AFTER MCCARTHY FAILED TO CLINCH HOUSE SPEAKER

U.S. Rep.-elect Kat Cammack (R-FL) speaks alongside Rep.-elect Steve Scalise (R-LA) in the House Chamber during the second day of elections for Speaker of the House at the U.S. Capitol Building on January 04, 2023 in Washington, DC. 
((Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images))

Sarah Ferris, a congressional reporter for Politico, tweeted “Ok now we’ve seen it all folks Former Justin Amash is here outside House chamber pitching a different kind of speaker candidate: himself ‘I’m here in case they want that as a possibility.'”

“To that end, I am on standby if Bill Gates needs someone to inherit his wealth,” conservative author Eddie Scarry replied. 

“Amash is the definition of a jabroni,” Greg Price, a political strategist, tweeted.

“Me pitching myself as the next boyfriend for Ana de Armas,” podcast producer Isaac Lee joked. 

Former Obama senior advisor David Pfeiffer shared a gif with the text “What about me?” 

BYRON RENOLDS ADDRESSES HOUSE SPEAKER NOMINATION: REPUBLICAN VOTERS ARE ‘NOT HAPPY’ WITH PARTY LEADERSHIP

Former lawmaker Justin Amash takes questions during a town hall event in Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S., on Tuesday, May 28, 2019. 
( Jeff Kowalsky/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

However, Amash did receive some praise from fellow Libertarians, 

Bekah Congdon, managing editor of Cato Institute, tweeted “With our country facing so many challenges, we need a #Speakerofthehouse who can heal divisions. @JustinAmash is the perfect candidate for this role. He is a thoughtful, even-handed leader who is respected across party lines for his integrity and dedication to principle.”

Ryan Graham, political director of the Libertarian Party of Georgia, tweeted “Justin Amash for Speaker of the House!”

Then-Rep. Justin Amash sits at a House Oversight and Reform National Security subcommittee hearing. 
(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

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Amash left the Republican Party during the Trump administration and voted to impeach Trump during the first impeachment trial. 

McCarthy lost his sixth vote for House speaker Wednesday evening. A group of conservative populist Republicans including Rep. Matt Gaetz, Fla., and Rep. Lauren Boebert, Colo., among others have said they will not support McCarthy.

Ronna McDaniel has served three terms as chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, but a rising conservative figure believes it’s time for new leadership.

Harmeet Dhillon, a civil rights attorney and national committeewoman for the RNC, is challenging McDaniel after a string of GOP losses in the 2020 presidential election and 2022 midterm elections. 

“I think we really need to focus on our party where we’re all working in the party together. This is not personal. I have no personal issue with Ronna,” Dhillon tells Fox Digital. 

McDaniel would become the one of the longest serving RNC chairs in over 100 years if she were elected to a fourth term. Since her announcement, roughly 73% of GOP voters want the RNC to move on from McDaniel, according to a December poll by the Convention of States Action.

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“You’re the head of an organization and the job of the organization is to elect Republicans and you don’t elect Republicans… normally people do step down and move on.”

— Harmeet Dhillon

After losing the White House and missing what some Republicans predicted would be a “red wave” in the midterms, a chorus of conservative voters are asking what went wrong within the RNC.

Attorney Harmeet Dhillon California’s national committeewoman for the Republican National Committee poses for a photograph at her office in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group) (Photo by MediaNews Group/Bay Area News via Getty Images)
(Anda Chu/MediaNews Group/Bay Area News via Getty Images)

“We don’t have the White House now, we don’t have the presidency. So, you know, we are effectively the leaders of the party,” said Dhillon. “If we’re not clearly articulating what our message is, why voters should vote for us, then we are losing. And in fact, we are always playing catch up with the Democrats.”

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The RNC raised over $327 million and spent about $391 million in the 2021-2022 election cycle. 

Despite calls for changes in leadership at the RNC, McDaniel says she has instituted several changes that has enhanced the party’s outreach.

“I think I have provided a lot of change under my leadership,” McDaniel told Fox Business’ Stuart Varney in December. “I’m always open to new ideas and ways to move forward.”

Republicans spent nearly twice as much money as Democrats on fundraising efforts during the 2022 midterm elections, according to Open Secrets. But Democrats outspent the GOP by more than $100 million in media while Republicans spent $93.4 million on campaign strategy and communications consulting.

“We pay hundreds of thousands of dollars this year to messaging consultants who are not providing good messaging,” said Dhillon. “We have our small dollar donor program, which I think is sometimes…quite abusive to our donors. They’re kind of harassing messages. I think we need to really change our tone and welcome people back into the party.”

Republican National Committee Chairwoman, Ronna McDaniel, gavels the call-to-order at the opening of the first day of the Republican National Convention Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Critics of McDaniel argue November’s midterm losses and the current fight over who will lead the RNC reveal deeper issues about the ambitions of the party’s leadership. 

“I trust most of the members of the RNC to vote not in their self-interest, but rather in the interest of the party,” said Dhillon. “Ronna has a large staff at the RNC that she’s using in this campaign. I think that’s somewhat questionable, but she is doing that.”

The candidacy of Dhillon and McDaniel is problematic for former President Trump. Dhillon played a key role in the former president’s legal feuds with the January 6th committee. But Trump hand-picked McDaniel to be his RNC chair in 2017. Trump says that he likes both candidates and is declining to endorse either. 

“I don’t think anybody can doubt my integrity,” said Dhillon, about whether her relationship with the former president would impact her decisions as RNC chair — which has bylaws that require an even playing field in the 2024 presidential primary. 

“The idea that I’m ‘in somebody’s pocket’ because I represent them on a separation of powers matter involved in…I think that’s also kind of a crude type of analysis.” 

— Harmeet Dhillon

Dhillon denies that she is leaning on her relationship with Trump trying to win the chair. She says she plans to better deliver the party’s message on social issues like abortion and not rely heavily on consultants while boosting small dollar donations.

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While McDaniel has sought to claim success in broadening the party’s appeal to minority voters, Dhillon says the RNC chairwoman must bare responsibility for Republicans’ failure to win the Senate and have an even larger House Majority. 

“Life is unfair in many ways. However, when you have successive losses, be it and a sports team or being in a corporation or being as a leader of the party too, people typically move on.”

MOSCOW, Idaho – Bryan Kohberger, the 28-year-old criminal justice student accused of killing four undergrads at a neighboring school, arrived at the Latah County Jail Wednesday evening, hours after authorities flew him out of Pennsylvania.

A law enforcement source tells Fox News Kohberger is being held in a separate holding cell and his demeanor “remains quiet.”

Police there and the FBI took him into custody on Dec. 30 after raiding his parents’ house in Albrightsville.

Kohberger faces four counts a first-degree murder and a felony burglary charge for allegedly entering a six-bedroom house and stabbing four University of Idaho students.

UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO MURDERS TIMELINE: WHAT WE KNOW

Bryan Kohberger, 28, is accused of killing Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen.
(Latah County Sheriff’s Office)

After deputies booked Kohberger into the county jail, his new mugshot appeared on the sheriff’s website.

Police identified the victims of the Nov. 13 attack as Kaylee Goncalves and Maddie Mogen, 21, along with 20-year-olds Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin, who were dating.

Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, along with the women’s two other roommates in Kaylee Goncalves’ final Instagram post, shared the day before the slayings.
(@kayleegoncalves/Instagram)

After the attacks, Kohberger is believed to have finished the semester at Washington State University, about 7 miles away from the crime scene.

He was studying there for a Ph.D in the department of criminal justice and criminology and working as a TA.

Bryan Kohberger was stopped by Indiana police Dec 15, 2022 before he was identified as a suspect in the murder of 4 University of Idaho students.
(Hancock County Police Department)

On Dec. 15, the day a Pullman Police SWAT team shot and killed an armed suspect after an hours-long and unrelated standoff, Kohberger was pulled over twice with his dad in Indiana, once for speeding and once for tailgating, as they made their way back to the Poconos.

WATCH: New video shows traffic stop in Indiana involving Idaho murder suspect

A source told Fox News’ Dan Springer Wednesday that the stops came at the direction of the FBI, who were looking for images of Kohberger’s hands.

Kohberger’s Pennsylvania defense attorney said the father’s trip had been planned well in advance.

Bryan Kohberger arrives in Pullman, Washington, on his way back to Idaho to face charges in the quadruple stabbing deaths of a group of college students.
(Fox News)

He also said Kohberger expected to be exonerated in Idaho after waiving his extradition in the Keystone State. 

Kohberger arrived in Idaho just before 6:30 p.m. Wednesday after a cross-country flight from Pennsylvania that made two pits stops along the way.

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Deputies escorted him out of a Pennsylvania State Police plane. He was seen wearing a red prisoner jumpsuit under a heavy jacket.